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{{Short description|Television series}}
The '''''Walking with...''''' series (also known as the '''''Trilogy of Life''''' or '''''Walking with Prehistoric Life''''' series) is a collection of shows that are produced by the [[BBC]] and are made by [[Impossible Pictures]]. The aim of the series and specials, along with books, is to recreate extinct animals and presents them as a wildlife documentary. All the shows (with the exception of ''[[Chased by Dinosaurs]]'' and ''[[Sea Monsters – A Walking with Dinosaurs Trilogy|Sea Monsters]]'') focus on one individual of a certain species or that species as the main characters in each episode. Creatures were realized through [[computer graphics]] and [[animatronics]] and are directed by [[Tim Haines]]. The concept for the series was imagined by [[Tim Haines]] and Jasper James.
{{for|the BBC walking series|Walking with... (2019 TV series)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| title = ''Walking with...''
| image = Walking with.jpg
| image_size = 180px
| caption = Cover of the Australian 2008 DVD box set of the franchise
| creator = {{nowrap|[[Tim Haines]] & [[Jasper James]]{{efn|Tim Haines conceptualized both ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'' and is often referred to as the creator of the series.<ref name=":04">{{cite web |last1=Haines |first1=Tim |title=The Making of…Walking with Dinosaurs |url=http://www.dinosaurlive.com/about-the-show/the-making-of/ |access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref><ref name=":11" /> Jasper James joined as producer during the development of ''Walking with Dinosaurs<ref name=":132">{{Cite web |title=Summary |url=http://walkingwithdinosaurs-theorigins.com/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021015129/http://walkingwithdinosaurs-theorigins.com/index.php |archive-date=21 October 2013 |access-date=21 October 2013 |website=Walking with Dinosaurs - The Origins}}</ref>'' and served as co-creator and creator for later programmes; together they founded [[Impossible Pictures]], which produced all series and specials except for ''Walking with Cavemen''. Additional creators behind the different series include [[Susan Spindler]] (co-creator of ''Walking with Dinosaurs''),<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 July 2001 |title=BBC "Making It Happen" Project Director Joins Speakers at CSR Forum |url=https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/21495-bbc-making-it-happen-project-director-joins-speakers-at-csr-forum |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=CSRWire |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":23">{{Cite web |title=Greg Dyke Making It Happen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/02_february/07/makingithappen.shtml |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=BBC - Press Office}}</ref> Andrew Wilks (co-creator of ''Walking with Beasts'' and ''Walking with Monsters''), Richard Dale and Peter Georgi (creators of ''Walking with Cavemen'') and [[Chloe Leland]] (co-creator of ''Walking with Monsters'').}}}}
| origin = ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]''
| owner = [[BBC]]
| books = ''[[#Books|See below]]''
| vgs = ''[[#Electronic media|See below]]''
| tv_series = {{Plainlist|
*''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999)
*''[[Walking with Beasts]]'' (2001)
*''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'' (2003)
*''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'' (2003)
*''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' (2005)
*''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]''<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/walking-with-dinosaurs-returns</ref> (2025)}}
| tv_specials = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]'' (2003)}}
| plays = ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular]]'' (2007-2019)
| films = [[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)]] (2013)
}}'''''Walking with...'''''{{efn|'''''Walking with...''''' is the conventional umbrella title for the franchise.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rawnsley |first1=Ming-Yeh T. |author1-link=Ming-Yeh Rawnsley |author2-link=Gary D. Rawnsley |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qb9aDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT175 |title=Connecting Taiwan: Participation – Integration – Impacts |last2=Rawnsley |first2=Gary D. |date=2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-26894-3 |editor-last=Storm |editor-first=Carsten |language=en |chapter=Science communication in Taiwan}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{Cite web |title=BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Walking with Spacemen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/03_march/wws.shtml |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Other names sometimes used include '''''Walking with Prehistoric Life<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 March 2022 |title=11 Must-Watch Dinosaur Movies That Aren't 'Jurassic Park' |url=https://collider.com/dinosaur-movies-that-arent-jurassic-park/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Collider |language=en-US}}</ref>''''' and '''''Prehistoric Earth'''''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calderaro |first=Marc |date=31 July 2008 |title=Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/prehistoric-earth-a-natural-history-2496135312.html |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999), ''[[Walking with Beasts|Beasts]]'' (2001) and ''[[Walking with Monsters|Monsters]]'' (2005) have also been marketed together as the '''''Trilogy of Life'''''.<ref name=":5">''Walking with Monsters'' DVD - ''Trilogy of Life'' featurette</ref>}} is a [[Paleontology|palaeontology]] [[media franchise]] produced and broadcast by the [[BBC Studios Science Unit]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Støen |first=Michael |date=2022 |title=1999: The BBC simulates prehistoric wildlife |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09636625211068944 |journal=Public Understanding of Science |volume=31 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=524–529 |doi=10.1177/09636625211068944 |pmid=35062833 |s2cid=246165620 |issn=0963-6625}}</ref> The franchise began with the series ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999), created by [[Tim Haines]]. By far the most watched science programme in British television during the 20th century,<ref name=":172" /> ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' spawned companion material and four sequel series: ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'' (2001), ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'' (2003), ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'' (2003) and ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' (2005). Each series uses a combination of [[computer-generated imagery]] and [[animatronics]], incorporated with [[live action]] footage shot at various locations, to portray prehistoric animals in the style of a traditional [[nature documentary]].


The ''Walking with...'' programmes were praised for their special effects and for their science communication. Though largely praised by scientists for the effort to adhere to science and for portraying prehistoric life as animals rather than movie monsters, some academic criticism has been leveled at the series for not making clear through their narration what is speculative and what is based in fact.<ref name=":92">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Darren |author-link=Darren Naish |title=Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 2 |url=https://tetzoo.com/blog/2021/7/3/reminiscing-about-walking-with-dinosaurs-part-2 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Tetrapod Zoology |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (1999)==


In addition to the five main series, the success of ''Walking with...'' also led to the production of the ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' special episodes ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'', [[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|''The Giant Claw'' and ''Land of Giants'']]. The franchise has also been accompanied by several books, merchandise, video games and the live theatrical show ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular]]''. In 2013, [[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)|a movie]] based on ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', with the same name, was directed by [[Neil Nightingale]] and [[Barry Cook]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Cook |first1=Barry |title=Walking with Dinosaurs 3D |date=19 December 2013 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1762399/ |type=Animation, Adventure, Comedy |publisher=Animal Logic, BBC Earth MD (WWD), BBC Earth |access-date=2 April 2022 |last2=Nightingale |first2=Neil}}</ref>
{{main|Walking with Dinosaurs}}
This series is focused on the rise, success, and the demise of the [[dinosaur]]s and other [[Mesozoic]] animals in the [[Mesozoic Era]].


== Development ==
== ''The Ballad of Big Al'' (2001)==
[[File:Eustreptospondylus head.jpg|left|thumb|Puppet head of the dinosaur ''[[Eustreptospondylus]]'', used in ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'']]
''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' was devised by the then [[BBC]]-employed science television producer [[Tim Haines]] in 1996. Inspired by the 1993 film ''Jurassic Park'', Haines envisioned a more science-based documentary programme using the same techniques as ''Jurassic Park'' to bring dinosaurs to life. Though such a series was initially feared to be far too expensive to produce, particularly considering the production costs of ''Jurassic Park'', Haines managed to bring down the costs through working with the award-winning UK-based graphics company [[Framestore]]. It was only after the production of a six-minute pilot episode in 1997 that Haines managed to secure funding for the series; ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was funded by the BBC, [[BBC Worldwide]] and the [[Discovery Channel]], alongside major investments from [[TV Asahi]] in Japan and [[ProSieben]] in Germany.''<ref name=":132" />'' At a cost of £6.1 million ($9.9 million), ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' cost over £37,654 ($61,112) per minute to produce, making it the most expensive documentary series per minute ever made.<ref name=":GUIN">{{Cite web |title=Most expensive television documentary series per minute |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-expensive-television-documentary-series-per-minute |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}</ref> The visual effects of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' were done by Framestore and the puppets and animatronics were done by the special effects company [[Crawley Creatures]].<ref name=":92" />


The success of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' led to the rapid creation of ''Walking with...'' as a brand of documentary series.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Thussu |first=Daya Kishan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L-5jny8sijsC |title=News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment |date=2008 |publisher=SAGE |isbn=978-1-4462-3331-3 |pages=36 |language=en}}</ref> In the aftermath of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', Haines founded the production company [[Impossible Pictures]] together with [[Jasper James]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Impossible Pictures Appoints New Managing Director - UK Broadcast News {{!}} 23 November 2006 |url=https://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews/57099/impossible_pictures_appoints_new_managing_director |access-date=3 May 2022 |website=www.4rfv.co.uk}}</ref> one of the producers on ''Walking with Dinosaurs''.''<ref name=":132" />''
{{main|The Ballad of Big Al}}
This special follows the life and death of "[[Allosaurus#"Big Al"|Big Al]]", a famous ''[[Allosaurus]]'' skeleton found with various injuries. In the North American market, it was released under the title ''Allosaurus''.


2000 saw the release of a special episode of ''Dinosaurs'', ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'', focusing on a single ''[[Allosaurus]]'' specimen.''<ref name="BBC One">{{Cite web |title=Walking with Dinosaurs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sy534/episodes/guide |access-date=12 October 2020 |website=BBC One}}</ref>'' The first entire sequel series released in 2001: ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'', which explored the life of the Cenozoic, after the age of the dinosaurs. Like ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' before it, ''Beasts'' was the idea of Haines. Haines wished to introduce the general public to the assortment of animals of the Cenozoic, typically less represented in popular culture than the dinosaurs.<ref name=":11">{{cite video |title=Tim Haines Production Interview |date=2002 |people=Tim Haines |medium=''Walking with Beasts'' DVD featurette |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Haines served as executive producer on the series, with James and Nigel Paterson producing and directing.<ref name=":12">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - TV Production |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/prod/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011223144053/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/prod/index.shtml |archive-date=23 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> ''Beasts'' was in terms of effects more challenging to produce than ''Dinosaurs'', owing to mammals having features such as fur, whiskers, eyebrows and various floppy parts absent in dinosaurs, and to audiences being more familiar with how mammals move and act and thus better at spotting mistakes.<ref name=":3" />
== ''Chased by Dinosaurs'' (2002)==
[[File:Walking with Spacemen book cover.png|thumb|Initial cover for the companion book of the 2004 BBC series ''[[Space Odyssey (TV series)|Space Odyssey]]'', initially intended to be part of the ''Walking with...'' franchise as "''Walking with Spacemen''"|upright=0.8]]
In late 2002 and early 2003, further special episodes of ''Dinosaurs'' were broadcast: ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]'' and ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]''. These specials starred wildlife presenter [[Nigel Marven]] as a "time-traveling zoologist". Marven's inclusion was mainly so that audiences would have a better understanding of the scale of the animals shown.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=The Giant Claw {{!}} Impossible Pictures |url=http://impossiblepictures.co.uk/project/the-giant-claw/ |access-date=18 October 2020 |website=impossiblepictures.co.uk}}</ref> While Haines, James and Impossible Pictures worked on ''Land of Giants'' and ''The Giant Claw'', the BBC produced a further series without their involvement: ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'', also broadcast in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 May 2014 |title='Walking with Dinosaurs' - the Television Phenomenon |url=https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87827629 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition}}</ref> ''Cavemen'' acted as a sequel to ''Beasts'', exploring [[human evolution]]. The series was created by Richard Dale and Peter Georgi, both of whom had previously worked together on documentaries such as ''[[The Human Body (2001 film)|The Human Body]]'', and starred [[Robert Winston, Baron Winston|Robert Winston]] as a presenter.<ref name=":22">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/03_march/12/cavemen.pdf ''Walking with Cavemen'' - BBC One Press Pack] (3 March 2003)</ref> The success of ''Land of Giants'' and ''The Giant Claw'' led to the creation of ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'', broadcast in 2003, a miniseries exploring the "seven deadliest seas of all time", once again starring Marven.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |last=Kettlewell |first=Julianna |date=7 November 2003 |title=Ancient sea monsters bite back |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3247691.stm |url-status=live |access-date=16 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016150627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3247691.stm |archive-date=16 October 2020}}</ref>


The series ''[[Space Odyssey (TV series)|Space Odyssey]]'' (2004), produced by Haines and James at Impossible Pictures together with BBC Worldwide, the Discovery Channel and ProSieben, was originally going to be titled ''Walking with Spacemen''. Both executives of the BBC and ProSieben heralded ''Walking with Spacemen'' as the logical next step in the series, following on from the journey began with ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', ''Beasts'' and ''Cavemen''.<ref name="BBC" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Meza |first=Ed |date=27 March 2003 |title=ProSieben, Discovery 'Spacemen' in orbit |url=https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/prosieben-discovery-spacemen-in-orbit-1117883674/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Space Odyssey'' used special effects and techniques from the ''Walking with...'' documentaries<ref name=":1" /> to speculate how astronauts may explore the various planets in the [[Solar System]] on [[Human spaceflight|crewed missions]].<ref name="BBC" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=27 March 2003 |title=Blue plaques for film stars' seats |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2892155.stm |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> Despite the title change, ''Space Odyssey'' has at times been referred to as ''Walking with Spacemen'' also after its release<ref name=":0" /> and the old title was used in some of the companion material, including as the title of the earliest editions of the companion book, co-authored by Haines and [[Christopher Riley]].<ref>[https://www.amazon.in/Voyage-Planets-Beyond-Giles-Milton/dp/0756612659 ''Walking with Spacemen'' (2004) by Tim Haines and Christopher Riley]. ''[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]''. Retrieved 2 May 2022.</ref>
{{main|Chased by Dinosaurs}}
Real-life [[zoologist]] [[Nigel Marven]] travels through time in search for various dinosaurs.


Instead of a futuristic series, Haines and Impossible Pictures decided to round off the ''Walking with...'' series by making a programme on the before then largely underutilized [[Paleozoic]] era, set before the dinosaurs. ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'', broadcast in 2005, utilized the most sophisticated effects of the entire franchise, owing to advancements in technology by the time of its production.<ref name=":4" />
== ''Sea Monsters'' (2003)==


Framestore and Crawley Creatures returned to do the computer graphics and animatronics, respectively, for every successor series,<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - Computer Graphics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/cg/index.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221074333/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/cg/index.shtml |archive-date=21 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - Animatronics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/anim/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221070809/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/anim/ |archive-date=21 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><!-- sources for Walking with Beasts --><ref name="Framestore">{{Cite web |date=15 February 2012 |title=Framestore CFC Makes Sea Monsters |url=https://www.creativeplanetnetwork.com/news/framestore-cfc-makes-sea-monsters-396143 |access-date=25 October 2020 |website=Creative Planet Network |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 May 2019 |title=Films, TV & Adverts |url=https://crawley-creatures.com/films-tv-adverts/ |access-date=17 October 2020 |website=Crawley Creatures |language=en-GB}}</ref><!-- sources for Sea Monsters --><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=1 June 2016 |title=Walking With... Series |url=https://www.framestore.com/work/walking-series?language=en |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Framestore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mike |title=The People Behind Prehistoric Animal Animatronics and Puppetry |url=https://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2010/10/25/4664347.html |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Everything Dinosaur Blog |date=25 October 2010 |language=en-US}}</ref><!-- sources for Walking with Monsters --> with the sole exception of ''Walking with Cavemen'', which involved Framestore but not Crawley Creatures.<ref name=":22"/> The practical effects of ''Walking with Cavemen'' were done by several companies, including Altered States FX, Animated Extras and BGFX.<ref name=":CV">{{Cite web |title=fantasy makeups {{!}} hominids and cavegirls {{!}} Suzanne Cave in 'Walking with Cavemen' {{!}} themakeupgallery |url=https://www.themakeupgallery.info/fantasy/hominid/walkingsc.htm |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=www.themakeupgallery.info}}</ref> After the release of ''Monsters'', Impossible Pictures, Framestore and the others involved were effectively forced to move on from documentary filmmaking and produce other series like ''[[Primeval (TV series)|Primeval]]'' (2007–2011) due to companies and executives losing interest in funding fact-based documentaries on prehistoric life.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Darren |author-link=Darren Naish |title=Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 1 |url=https://tetzoo.com/blog/2021/6/23/reminiscing-about-walking-with-dinosaurs-part-1 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Tetrapod Zoology |language=en-GB}}</ref>
{{main|Sea Monsters – A Walking with Dinosaurs Trilogy}}
[[Nigel Marven]] is featured a second time, this time he dives in the seven deadliest seas of all time, and encounters creatures such as ''[[Basilosaurus]]'' and ''[[Dunkleosteus]]''. Released in North America as ''Chased by Sea Monsters'', and not to be confused with [[National Geographic]]'s similar ''Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure''.


== Television series ==
== ''Walking with Beasts'' (2001)==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+''Walking with...'' series
|-
! scope="col" | Series
! scope="col" | Release date (UK)
! scope="col" | Director(s)
! scope="col" | Producer(s)
! scope="col" | Episodes
! scope="col" | Narrator (UK)
! scope="col" | Composer
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 4 October – 8 November 1999
| [[Tim Haines]] & Jasper James
| John Lynch, Tim Haines & Jasper James
| 6{{efn|Not counting the three later special episodes ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'' (2000), ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]'' (2002) and ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]'' (2003)}}
|rowspan=2| [[Kenneth Branagh]]
|rowspan=2| [[Ben Bartlett]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Beasts]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 15 November – 20 December 2001
| Jasper James & Nigel Paterson
| Tim Haines, Jasper James & Nigel Paterson
| 6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 27 March – 23 April 2003
| Richard Dale
| Richard Dale, Nick Green, Mark Hedgecoe & [[Peter Oxley]]
| 4
| [[Robert Winston]]{{efn|Also presenter in the series}}
| [[Alan Parker (musician)|Alan Parker]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 9–23 November 2003
| Jasper James
| Tim Haines, Adam Kemp & Jasper James
| 3
| [[Karen Hayley]]{{efn|[[Nigel Marven]] also stars in the series as a presenter}}
|rowspan=2|Ben Bartlett
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Monsters]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 5 November 2005{{efn|''Walking with Monsters'' first aired as an [[omnibus (broadcast)|omnibus]] version, cut together into a single 90-minute instalment, on 5 November 2005. The series as divided into three episodes first aired a month later, 8–19 December 2005.}}
| [[Chloe Leland]] & Tim Haines
| Tim Haines & Chloe Leland
| 3
| Kenneth Branagh
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 2025 {{efn|''Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)'' is set to air sometime in 2025.}}
| TBA
| TBA
| 6
| TBA
| TBA
|}


{{Video game timeline
{{main|Walking with Beasts}}
| subtitle = Series in bold
This is the first time that actors were featured in the ''Walking with'' series. This series was a sequel to ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', and its focus is on the world after the [[dinosaur]]s, and the rise of the [[mammals]] and [[birds]] in the [[Cenozoic Era]]. It was released in [[North America]] as ''Walking with Prehistoric Beasts''.
| 1999 = '''''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'''''
| 2000 = ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]''
| 2001 = '''''[[Walking with Beasts]]'''''
| 2002 = ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]''
| 2003a = ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]''
| 2003b = '''''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'''''
| 2003c = '''''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'''''
| 2005 = '''''[[Walking with Monsters]]'''''
| 2025 = '''''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)]]'''''
}}


== ''Walking with Cavemen'' (2003) ==
=== ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (1999) ===
{{Main|Walking with Dinosaurs}}Envisioned as the first "Natural History of Dinosaurs" and a series that would provide viewers with "a window into a lost world",<ref name=":172">{{Cite journal |last1=Scott |first1=Karen D. |last2=White |first2=Anne M. |date=2003 |title=Unnatural History? Deconstructing the Walking with Dinosaurs Phenomenon |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0163443703025003002 |journal=Media, Culture & Society |language=en |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=315–332 |doi=10.1177/0163443703025003002 |s2cid=143566889 |issn=0163-4437}}</ref> ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' explores life in the [[Mesozoic]] era, particularly [[dinosaur]]s, in the format of a traditional [[nature documentary]].


