Orangutan Island – Season One (Animal Planet/Genius DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Episodes: B-

 

 

Nature programs can be boring and just so happy to show the animals, that they often forget to try new and different approaches in communicating more about the animals without making them feel like people or assuming everyone feels the same about the welfare of animals worldwide.  Sadly, they do not, but Orangutan Island – Season One is a little different because despite its somewhat formulaic approach shows a species jeopardized in a way that seems to echo the carelessness for which too many treat priceless nature.

 

They name all the animals so we can keep track of them, but instead of feeling like a children’s show from beginning to end, some real growth, science and conclusions that are more mature than we have seen in what we could call the “late analog nature show cycle” of such programs that go back to the earliest of nature documentaries.  Whether another season can be this interesting remains to be foreseen, but Orangutan Island is better than that for now.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is soft throughout, in part from motion blur and the older equipment used, but it still looks good and is well-edited.  Color is also consistent under the circumstances.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is pushing it a bit since the audio is mostly location stereo at best, but it is fine for the most part.  A piece on how to help is the only extra.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo