The internet is abuzz with chatter about Netflix’s new prehistoric documentary, The Dinosaurs. It is a sort of follow up to Netflix’s other prehistory documentary, Life on Our Planet, with Morgan Freeman once again returning as narrator. So how does this new entry stack up to its Netflix’s previous foray into paleomedia?
Right off the bat I will say that The Dinosaurs is significantly better than its predecessor. While there are certain similarities in presentation, and some of the CGI assests have been repurposed, it overall vastly improves on Life on Our Planet. The storytelling is better paced, more tightly focused, and better educates the audience on its subject matter. The narration goes into much greater detail about not only the dinosaurs, but their environment and the ecological changes they face, all while maintaining the audience’s attention.
To my eye, the CGI seemed to have improved this time around, though perhaps still not quite to the same photorealistic extent as Prehistoric Planet. The models were generally better as well, though a few creatures had odd design choices. The Tanystropheus stood out to me in particular, with the weird, adjustable sail given to it that does not reflect the fossil record. Some criticized the Allosaurus as well for looking too much like the Jurassic World model.
As for the format of the show, it consists of four episodes, spanning the length of the Mesozoic. It starts by showcasing the origins of proto-dinosaurs in the Triassic, and follows their evolution chronologically through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. There is perhaps an over-reliance on portraying specific species as each others’ ancestors when they in fact may not be directly connected in real life, but I think we can give the show a little leeway in simplifying these relationships for the casual audience.
On the flip side, though, I loved the way in which the show emphatically connected birds to dinosaurs. In fact, the word “bird” is hardly ever uttered; the avians featured are always just “dinosaurs”, cementing their placement in their parent category. It isn’t until the very end, after the K-Pg Extinction, that Morgan Freeman uses the word “bird” in reference to the dinosaurs that survived to live among us today.
Speaking of the End Cretaceous; those scenes were truly harrowing. I really felt how awful it must have been for the dinosaurs unlucky enough to experience the worst single day in history. Seeing how brutally the extinction event was depicted in this show, the utter decimation of species at the End Cretaceous comes as no surprise.
Netflix’s The Dinosaurs is a truly excellent show, right up there with some of the best. As I mentioned earlier, it succeeds handily in storytelling and education, and it looks fantastic. The individual sequences were highly engaging, with high stakes and satisfying payoffs. I highly recommend The Dinosaurs, and give it my Dino Dad Stomp of Approval!
For more prehistoric documentaries, check out my reviews of Life on Our Planet, Prehistoric Planet, Walking With Dinosaurs 2025, and Why Dinosaurs?
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