==== Specials (2000–2003) ====
{{main|Walking with Cavemen}}
{{Main|The Ballad of Big Al|Land of Giants / The Giant Claw}}The first special episode of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' to be released was ''The Ballad of Big Al'' (2000). ''Big Al'' follows a single ''Allosaurus'' specimen nicknamed [[Allosaurus#"Big Al" and "Big Al II"|"Big Al"]] whose life story has been reconstructed based on a well-preserved fossil of the same name. The two later specials, ''The Giant Claw'' (2002) and ''Land of Giants'' (2003), star "time-travelling zoologist" Nigel Marven as he travels back in time to encounter and interact with prehistoric life.
This series is focused on the evolution of [[human]]s. (Note it is not always considered as part of the ''Walking with...'' series because it was not a Tim Haines production).


== ''Walking with Monsters'' (2005)==
=== ''Walking with Beasts'' (2001) ===
{{Main|Walking with Beasts}}''Walking with Beasts'' follows ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' in showcasing prehistoric life in a nature documentary style. ''Beasts'' tracks animal life, particularly the rise of the [[mammal]]s to dominance, in the [[Cenozoic]] era. The series also gives some insight into human evolution, with an episode devoted to ''[[Australopithecus]]'' and appearances by both [[Neanderthal]]s and [[anatomically modern humans]].


{{main|Walking with Monsters}}
=== ''Walking with Cavemen'' (2003) ===
{{Main|Walking with Cavemen}}''Walking with Cavemen'' follows ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'' in adopting the same nature documentary style, though this time involving presenter [[Robert Winston, Baron Winston|Robert Winston]]. ''Cavemen'' follows the story of human evolution through exploring key developments on the path from ''Australopithecus afarensis'' to modern humans. The programme often focuses on particular characters and their relationships to each other in order to be more accessible to viewers.
The series was a [[prequel]] to ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', and its focus is life before the [[dinosaur]]s, in the [[Paleozoic Era]].


== ''Prehistoric Park'' (2006)==
=== ''Sea Monsters'' (2003) ===
{{Main|Sea Monsters (TV series)}}''Sea Monsters'' once again stars Nigel Marven as a "time-traveling zoologist" who this time travels to seven different periods of time in prehistory, diving in the "seven deadliest seas of all time" and encountering and interacting with the prehistoric creatures who inhabit them.


=== ''Walking with Monsters'' (2005) ===
{{main|Prehistoric Park}}
{{Main|Walking with Monsters}}Serving as a prequel series to ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', ''Walking with Monsters'' explores the prehistoric life of the [[Paleozoic]] era. The series focuses on "the struggle for the survival of the fittest", using stories of individual animals to cast the Palaeozoic as a long "war" between various animal groups for dominance, some of which are described within the context of the series as being distantly related to humans.
[[Nigel Marvin]] is featured a third time in this spin-off from ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', going back in time to rescue prehistoric animals then on the brink of extinction and bringing them to the safety of a biological preserve in the twenty-first century. (Note like ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'', ''[[Prehistoric Park]]'' is not always considered as part of the Walking with... series because it wasn't a Tim Haines production.)


=== ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (2025) ===
==Prehistoric Timeline==
In 2024, the BBC announced there would be a new ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' series in 2025.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/walking-with-dinosaurs-returns</ref>


== Reception ==
*''4.4 Billion Years Ago - Early [[Precambrian]]''
*''530 Million Years Ago - Early [[Cambrian]]''
*''450 Million Years Ago - Late [[Ordovician]]''
*''418 Million Years Ago - Late [[Silurian]]''
*''360 Million Years Ago - Late [[Devonian]]''
*''300 Million Years Ago - Late [[Carboniferous]]''
*''280 Million Years Ago - Early [[Permian]]''
*''250 Million Years Ago - Late [[Permian]]''
*''248 Million Years Ago - Early [[Triassic]]''
*''230 Million Years Ago - Late [[Triassic]]''
*''220 Million Years Ago - Late [[Triassic]]''
*''155 Million Years Ago - Late [[Jurassic]]''
*''152 Million Years Ago - Late [[Jurassic]]''
*''149 Million Years Ago - Late [[Jurassic]]''
*''145 Million Years Ago - Late [[Jurassic]]''
*''127 Million Years Ago - Early [[Cretaceous]]''
*''106 Million Years Ago - Early [[Cretaceous]]''
*''100 Million Years Ago - Early [[Cretaceous]]''
*''75 Million Years Ago - Late [[Cretaceous]]''
*''65.5 Million Years Ago - Late [[Cretaceous]]''
*''49 Million Years Ago - Early [[Eocene]]''
*''36 Million Years Ago - Late [[Eocene]]''
*''25 Million Years Ago - Late [[Oligocene]]''
*''4 Million Years Ago - Early [[Pliocene]]''
*''3.2 Million Years Ago - Late [[Pliocene]]''
*''2 Million Years Ago - Early [[Pleistocene]]''
*''1.5 Million Years Ago - Early [[Pleistocene]]''
*''1 Million Years Ago - Early [[Pleistocene]]''
*''500 000 Years Ago - Late [[Pleistocene]]''
*''200 000 Years Ago - Late [[Pleistocene]]''
*''150 000 Years Ago - Late [[Pleistocene]]''
*''30 000 Years Ago - Late [[Pleistocene]]''


=== Accolades <!-- sources in individual articles -->===
==Artistic touches==
{| class="wikitable"
Throughout the series, there is a recurring gag in which prehistoric animals sometimes "[[Breaking the fourth wall|break the fourth wall]]" (interact with the camera, interact with the human host, camera crew, etc).
|+
!Award
!Category
!''Walking with Dinosaurs''
!''The Ballad of Big Al''
!''Walking with Beasts''
!''Land of Giants/The Giant Claw''
!''Walking with Cavemen''
!''Sea Monsters''
!''Walking with Monsters''
|-
|[[Annie Awards|Annie Award]]
|Technical Achievement in the Field of Animation
| {{won}}
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|rowspan=5|[[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Award]]
|Outstanding Innovation
| {{won}}
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|Best Original Television Music
| {{won}}
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|Interactive Entertainment Award
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| {{won}}
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|Best Sound (Factual)
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| {{nom}}
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|Best Visual Effects & Graphic Design
|
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| {{nom}}
| {{won}}
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| {{won}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=7|[[Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Award]]
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program|Outstanding Animated Programme (One Hour or More)]]
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
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| {{won}}
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|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects|Outstanding Special Visual Effects]]
| {{won}}
| {{nom}}
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|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special|Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special]]
| {{nom}}
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| {{nom}}
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|-
|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming
| {{nom}}
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|-
|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming - Sound Mixing
| {{nom}}
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|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming – Sound Editing
| {{won}}
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|Outstanding Sound Editing for a Non-Fiction Program
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| {{won}}
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|[[Monitor Award]]
|Film Originated Television Specials - 3D Animation
|
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| {{won}}
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|[[National Television Awards|National Television Award]]
|Most Popular Factual Programme
| {{nom}}
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|rowspan=2|[[Online Film & Television Association|Online Film & Television Association Award]]
|Best Visual Effects in a Series
|
| {{won}}
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|Best Informational Special
|
| {{won}}
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|[[Golden Laurel Award]]
|Best Original Television Music
| {{nom}}
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|-
|[[Peabody Awards|Peabody Award]]
|Peabody Award
| {{won}}
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|rowspan=5|[[RTS Television Award]]
|Design and Craft Innovation
| {{won}}
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|Best Visual Effects - Digital Effects
| {{won}}
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|Best Picture Manipulation
| {{nom}}
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|Multi-Media and Interactive
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| {{won}}
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|Best Presenter (Factual)
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| {{nom}}
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| {{nom}}
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|[[TV Quick Awards|''TV Quick'' Award]]
|Best Factual Programme
| {{won}}
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|[[TCA Awards|TCA Award]]
|[[TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information|Outstanding Achievement in News and Information]]
| {{nom}}
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|[[TRIC Awards|TRIC Award]]
|Documentary Programme of the Year
| {{won}}
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|[[Visual Effects Society Award]]
|Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Series
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| {{nom}}
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|[[Young Artist Award]]
|Best Educational TV Show or Series
| {{won}}
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|}


=== Viewership ===
''Walking With Monsters'' has the most artistic touches, 15 in all:
''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was broadcast to record audiences in 1999<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last1=Haines |first1=Tim |title=[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]] |last2=Chambers |first2=Paul |publisher=Firefly Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-55407-181-4 |location=Richmond Hill, Ontario |chapter=Introduction |orig-date=2005}}</ref> and is sometimes considered the biggest science documentary series ever created.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Benton |first=Michael J. |author-link=Michael Benton |date=2001 |title=The Science of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' |url=https://cpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/5/537/files/2019/08/2003scienceWWD.pdf |journal=Teaching Earth Sciences |volume=24 |pages=371–400}}</ref> With 15 million viewers viewing the first episode on 4 October 1999 and another 3.91 million viewing it on its repeat the Sunday afterwards, ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' is by far the most watched science programme in British television history.<ref name=":172"/> Viewership figures steadily declined for later series; the first airing of the first episode of ''Walking with Beasts'' in 2001 had around 8 million viewers and the first airing of the first episode of ''Walking with Monsters'' in 2005 attracted 4.57 million viewers.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=10 May 2006 |title=Planet Earth sees off CGI |url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/may/10/broadcasting.bbc1 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
*A ''[[Brontoscorpio]]'' stings the camera and cracks the lens.
* Another ''Brontoscorpio'' bumps the camera with its claw as it crawls onto land.
*A ''[[Hynerpeton]]'' knocks the camera while it is swimming; so does a ''[[Hyneria]]''.
*A ''Hynerpeton'' spits on the camera.
*A ''Hyneria'' splatters water on the camera while diving back into the water.
*A [[Mesothelae]] crawls on the camera, and so does an ''[[Arthropleura]]''.
*A Mesothelae kicks dirt on the camera when it crawls over it.
*A ''[[Dimetrodon]]'' shakes intestines to avoid eating the [[feces]] inside, and most of it splats onto the camera.
*A ''Dimetrodon'' digs up some dirt, and it lands on the camera.
*A baby ''Dimetrodon'' splatters some dung on the camera when it jumps in a pile of it.
*A ''[[Gorgonops]]'' sniffs the camera.
*A ''gorgonops'' splatters water on the camera when it jumps in some water.
*A ''[[Diictodon]]'' looks curiously at the camera.
*A ''[[Proterosuchus|Chasmatosaur]]'' knocks the camera while it is swimming.
*A ''[[Lystrosaurus]]'' bumps and sniffs the camera.


