Summary
As documentaries go, this is a decent one. It’s not perfect, and it could have benefitted from more episodes and a wider focus on different animals. However, for those that are fans of nature programmes, this will be right up your street.
In this three-part docuseries, Island of the Sea Wolves, Will Arnett lends his voice to tell the story of sea wolves. Very much in the style of Meerkat Manor, Will Arnett narrates the show as we follow the story of wolves and the dramatic events they find themselves in on the island. But it’s not just the wolves that we follow. No, we also follow a host of other animals, such as the bald eagles.
In the series, we get educated on how the animals provide for their families, keep their loved ones safe, and protect themselves from the harsh conditions they must endure. And as we soon see, even finding a bit of food can be dangerous. When Misty (bald eagle) tries to snatch a crab for lunch, she soon learns to regret that decision. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you don’t know who to root for in the fight for survival. With all of the animals’ lives hanging on the edge, the show really highlights the brutal world that these animals live in.
Take the story of Skye and Rocky. The measures they have to take to just purely survive are deeply disturbing but also humbling. In comparison to other shows, such as Meerkat Manor and Frozen Planet, it doesn’t grip you as much. That could partly be due to the fact that we only see these animals for three episodes. Meerkat Manor, on the other hand, had 66 episodes, with an average of 13 episodes each season. It was largely down to this fact (and how it was a weekly release) that audiences were able to slowly invest in the animals and their dramatic lives.
This time around, as all three episodes are released at once, there’s the temptation to watch all three episodes in one sitting. And this isn’t a bad thing at all. But I believe that the show will be much more enjoyable being spread out over three weeks.
On a positive note, and there are more positive aspects rather than negatives, the storylines are class. From the love triangle between Dagger, Jasper, and Cedar to Skye’s mission to keep her son alive, there’s plenty of action to keep the audience interested in the show. The dramatic music adds to the drama of the show. But, as for the camera shots, some of them are quite long and feel unnecessary, especially in line with the tone of the show.
Overall, Island of the Sea Wolves is a dramatic watch. And seeing the troubles that many of these animals go through makes you thankful to be human.
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