The ratings shown below are 7-day data, including both the original airings of the episodes and their repeats some days later. There is only data for the top 30 programmes in terms of viewers; episodes labeled N/A failed to reach the top 30 programmes during their airings.
''Walking with Dinosaurs'':


{{Television ratings graph
*A ''[[Liopleurodon]]'' flipper bumps the camera.
| title = Walking with...
*A ''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'' roars, flecking the camera lens with saliva.
| country = UK
| season_title = Series
| color1 = #295354
| color2 = #D09916
| color3 = #54575A
| color4 = #222222
| color5 = #68411C
| color6 = #31485C
| color7 = #091411
| legend1 = ''Walking with Dinosaurs''
| legend2 = ''The Ballad of Big Al''
| legend3 = ''Walking with Beasts''
| legend4 = ''The Giant Claw'' & ''Land of Giants''
| legend5 = ''Walking with Cavemen''
| legend6 = ''Sea Monsters''
| legend7 = ''Walking with Monsters''
| average = y
| bar_width = 9
| x_intervals = 5
| y_intervals = 2
| refs = <ref name="barb">{{Cite web|title=Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) &#124; BARB|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/|access-date=5 January 2023|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|-
<!-- New Blood -->| 18.91
<!-- Time of the Titans -->| 17.75
<!-- Cruel Sea -->| 17.96
<!-- Giant of the Skies -->| 16.8
<!-- Spirits of the Ice Forest -->| 15.95
<!-- Death of a Dynasty -->| 15.68
<!-- S01_AV -->| 17.18
|-
<!-- The Ballad of Big Al-->| N/A
<!-- S02_AV -->| N/A
|-
<!-- New Dawn -->| 13.99
<!-- Whale Killer -->| 11.34
<!-- Land of Giants -->| 9.27
<!-- Next of Kin -->| N/A
<!-- Sabre Tooth -->| 5.87
<!-- Mammoth Journey -->| 9.48
<!-- S03_AV -->| 9.99
|-
<!-- The Giant Claw -->| 6.83
<!-- Land of Giants -->| 5.76
<!-- S04_AV -->| 6.30
|-
<!-- First Ancestors -->| 7.63
<!-- Blood Brothers -->| 6.21
<!-- Savage Family -->| N/A
<!-- The Survivors -->| N/A
<!-- S05_AV -->| 6.92
|-
<!-- Dangerous Seas -->| 7.59
<!-- Into the Jaws of Death -->| 6.94
<!-- To Hell... and Back? -->| 6.52
<!-- S06_AV -->| 7.02
|-
<!-- Water Dwellers -->| 4.57
<!-- Reptile's Beginnings -->| N/A
<!-- Clash of Titans -->| N/A
<!-- S07_AV -->| 4.57
}}


== ''Prehistoric Planet'' ==
''The Ballad of Big Al'':
{{distinguish|Prehistoric Planet (2022 TV series)}}
*A young [[Allosaurus]] bumps the camera with its head.


''Prehistoric Planet'' is a revision of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'', done by [[Discovery Channel]] and [[NBC]] for the [[Discovery Family|Discovery Kids]] network in 2002–2003. Though the producers kept most of the original animation, David Bock and Peter Sherman wrote new text for a younger target audience, narrated by [[Ben Stiller]] (in Season 1) and [[Christian Slater]] (in Season 2),<ref>{{Citation |title=Prehistoric Planet |url=https://www.tvtime.com/en/show/139041 |work=TV Time |volume= |language=en |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> and interspersed the scenes with occasional quizzes to act as bumpers around the commercial breaks. New [[music]] was incorporated as well. Most marketing and advertising for the series focused on the dinosaur episodes. In addition, the final episode, ''Prehistoric Planet Top 10'', focused solely on the creatures from ''Walking with Dinosaurs''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
''Chased by Dinosaurs'':
*A ''[[Therizinosaurus]]'' licks what appears to be the camera. But when it zooms out, it is revealed that it actually licked Nigel. Apparently, the camera was just showing what was happening from his point of view.
*A herd of [[Saurolophus]] accidentally disturb camp, and one sprays the lens of Nigel's camera with mucus. However, Nigel also gets sprayed with mucus.
*A ''[[Giganotosaurus]]'' attacks a camp, leaving behind a tooth.
*Nigel's Cameraman and Soundman attempt to repel a [[Protoceratops]] with a microphone.


== Books ==
''Walking with Beasts'':
*A group of ''[[Formicium|Giant ant]]'' swarm over the camera when attacking the ''[[Gastornis]]'' chick
*A troop of ''[[Apidium]]'' hastily climb down the camera during the shark attack.
*A ''[[Basilosaurus]]'' fluke occasionally hits the camera.
*A troop of ''[[Australopithecus]]'' throws rocks, one rock splitting the camera lense.
*A [[Mammoth]] sprays mud on the camera.
*An [[Indricothere]] charges and knocks the camera over.


=== Companion books ===
''Walking with Cavemen'':
The first four ''Walking with...'' series were accompanied with companion books. These books were [[coffee table book]]s exploring the settings from each series in detail, with scientific information, facts and narratives similar to those shown on screen. All of the books were lavishly illustrated with stills from the episodes. All of the ''Walking with...'' companion books were well received.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=1 March 2000 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History by Tim Haines |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780789451873 |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=1 November 2001 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Prehistoric Beasts by Tim Haines |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780563537632 |access-date=29 April 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref><ref name=":62">{{Cite web |date=2003 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: WALKING WITH CAVEMEN |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780789497758 |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref>
*A ''[[Homo ergaster]]'' stabs an antelope, causing blood to splatter the lens.
*Several ''[[Homo habilis]]'' attack, are disturbed by, or are curious about the Jeep.
*A ''[[Homo ergaster]]'' stares in confusion at the tracks of the off-road vehicle, and gazes after the retreating car in wonder.
*A ''[[Boisei]] Stares curiasly at the camera


* ''Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History'' (1999), by Tim Haines<ref name=":7" />
== Books ==
* ''Walking with Beasts: A Prehistoric Safari'' (2001), by Tim Haines<ref name=":9" />
<!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: [[Image:Complete guide to prehistoric life.jpg|thumb]] -->
* ''Walking with Cavemen: Stand Eye-to-Eye with your Ancestors'' (2003), by John Lynch and Louise Barrett<ref name=":62" />
Related books issued by the BBC and DK include:
* ''Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep'' (2003), by Nigel Marven and Jasper James<ref name="proquest">{{Cite journal |last=Sellers |first=LaRue |year=2004 |title=Chased by Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/4d66f455d6851fa88373ee5ec04029b0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=40590 |journal=The Science Teacher |volume=71 |issue=7 |pages=85}}</ref>


=== Other books ===
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History]]'' by Tim Haines
''Walking with Monsters'' was not accompanied by a companion book, instead the series was in 2006 accompanied by the book ''[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]]'', an encyclopedia and reference work with images from the entire franchise, co-authored by Haines and Paul Chambers.<ref name=":63">{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Douglas |date=5 October 2005 |title=Book Review: Myriad monsters |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18825201-900-book-review-myriad-monsters/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=New Scientist |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition to the companion books and ''The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life'', several other books have been released to accompany the different series. ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was in addition to its companion book also accompanied by ''Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence'' (2000) by David Martill and [[Darren Naish]] and ''Walking with Dinosaurs: The Facts'' (2000) by [[Michael Benton]], both books serving to corroborate the science behind the series.<ref name=":10"/> Among the various children's books that have been released alongside the ''Walking with...'' documentaries is a children's book adaptation of ''The Ballad of Big Al'' by [[Stephen Cole (writer)|Stephen Cole]], titled ''Allosaurus! The Life and Death of Big Al'',<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Nancy J. |last2=Giorgis |first2=Cyndi |date=2002 |title=Children's Books: Pleasure Reading |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20205139 |journal=The Reading Teacher |volume=55 |issue=8 |pages=780–788 |jstor=20205139 |issn=0034-0561}}</ref> as well as 3D albums, [[sticker album]]s and photo journals for both ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts''.
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs 3-D Dinosaurs]]'' by Stephen Cole
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence]]'' by David Martill and Darren Naish
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs Sticker Book]]'' by Stephen Cole
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs: Fascinating Facts]]'' by Mike Benton
* ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs Photo Journal]]'' by Stephen Cole
* ''[[Walking with Beasts: A Prehistoric Safari]]'' by Tim Haines
* ''[[Walking with Beasts Photo Journal]]'' by Stephen Cole
* ''[[Walking With Cavemen]]'' by John Lynch
* ''[[Allosaurus! The Life and Death of Big Al]]'' by Stephen Cole
* ''[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]]'' by Tim Haines and Paul Chambers
* ''[[Sea Monsters]]'' by Nigel Marven and Jasper James
* ''[[Prehistoric Park]]'' by Kristin Bienert
* ''[[Prehistoric Park, Creatures and Beasts]]'' by Brandon Snider


== Paleontological inaccuracies ==
== Electronic media ==
With the exception of ''Walking with Monsters'', all of the ''Walking with...'' series launched with accompanying websites.<ref name=":172" /><!-- source for WWD --><ref name=":22"/><!-- WWC --><ref name=":16">{{Cite web|date=16 December 2001|title=BBC - Science - Beasts|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/|access-date=5 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011216035407/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/ |archive-date=16 December 2001 }}</ref><!-- WWB --><ref name=":18">{{Cite web |title=BBC - Science & Nature - Sea Monsters |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/tv_radio/wwseamonsters/ |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><!-- Sea Monsters --> The original 1999 ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' website was considered innovative for the time and included scientific information, fact files, glossaries, as well as games and puzzles.<ref name=":172" /> The content of the websites of following series was similar, offering both accompanying scientific information and games.<ref name=":22"/><ref name=":16" /><ref name=":18" />
{{Refimprove|date=January 2009|reason=No particular claim is being singled out here, but each one should definitely be sourced, and currently most aren't.}}
Despite the ''Walking with'' series being a well-researched documentary production, it had made some paleontological errors. Even the [[Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life|book]] also has some inaccuracies.


In addition to the games on the website, full ''Walking with...'' games have also been developed. The first such game was the [[freeware]] video game ''Dinosaur World'', developed by Asylum Entertainment and published by the [[BBC|BBC Imagineering]] in June 2001. ''Dinosaur World'' is an adaptation of ''The Ballad of Big Al'' where players try to find various animals and plants. The game was never finished but could be downloaded from the BBC website in its [[Alpha (software)|alpha]] form.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} There was also a video game adaptation of ''Walking with Beasts'', ''Walking with Beasts: Operation Salvage'', developed by Absolute Studios and published by [[BBC Worldwide|BBC Worldwide Ltd.]] in 2001. ''Operation Salvage'' is a [[top-down shooter]] where players travel back in time to observe animals and fight time-traveling enemies.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 October 2001 |title=65 Million Years of Strategy |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/10/05/65-million-years-of-strategy |website=IGN}}</ref> Another ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' game was released in 2013, titled simply ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (video game)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', to accompany [[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)|the film adaptation of the series]] released that year. ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' is an [[augmented reality]] game developed by [[Supermassive Games]] in collaboration with the BBC.<ref name="joystiq">{{cite web |date=31 October 2013 |title=Wonderbook gets more Harry Potter, dinosaurs, detectives on Nov. 12 |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/31/wonderbook-gets-more-harry-potter-dinosaurs-detectives-on-nov/ |access-date=1 November 2013 |publisher=Joystiq}}</ref>
=== TV series ===
* ''[[Cephalaspis]]'' was not the ancestor of [[gnathostome]]s (jawed vertebrates) as they appear in the fossil record before ''Cephalaspis''. Furthermore, even though ''Cephalaspis'' was found only during the early Devonian, it is shown being pursued by the Late Silurian ''[[Brontoscorpio]]''.
* ''[[Pterygotus]]'' was neither 3 meters long (being actually 2.3 meters), nor the largest arthropod, with its relative ''[[Jaekelopterus]]'' being slightly larger. However, it should be taken into account that the latter was only discovered after ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'', and thus, the show was accurate in showing ''Pterygotus'' as being the largest arthropod yet discovered at that point.
* ''[[Diictodon]]'', ''[[Gorgonops]]'' and ''[[Rhinesuchus]]'' are only known from [[South Africa]], yet in episode 3 they are portrayed living with ''[[Scutosaurus]]'', which have only been found in [[Siberia]]. A similar error happens in [[Primeval]], though the show never refers the gorgonopsid as any specific species.
* In the series, ''[[Petrolacosaurus]]'' is incorrectly portrayed as an ancestral [[Amniote]] that was the ancestor of both [[synapsid]]s and [[diapsid]]s. In fact, it was an early diapsid and could therefore not have been the ancestor of any synapsids (e.g. ''[[Edaphosaurus]]'').
* In the series, ''Diictodon'' is portrayed to be the ancestor of ''[[Lystrosaurus]]''. However, some Lystrosaurus species have been known to live in the Late ''[[Permian]]'', the time when Diictodon was alive.
* ''[[Diictodon]]'' was shown to survive the Permian-Triassic mass extinction by living underground and feeding on tubers. It was shown to evolve into ''[[Lystrosaurus]]''. The Diictodon died off at the end of the mass extinction and the Lystrosaurus had nothing to do with it.
* The cynodonts featured in the ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' episode ''New Blood'', were scaled up versions of ''[[Thrinaxodon]]''. However, the episode took place during the late Triassic when ''Thrinaxodon'' actually lived in the early Triassic.
* In the Discovery Channel version, the narrator says the following about ''[[Euparkeria]]'': "Giants such as ''Tyrannosaurus'' and ''Brontosaurus'' can trace their family tree back to this little insect eater." The name ''[[Brontosaurus]]'' has been invalid for many years; the valid name is ''[[Apatosaurus]]''. (In the BBC version, ''[[Diplodocus]]'' is said, which is correct.) Also, ''[[Euparkeria]]'' was not the direct ancestor of the [[dinosaur]]s, but a fairly close relative to the last common ancestor of dinosaurs and crocodiles. A more accurate statement might have been that the giants can trace their ancestry to an insect eater closely allied to ''Euparkeria''.
*[[Mesothelae]] had originally been referred to as ''[[Megarachne]]'' (which, at the time, was thought to be a giant spider) and removing the scene would have been impossible. Mesothelae is a suborder of three primitive spider [[family(biology)|families]] (two extinct, and one still extant); the animal would more properly have been referred to as a "mesothelan". In any case, the spider depicted in the series is effectively fictitious, is not based on any actual arachnid fossil, is considerably larger than the known Palaeozoic mesotheles and retains an appearance based on the misinterpretation of ''Megarachne''.
*In the first episode of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', ''[[Postosuchus]]'' urinates copiously. Michael J. Benton, a consultant to the making of the series (and Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology at Bristol University), notes that a group of critics gleefully pointed out that birds and crocodiles, the closest living relatives of the dinosaurs, do not urinate; they shed waste chemicals as more solid uric acid. However, Benton notes that nobody can prove this was a real mistake: copious urination is the primitive state for tetrapods (seen in fishes, amphibians, turtles, and mammals), and perhaps basal archosaurs did the same. He believes many other claims of "errors" identified in the first weeks fizzled out, as the critics had found points about which they disagreed, but they could not prove that their views were correct.<ref>[http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Essays/WWD/default.html; "birds and crocodiles, the closest living relatives of the dinosaurs, do not urinate".] Benton, M. J. 2001. "The science of 'Walking with Dinosaurs'". ''Teaching Earth Sciences'', 24, 371-400.</ref>
*''[[Prehistoric Park]]'', ''[[Chased by Dinosaurs]]'' and ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' portrayed ''[[Troodon]]'', ''[[Velociraptor]]'', ''[[Dromaeosaurus]]'', ''[[Utahraptor]]'', young ''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'', adult ''[[Ornithomimus]]'' and ''[[Mei long|Mei]]'' as being scaled and featherless, whereas the majority of scientists now agree that all of these dinosaurs had feathers, based on fossil evidence. The book ''Prehistoric Park, Creatures and Beasts'', however, clearly states that ''Troodon'' and ''Mei long'' had "light feathers". Also, when Walking with Dinosaurs and Chased by Dinosaurs were made, the creators either didn't know they had feathers or they didn't have enough time and money.
* Throughout the series, theropod's hands are depicted with the palms able to rotate, but this would have been anatomically impossible for the real animals, as their forearm bones ([[ulna]] and [[radius]]) could not rotate in this way. Their palms should have been relatively fixed facing each other, like a person about to [[applause|applaud]].<ref name=paul2002>{{cite_book |last=Paul |first=Gregory S. |authorlink=Gregory S. Paul |year=2002 |title=Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds |location=Baltimore |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |pages=472pp |isbn=978-0801867637}}</ref>
*''Velociraptor'' did not live in heavily forested areas. All of the sites where ''Velociraptor'' fossils were found suggest that the animal lived in sandy, arid environments with many sand dunes<ref name=jerzykiewiczrussell1991>{{cite journal |last=Jerzykiewicz |first=Tomasz |coauthors=& [[Dale Russell|Russell, Dale A.]] |year=1991 |title=Late Mesozoic stratigraphy and vertebrates of the Gobi Basin |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=345–377 |doi=10.1016/0195-6671(91)90015-5}}</ref> (with one specimen apparently being smothered to death by a sand dune<ref name=osmolska1997>{{cite book |last=Osmólska |first=Halszka |year=1997 |chapter=Barun Goyot Formation |editors=[[Phil Currie|Currie, Philip J.]] & Padian, Kevin (eds.). |title=Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs |location=San Diego |publisher=Academic Press |pages=p.41 |isbn=0-12-226810-1}}</ref>).
*''[[Ornitholestes]]'' didn't have a nasal crest. However, this discovery was made after the program had been made.
*''[[Ornithocheirus]]'' was not the largest known pterosaur, ''[[Quetzalcoatlus]]'' or ''[[Hatzegopteryx]]'' is.
*''[[Giganotosaurus]]'' was depicted on the show as the largest carnivorous dinosaur, though current size estimates favor ''[[Spinosaurus]]''. However, this discovery was made after the program had been made.
*''[[Argentinosaurus]]'' is said to have been the biggest dinosaur. That record may actually belong to poorly known forms such as ''[[Bruhathkayosaurus]]'' or ''[[Amphicoelias|Amphicoelias fragilimus]]''. However, since both are poorly-known, and the latter only from drawings, the record, for now, belongs to Argentinosaurus.
*''[[Allosaurus]]'' was not the biggest Jurassic carnivore; that record belongs either to ''[[Torvosaurus]]'' , ''[[Epanterias]]'' or ''[[Saurophaganax]]'' (although ''Epanterias'' and ''Saurophaganax'' have been argued to be big specimens of ''Allosaurus''; and the ''Allosaurus'' featured in the show fits in the size range of ''Epanterias''.).
*In the second episode of the original British version of ''Walking With Dinosaurs'', the narrator refers to "a great family of dinosaurs called the [[Sauropoda|sauropods]]". However, sauropoda is actually classified as an [[infraorder]], not [[Family (taxonomy)|family]], of dinosaurs.
*''[[Tylosaurus]]'' is depicted as a "sixty foot giant" in ''Chased by Sea Monsters'', but no mosasaur has been found over 49 feet in length (the [[Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life|book]] does state 49 feet).
*''[[Liopleurodon]]'' was overestimated to be 25 metres (82 feet) long and 150 tons. These lengths were based on what was at first believed to be tooth marks from a juvenile ''Liopleurodon''. It was more likely to have grown to 12 metres (39 feet) long. (However, in ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', the narrator stated that the program's version is big even for its kind). In ''Walking with Dinosaurs: The Next Chapter'',{{Clarify|date=March 2010|reason=No such work, video or print, has been mentioned anywhere else in this article. So, what is this passage talking about?}} they fixed this with a more reasonable 40 feet long.
*''[[Cymbospondylus]]'' was not the largest [[ichthyosaur]]; ''[[Shonisaurus]] sikanniensis'', at an estimated length of 21 m<ref>{{cite news | first=Elizabeth | last=Nicholls | coauthors= Makoto Manabe | title=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology | date=June 21, 2004 | publisher=BioOne | url = http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1671%2F0272-4634(2004)024%5B0838%3AGIOTTN%5D2.0.CO%3B2 |work=BioOne|pages=pp. 838&ndash;849 | accessdate=October 1, 2008}}</ref>, is the largest known ichthyosaur species. (Interestingly, the book states that the largest ichthyosaur is either ''Shonisaurus'' or an undescribed genus.)
*[[H. neanderthalensis]] may not have been the last survivor of the genus ''[[Homo (genus)|Homo]]'' besides modern [[human]]s. The controversial ''[[Homo floresiensis|H. floresiensis]]'' would be more recent, assuming that it really is a separate species. However, its status as such is highly disputed, and the first publication is so recent that the information was almost certainly not available when the films were being made.
*Some [[Paleoanthropology|paleoanthropologists]] believe the African ''H. heidelbergensis'' is merely an [[Archaic Homo sapiens|archaic form of modern humans]].
*Some paleoanthropologists do not recognize ''[[Homo ergaster|H. ergaster]]'' and ''[[Homo erectus|H. erectus]]'' as separate species. Even if they were separate, some believe ''H. erectus'' did survive and evolved into the highly controversial ''Homo floresiensis''.
*''[[Ornithomimus]]'' and ''[[Incisivosaurus]]'' were more likely omnivores rather than true herbivores.
*''[[Mei (dinosaur)|Mei]]'' was never 7 feet long.
*''[[Microraptor]]'' wasn't the ancestor of birds, just a close relative.
*If ''Microraptor'' glided with its hind legs sticking to the sides, its legs would dislocate. More likely, it glided with its legs down.
*It is unlikely that ''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'' could run at 40mph.
*In ''Prehistoric park'', ''[[Albertosaurus]]'' is called "early ancestors of ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex|T. rex]]''". However, ''[[Bistahieversor]]'' is more often cited as the best ancestral candidate.
* All dinosaurs in the series had their fleshy nostrils located quite high in the bony nostril, whilst in reality, they would've been located rostrally (as far forward as possible in the bony nostril) and in sauropods their location should be rostroventral (far in front of the bony nostrils). This was not known during the production of the series, but is later shown to be evident both in the CT-scanned fossils and relatively obvious for important physiological reasons.<ref> [http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/dbms-witmer/Downloads/2001_Witmer_nostrils.pdf] Witmer, L. M. 2001. Nostril position in dinosaurs and other vertebrates and its significance for nasal function. Science 293:850–853.</ref>
*Some Embolotherium in Walking with Beast have catapult-like horns similar ''[[Brontotherium]]'' while in reality, it only had Heart-shaped horns.
*In the first episode of ''Chased by Dinosaurs'', ''[[Sarcosuchus]]'' is shown living with ''[[Argentinosaurus]]''. In reality however ''[[Sarcosuchus]]'' lived in Africa and ''[[Argentinosaurus]]'' lived in South America.
*In [[Walking with Dinosaurs]], ''[[Utahraptor]]'' was shown living in [[Europe]]. ''Utahraptor'' actually lived in [[North America]] in what is now [[Utah]].


=== Book ===
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
*On page 209, on the family tree, ''[[Pteranodon]]'' is incorrectly placed in the [[crocodiles]] branch.
*On page 21, ''[[Cameroceras]]'' is misspelled as "Cameraceras".
*''[[Coelophysis]]'' is repeatedly misclassified as a [[coelurosaur]] (pp. 70, 100, 107).
*On page 128, ''[[Protoceratops]]'' is incorrectly identified as an [[ornithopod]], while it's actually a [[ceratopsia]]n.
*On page 190, the closest living relative to ''Phorusrhacos'' is said to be the [[secretary bird]]. That would actually be the [[seriema|seriema bird]].
*On page 196, ''Megaloceros'' is said to reach antlerspans up to 3 metres (10 feet) while, in fact, specimens with 3.6 metres (12 feet) are not uncommon.
*On page 197, the cave lion is depicted with a much shorter tail than it had in real life.
*On page 201, it is said that a population of [[pygmy mammoth]]s survived on an island off the east coast of Russia until about 6000 years ago. In fact, this time estimate is only accurate about the population on the Alaskan [[St. Paul Island]] than the real last sanctuary, the [[Wrangel Island]], where the most recent remains are as young as 3700 years old.
*The size comparison images of some animals, like ''Meganeura'', ''Ornitholestes'', ''Megatherium'' and ''Megaloceros'', are erroneous.


==References==
== References ==
<references />
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
* [http://www.impossiblepictures.co.uk Impossible Pictures homepage]
* [http://walkingwith.wikia.com Impossible Pictures Wiki]
{{Walking with}}
{{Walking with}}
{{Impossible Pictures}}
{{Impossible Pictures}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Walking With...}}
[[Category:British television documentaries]]
[[Category:Walking with...| ]]
[[Category:Television franchises]]
[[Category:Documentary films about prehistoric life]]
[[Category:Documentary films about science]]
[[Category:Documentary films about science]]
[[Category:Documentary films about prehistoric life]]
[[Category:Documentary television shows about evolution]]

[[pl:Wędrówki z dinozaurami]]
[[zh:與…同行]]

Latest revision as of 06:37, 9 December 2024

For the BBC walking series, see Walking with... (2019 TV series).

Walking with...
Cover of the Australian 2008 DVD box set of the franchise
Created byTim Haines & Jasper James[a]
Original workWalking with Dinosaurs
OwnerBBC
Print publications
Book(s)See below
Films and television
Film(s)Walking with Dinosaurs (film) (2013)
Television series
Television special(s)
Theatrical presentations
Play(s)Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular (2007-2019)
Games
Video game(s)See below

Walking with...[b] is a palaeontology media franchise produced and broadcast by the BBC Studios Science Unit.[12] The franchise began with the series Walking with Dinosaurs (1999), created by Tim Haines. By far the most watched science programme in British television during the 20th century,[13] Walking with Dinosaurs spawned companion material and four sequel series: Walking with Beasts (2001), Walking with Cavemen (2003), Sea Monsters (2003) and Walking with Monsters (2005). Each series uses a combination of computer-generated imagery and animatronics, incorporated with live action footage shot at various locations, to portray prehistoric animals in the style of a traditional nature documentary.

The Walking with... programmes were praised for their special effects and for their science communication. Though largely praised by scientists for the effort to adhere to science and for portraying prehistoric life as animals rather than movie monsters, some academic criticism has been leveled at the series for not making clear through their narration what is speculative and what is based in fact.[14]

In addition to the five main series, the success of Walking with... also led to the production of the Walking with Dinosaurs special episodes The Ballad of Big Al, The Giant Claw and Land of Giants. The franchise has also been accompanied by several books, merchandise, video games and the live theatrical show Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular. In 2013, a movie based on Walking with Dinosaurs, with the same name, was directed by Neil Nightingale and Barry Cook.[15]

Development

[edit]
Puppet head of the dinosaur Eustreptospondylus, used in Walking with Dinosaurs

Walking with Dinosaurs was devised by the then BBC-employed science television producer Tim Haines in 1996. Inspired by the 1993 film Jurassic Park, Haines envisioned a more science-based documentary programme using the same techniques as Jurassic Park to bring dinosaurs to life. Though such a series was initially feared to be far too expensive to produce, particularly considering the production costs of Jurassic Park, Haines managed to bring down the costs through working with the award-winning UK-based graphics company Framestore. It was only after the production of a six-minute pilot episode in 1997 that Haines managed to secure funding for the series; Walking with Dinosaurs was funded by the BBC, BBC Worldwide and the Discovery Channel, alongside major investments from TV Asahi in Japan and ProSieben in Germany.[3] At a cost of £6.1 million ($9.9 million), Walking with Dinosaurs cost over £37,654 ($61,112) per minute to produce, making it the most expensive documentary series per minute ever made.[16] The visual effects of Walking with Dinosaurs were done by Framestore and the puppets and animatronics were done by the special effects company Crawley Creatures.[14]

The success of Walking with Dinosaurs led to the rapid creation of Walking with... as a brand of documentary series.[17] In the aftermath of Walking with Dinosaurs, Haines founded the production company Impossible Pictures together with Jasper James,[18] one of the producers on Walking with Dinosaurs.[3]

2000 saw the release of a special episode of Dinosaurs, The Ballad of Big Al, focusing on a single Allosaurus specimen.[19] The first entire sequel series released in 2001: Walking with Beasts, which explored the life of the Cenozoic, after the age of the dinosaurs. Like Walking with Dinosaurs before it, Beasts was the idea of Haines. Haines wished to introduce the general public to the assortment of animals of the Cenozoic, typically less represented in popular culture than the dinosaurs.[2] Haines served as executive producer on the series, with James and Nigel Paterson producing and directing.[20] Beasts was in terms of effects more challenging to produce than Dinosaurs, owing to mammals having features such as fur, whiskers, eyebrows and various floppy parts absent in dinosaurs, and to audiences being more familiar with how mammals move and act and thus better at spotting mistakes.[21]

Initial cover for the companion book of the 2004 BBC series Space Odyssey, initially intended to be part of the Walking with... franchise as "Walking with Spacemen"

In late 2002 and early 2003, further special episodes of Dinosaurs were broadcast: Land of Giants and The Giant Claw. These specials starred wildlife presenter Nigel Marven as a "time-traveling zoologist". Marven's inclusion was mainly so that audiences would have a better understanding of the scale of the animals shown.[22] While Haines, James and Impossible Pictures worked on Land of Giants and The Giant Claw, the BBC produced a further series without their involvement: Walking with Cavemen, also broadcast in 2003.[23] Cavemen acted as a sequel to Beasts, exploring human evolution. The series was created by Richard Dale and Peter Georgi, both of whom had previously worked together on documentaries such as The Human Body, and starred Robert Winston as a presenter.[24] The success of Land of Giants and The Giant Claw led to the creation of Sea Monsters, broadcast in 2003, a miniseries exploring the "seven deadliest seas of all time", once again starring Marven.[25]

The series Space Odyssey (2004), produced by Haines and James at Impossible Pictures together with BBC Worldwide, the Discovery Channel and ProSieben, was originally going to be titled Walking with Spacemen. Both executives of the BBC and ProSieben heralded Walking with Spacemen as the logical next step in the series, following on from the journey began with Walking with Dinosaurs, Beasts and Cavemen.[8][26] Space Odyssey used special effects and techniques from the Walking with... documentaries[26] to speculate how astronauts may explore the various planets in the Solar System on crewed missions.[8][27] Despite the title change, Space Odyssey has at times been referred to as Walking with Spacemen also after its release[17] and the old title was used in some of the companion material, including as the title of the earliest editions of the companion book, co-authored by Haines and Christopher Riley.[28]

Instead of a futuristic series, Haines and Impossible Pictures decided to round off the Walking with... series by making a programme on the before then largely underutilized Paleozoic era, set before the dinosaurs. Walking with Monsters, broadcast in 2005, utilized the most sophisticated effects of the entire franchise, owing to advancements in technology by the time of its production.[29]

Framestore and Crawley Creatures returned to do the computer graphics and animatronics, respectively, for every successor series,[21][30][31][32][29][33] with the sole exception of Walking with Cavemen, which involved Framestore but not Crawley Creatures.[24] The practical effects of Walking with Cavemen were done by several companies, including Altered States FX, Animated Extras and BGFX.[34] After the release of Monsters, Impossible Pictures, Framestore and the others involved were effectively forced to move on from documentary filmmaking and produce other series like Primeval (2007–2011) due to companies and executives losing interest in funding fact-based documentaries on prehistoric life.[35]

Television series

[edit]
Walking with... series
Series Release date (UK) Director(s) Producer(s) Episodes Narrator (UK) Composer
Walking with Dinosaurs 4 October – 8 November 1999 Tim Haines & Jasper James John Lynch, Tim Haines & Jasper James 6[c] Kenneth Branagh Ben Bartlett
Walking with Beasts 15 November – 20 December 2001 Jasper James & Nigel Paterson Tim Haines, Jasper James & Nigel Paterson 6
Walking with Cavemen 27 March – 23 April 2003 Richard Dale Richard Dale, Nick Green, Mark Hedgecoe & Peter Oxley 4 Robert Winston[d] Alan Parker
Sea Monsters 9–23 November 2003 Jasper James Tim Haines, Adam Kemp & Jasper James 3 Karen Hayley[e] Ben Bartlett
Walking with Monsters 5 November 2005[f] Chloe Leland & Tim Haines Tim Haines & Chloe Leland 3 Kenneth Branagh
Walking with Dinosaurs (2025) 2025 [g] TBA TBA 6 TBA TBA
Release timeline
Series in bold
1999Walking with Dinosaurs
2000The Ballad of Big Al
2001Walking with Beasts
2002The Giant Claw
2003Land of Giants
Walking with Cavemen
Sea Monsters
2004
2005Walking with Monsters
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)

Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)

[edit]
Main article: Walking with Dinosaurs

Envisioned as the first "Natural History of Dinosaurs" and a series that would provide viewers with "a window into a lost world",[13] Walking with Dinosaurs explores life in the Mesozoic era, particularly dinosaurs, in the format of a traditional nature documentary.

Specials (2000–2003)

[edit]
Main articles: The Ballad of Big Al and Land of Giants / The Giant Claw

The first special episode of Walking with Dinosaurs to be released was The Ballad of Big Al (2000). Big Al follows a single Allosaurus specimen nicknamed "Big Al" whose life story has been reconstructed based on a well-preserved fossil of the same name. The two later specials, The Giant Claw (2002) and Land of Giants (2003), star "time-travelling zoologist" Nigel Marven as he travels back in time to encounter and interact with prehistoric life.

Walking with Beasts (2001)

[edit]
Main article: Walking with Beasts

Walking with Beasts follows Walking with Dinosaurs in showcasing prehistoric life in a nature documentary style. Beasts tracks animal life, particularly the rise of the mammals to dominance, in the Cenozoic era. The series also gives some insight into human evolution, with an episode devoted to Australopithecus and appearances by both Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans.

Walking with Cavemen (2003)

[edit]
Main article: Walking with Cavemen

Walking with Cavemen follows Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking with Beasts in adopting the same nature documentary style, though this time involving presenter Robert Winston. Cavemen follows the story of human evolution through exploring key developments on the path from Australopithecus afarensis to modern humans. The programme often focuses on particular characters and their relationships to each other in order to be more accessible to viewers.

Sea Monsters (2003)

[edit]
Main article: Sea Monsters (TV series)

Sea Monsters once again stars Nigel Marven as a "time-traveling zoologist" who this time travels to seven different periods of time in prehistory, diving in the "seven deadliest seas of all time" and encountering and interacting with the prehistoric creatures who inhabit them.

Walking with Monsters (2005)

[edit]
Main article: Walking with Monsters

Serving as a prequel series to Walking with Dinosaurs, Walking with Monsters explores the prehistoric life of the Paleozoic era. The series focuses on "the struggle for the survival of the fittest", using stories of individual animals to cast the Palaeozoic as a long "war" between various animal groups for dominance, some of which are described within the context of the series as being distantly related to humans.

Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)

[edit]

In 2024, the BBC announced there would be a new Walking with Dinosaurs series in 2025.[36]

Reception

[edit]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Walking with Dinosaurs The Ballad of Big Al Walking with Beasts Land of Giants/The Giant Claw Walking with Cavemen Sea Monsters Walking with Monsters
Annie Award Technical Achievement in the Field of Animation Won
BAFTA TV Award Outstanding Innovation Won
Best Original Television Music Won
Interactive Entertainment Award Won
Best Sound (Factual) Nominated
Best Visual Effects & Graphic Design Nominated Won Won Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Animated Programme (One Hour or More) Won Won Won Won Won
Outstanding Special Visual Effects Won Nominated
Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special Nominated Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming - Sound Mixing Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming – Sound Editing Won
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Non-Fiction Program Won
Monitor Award Film Originated Television Specials - 3D Animation Won
National Television Award Most Popular Factual Programme Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Award Best Visual Effects in a Series Won
Best Informational Special Won
Golden Laurel Award Best Original Television Music Nominated
Peabody Award Peabody Award Won
RTS Television Award Design and Craft Innovation Won
Best Visual Effects - Digital Effects Won
Best Picture Manipulation Nominated
Multi-Media and Interactive Won
Best Presenter (Factual) Nominated Nominated
TV Quick Award Best Factual Programme Won
TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in News and Information Nominated
TRIC Award Documentary Programme of the Year Won
Visual Effects Society Award Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Series Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Educational TV Show or Series Won

Viewership

[edit]

Walking with Dinosaurs was broadcast to record audiences in 1999[37] and is sometimes considered the biggest science documentary series ever created.[38] With 15 million viewers viewing the first episode on 4 October 1999 and another 3.91 million viewing it on its repeat the Sunday afterwards, Walking with Dinosaurs is by far the most watched science programme in British television history.[13] Viewership figures steadily declined for later series; the first airing of the first episode of Walking with Beasts in 2001 had around 8 million viewers and the first airing of the first episode of Walking with Monsters in 2005 attracted 4.57 million viewers.[39]

The ratings shown below are 7-day data, including both the original airings of the episodes and their repeats some days later. There is only data for the top 30 programmes in terms of viewers; episodes labeled N/A failed to reach the top 30 programmes during their airings.

Walking with... : UK viewers per episode (millions)
SeriesEpisode numberAverage
123456
Walking with Dinosaurs18.9117.7517.9616.815.9515.6817.18
The Ballad of Big AlN/A–N/A
Walking with Beasts13.9911.349.27N/A5.879.489.99
The Giant Claw & Land of Giants6.835.76–6.30
Walking with Cavemen7.636.21N/AN/A–6.92
Sea Monsters7.596.946.52–7.02
Walking with Monsters4.57N/AN/A–4.57
Audience measurement performed by Broadcasters' Audience Research Board[40]

Prehistoric Planet

[edit]
Not to be confused with Prehistoric Planet (2022 TV series).

Prehistoric Planet is a revision of Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking with Beasts, done by Discovery Channel and NBC for the Discovery Kids network in 2002–2003. Though the producers kept most of the original animation, David Bock and Peter Sherman wrote new text for a younger target audience, narrated by Ben Stiller (in Season 1) and Christian Slater (in Season 2),[41] and interspersed the scenes with occasional quizzes to act as bumpers around the commercial breaks. New music was incorporated as well. Most marketing and advertising for the series focused on the dinosaur episodes. In addition, the final episode, Prehistoric Planet Top 10, focused solely on the creatures from Walking with Dinosaurs.[citation needed]

Books

[edit]

Companion books

[edit]

The first four Walking with... series were accompanied with companion books. These books were coffee table books exploring the settings from each series in detail, with scientific information, facts and narratives similar to those shown on screen. All of the books were lavishly illustrated with stills from the episodes. All of the Walking with... companion books were well received.[42][43][44]

  • Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History (1999), by Tim Haines[42]
  • Walking with Beasts: A Prehistoric Safari (2001), by Tim Haines[43]
  • Walking with Cavemen: Stand Eye-to-Eye with your Ancestors (2003), by John Lynch and Louise Barrett[44]
  • Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep (2003), by Nigel Marven and Jasper James[45]

Other books

[edit]

Walking with Monsters was not accompanied by a companion book, instead the series was in 2006 accompanied by the book The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life, an encyclopedia and reference work with images from the entire franchise, co-authored by Haines and Paul Chambers.[46] In addition to the companion books and The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life, several other books have been released to accompany the different series. Walking with Dinosaurs was in addition to its companion book also accompanied by Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence (2000) by David Martill and Darren Naish and Walking with Dinosaurs: The Facts (2000) by Michael Benton, both books serving to corroborate the science behind the series.[38] Among the various children's books that have been released alongside the Walking with... documentaries is a children's book adaptation of The Ballad of Big Al by Stephen Cole, titled Allosaurus! The Life and Death of Big Al,[47] as well as 3D albums, sticker albums and photo journals for both Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking with Beasts.

Electronic media

[edit]

With the exception of Walking with Monsters, all of the Walking with... series launched with accompanying websites.[13][24][48][49] The original 1999 Walking with Dinosaurs website was considered innovative for the time and included scientific information, fact files, glossaries, as well as games and puzzles.[13] The content of the websites of following series was similar, offering both accompanying scientific information and games.[24][48][49]

In addition to the games on the website, full Walking with... games have also been developed. The first such game was the freeware video game Dinosaur World, developed by Asylum Entertainment and published by the BBC Imagineering in June 2001. Dinosaur World is an adaptation of The Ballad of Big Al where players try to find various animals and plants. The game was never finished but could be downloaded from the BBC website in its alpha form.[citation needed] There was also a video game adaptation of Walking with Beasts, Walking with Beasts: Operation Salvage, developed by Absolute Studios and published by BBC Worldwide Ltd. in 2001. Operation Salvage is a top-down shooter where players travel back in time to observe animals and fight time-traveling enemies.[50] Another Walking with Dinosaurs game was released in 2013, titled simply Walking with Dinosaurs, to accompany the film adaptation of the series released that year. Walking with Dinosaurs is an augmented reality game developed by Supermassive Games in collaboration with the BBC.[51]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Tim Haines conceptualized both Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking with Beasts and is often referred to as the creator of the series.[1][2] Jasper James joined as producer during the development of Walking with Dinosaurs[3] and served as co-creator and creator for later programmes; together they founded Impossible Pictures, which produced all series and specials except for Walking with Cavemen. Additional creators behind the different series include Susan Spindler (co-creator of Walking with Dinosaurs),[4][5] Andrew Wilks (co-creator of Walking with Beasts and Walking with Monsters), Richard Dale and Peter Georgi (creators of Walking with Cavemen) and Chloe Leland (co-creator of Walking with Monsters).
  2. ^ Walking with... is the conventional umbrella title for the franchise.[7][8] Other names sometimes used include Walking with Prehistoric Life[9] and Prehistoric Earth.[10] Walking with Dinosaurs (1999), Beasts (2001) and Monsters (2005) have also been marketed together as the Trilogy of Life.[11]
  3. ^ Not counting the three later special episodes The Ballad of Big Al (2000), The Giant Claw (2002) and Land of Giants (2003)
  4. ^ Also presenter in the series
  5. ^ Nigel Marven also stars in the series as a presenter
  6. ^ Walking with Monsters first aired as an omnibus version, cut together into a single 90-minute instalment, on 5 November 2005. The series as divided into three episodes first aired a month later, 8–19 December 2005.
  7. ^ Walking with Dinosaurs (2025) is set to air sometime in 2025.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Haines, Tim. "The Making of…Walking with Dinosaurs". Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b Tim Haines (2002). Tim Haines Production Interview (Walking with Beasts DVD featurette). BBC.
  3. ^ a b c "Summary". Walking with Dinosaurs - The Origins. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. ^ "BBC "Making It Happen" Project Director Joins Speakers at CSR Forum". CSRWire. 4 July 2001. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Greg Dyke Making It Happen". BBC - Press Office. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/walking-with-dinosaurs-returns
  7. ^ Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T.; Rawnsley, Gary D. (2018). "Science communication in Taiwan". In Storm, Carsten (ed.). Connecting Taiwan: Participation – Integration – Impacts. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-26894-3.
  8. ^ a b c "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Walking with Spacemen". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  9. ^ "11 Must-Watch Dinosaur Movies That Aren't 'Jurassic Park'". Collider. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  10. ^ Calderaro, Marc (31 July 2008). "Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  11. ^ Walking with Monsters DVD - Trilogy of Life featurette
  12. ^ Støen, Michael (2022). "1999: The BBC simulates prehistoric wildlife". Public Understanding of Science. 31 (4): 524–529. doi:10.1177/09636625211068944. ISSN 0963-6625. PMID 35062833. S2CID 246165620.
  13. ^ a b c d e Scott, Karen D.; White, Anne M. (2003). "Unnatural History? Deconstructing the Walking with Dinosaurs Phenomenon". Media, Culture & Society. 25 (3): 315–332. doi:10.1177/0163443703025003002. ISSN 0163-4437. S2CID 143566889.
  14. ^ a b Naish, Darren. "Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 2". Tetrapod Zoology. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  15. ^ Cook, Barry; Nightingale, Neil (19 December 2013), Walking with Dinosaurs 3D (Animation, Adventure, Comedy), Animal Logic, BBC Earth MD (WWD), BBC Earth, retrieved 2 April 2022
  16. ^ "Most expensive television documentary series per minute". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  17. ^ a b Thussu, Daya Kishan (2008). News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment. SAGE. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4462-3331-3.
  18. ^ "Impossible Pictures Appoints New Managing Director - UK Broadcast News | 23 November 2006". www.4rfv.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Walking with Dinosaurs". BBC One. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Making Of - TV Production". bbc.co.uk. 2001. Archived from the original on 23 December 2001.
  21. ^ a b "Making Of - Computer Graphics". bbc.co.uk. 2001. Archived from the original on 21 December 2001.
  22. ^ "The Giant Claw | Impossible Pictures". impossiblepictures.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  23. ^ "'Walking with Dinosaurs' - the Television Phenomenon". The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  24. ^ a b c d Walking with Cavemen - BBC One Press Pack (3 March 2003)
  25. ^ Kettlewell, Julianna (7 November 2003). "Ancient sea monsters bite back". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  26. ^ a b Meza, Ed (27 March 2003). "ProSieben, Discovery 'Spacemen' in orbit". Variety. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  27. ^ "Blue plaques for film stars' seats". BBC News. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  28. ^ Walking with Spacemen (2004) by Tim Haines and Christopher Riley. Amazon. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  29. ^ a b "Walking With... Series". Framestore. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  30. ^ "Making Of - Animatronics". bbc.co.uk. 2001. Archived from the original on 21 December 2001.
  31. ^ "Framestore CFC Makes Sea Monsters". Creative Planet Network. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  32. ^ "Films, TV & Adverts". Crawley Creatures. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  33. ^ Mike (25 October 2010). "The People Behind Prehistoric Animal Animatronics and Puppetry". Everything Dinosaur Blog. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  34. ^ "fantasy makeups | hominids and cavegirls | Suzanne Cave in 'Walking with Cavemen' | themakeupgallery". www.themakeupgallery.info. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  35. ^ Naish, Darren. "Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 1". Tetrapod Zoology. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  36. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/walking-with-dinosaurs-returns
  37. ^ Haines, Tim; Chambers, Paul (2010) [2005]. "Introduction". The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. Richmond Hill, Ontario: Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-55407-181-4.
  38. ^ a b Benton, Michael J. (2001). "The Science of Walking with Dinosaurs" (PDF). Teaching Earth Sciences. 24: 371–400.
  39. ^ "Planet Earth sees off CGI". the Guardian. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  40. ^ "Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) | BARB". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  41. ^ "Prehistoric Planet", TV Time, retrieved 2 May 2022
  42. ^ a b "Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History by Tim Haines". Publishers Weekly. 1 March 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  43. ^ a b "Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Prehistoric Beasts by Tim Haines". Publishers Weekly. 1 November 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  44. ^ a b "Nonfiction Book Review: WALKING WITH CAVEMEN". Publishers Weekly. 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  45. ^ Sellers, LaRue (2004). "Chased by Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep". The Science Teacher. 71 (7): 85.
  46. ^ Palmer, Douglas (5 October 2005). "Book Review: Myriad monsters". New Scientist. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  47. ^ Johnson, Nancy J.; Giorgis, Cyndi (2002). "Children's Books: Pleasure Reading". The Reading Teacher. 55 (8): 780–788. ISSN 0034-0561. JSTOR 20205139.
  48. ^ a b "BBC - Science - Beasts". 16 December 2001. Archived from the original on 16 December 2001. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  49. ^ a b "BBC - Science & Nature - Sea Monsters". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  50. ^ "65 Million Years of Strategy". IGN. 5 October 2001.
  51. ^ "Wonderbook gets more Harry Potter, dinosaurs, detectives on Nov. 12". Joystiq. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
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