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Meerkat Manor
Image:Meerkatlogo.jpg
Genre Nature, Drama, Reality
Creator(s) Adam Frost
Starring Narrators
UK and Canada: Bill Nighy
Australia: Mike Goldman
USA: Sean Astin
Country of origin UK
No. of episodes 26 (So Far)
Production
Running time 30 mins (commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Animal Planet
Original run September 12, 2005 – present
Links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Meerkat Manor is a television series made by Animal Planet that presents the daily activities of a family, or mob, of wild meerkats. The meerkats are the subject of a ten-year study by Cambridge University.[1] Although the show has elements of a documentary, and is based on actual events, the narrative is presented in a style similar to a soap opera. The show is narrated by Bill Nighy in the UK and Canada, Mike Goldman in Australia, and Sean Astin in the USA. The series was originally shown in the UK, and is its primary home, but was picked up in Australia, Canada and the United States, and is now a worldwide hit.

The show is currently in production for its third season of 13 episodes; as of March 2007 the second season is being shown in the UK on BBC 2 on Sunday early evenings and repeated on the next Saturday.

Contents

[edit] Premise

From family squabbles to love affairs, Meerkat Manor is a documentary/drama series following the everyday life of a meerkat family, nicknamed the Whiskers, living in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. The Whiskers, all given names as part of the study, have their daily activities tracked by these scientists and filmed. The Whiskers are led by dominant female Flower and her mate, Zaphod. Each episode in the series presents a rare glimpse into the relationships and familial structure of the central characters.

[edit] Filming and monitoring

For the first time, successful filming was achieved within a meerkat burrow using fibre-optic cameras. With no humans featured in the series, film crews were housed in specially-built sheds, where they stayed until the meerkats became habituated to a human presence in their territory. The meerkats modified their behavior when humans were around; for example, they would seek shelter from cold early morning winds on the lee side of a human, and sometimes sentry meerkats climbed onto people's shoulders if there was no suitable natural high place.

Scientists tried to limit their interaction to capture the meerkats in their truest and most natural state; the only time that the humans fed the meerkats was with crumbled hardboiled egg to entice them onto their electronic weighing scale. One image of this happening shows the scale pan marked "Whiskers", which may mean that they used a pan for each group to avoid exposing meerkats to another group's group scent. The meerkats learned to tolerate such things as scientists taking hair samples and skin scrapings.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Featured meerkat families

The show portrays several meerkat families, all of who live together and act communally for the benefit of their respective groups.

The families featured are:

  • The Whiskers, the main family and focus of the series. The dominant pair are Flower and Zaphod.
  • The Splinters, the larger of two groups formed when the Whiskers temporarily split. It was led by Daisy and Youssarian; then Tosca supplanted Daisy.
  • The Lazuli, neighbours and rivals of the Whiskers. It was initially led by Cazanna and Big Cy, but Big Cy died. Cazanna, and J.D (Big Cy's and Cazzana's son), now lead the Lazuli.
  • The Commandos, the fearsome enemies of the Whiskers that appeared in Season 2. It is led by Hannibal and Nikita.
  • The Gattaca, a small group with not many adults. They are territory neighbors of the Whiskers. So far, it has only been mentioned once. Risca and Izit were the dominant pair; with Izit's death, now Izit's brother becomes the new dominant male.
  • The Starkies, the Whisker's new neighbors that appears in season 3 and are enemies of the Meken.
  • The Meken, a peaceful family of meerkats and the Whiskers' other neighbors. Led by Sophie and Kojo.

[edit] Whiskers family

The members who are the primary focus of the narrative are featured in the opening credits to the show.

[edit] Main family members

  • Flower, the leader and dominant female of the Whiskers. Flower is the 6-year old main character of the show and is the mother of over +20 offspring (pups). She is fitted with a radio collar that allowed scientist and film crews to track the group's every move. Despite her toughness, Flower can be nurturing to her pups and the other gang members, but is equally capable of ruthlessness, in all of the name of "survival of the fittest".
  • Zaphod, Flower's partner and was the dominant male of the Whiskers. He is the largest member in the family and is a bit of a bruiser. He is also a friend to his troubled brother, Youssarian.
  • Youssarian, the brother of Zaphod. He is eight years old and used to be the dominant male, until Zaphod took his place. Because of a scar across his left eye, it was said when Youssarian was a pup, he was picked up by a bird of prey, then fell on his head. He mated with some females from the Whiskers' rivals, the Lazuli. He is infamous for forcing burrow moves while babysitting the pups and is described as having "social problems".
  • Mozart, Flower's unselfish caring daughter. She has been evicted from the Whiskers at least twice for having pups. When she was abandoned at season 2 for having some more pups, all of them were killed by the Commandos, the Whiskers' vicious enemies. She is most notable for evicting Daisy.
  • Tosca, Flower's rebellious daughter. She was initially exiled from the Whiskers for bearing offspring and permanently taking charge of the Splinters, the larger of the two groups created when the Whiskers temporarily split up. During that time, the crew believed that the Splinter group would be permanent and fitted Tosca with a radio collar like Flower; however, it was not. At the beginning of season 2, it is revealed that Tosca had died when evicted from the Whiskers.
  • Daisy, a troublemaker and she is another of Flower's daughters. During Mozart's last pregnancy, she was evicted by her subordinate sister, considered a very rare event in meerkat society. She ended up back in the Whiskers after Mozart's warning bite by Flower. She led the 32-Splinter group before Tosca took over.
  • Shakespeare, a courageous son of Zaphod and Flower. He survived a double bite, on his neck and leg, from a puff adder but later disappeared after successfully defending Flower's other pups from an attack by Big Cy, the dominant male of the Lazuli. Shakespeare has not been seen since the fight during the eposide The Calm Before the Storm, but his body was never found.
  • Mitch, the feisty one, is another of Zaphod and Flower's sons. Mitch was once on the verge of death, but survived and somewhat has filled the void left by Shakespeare's disappearance and assumed death. He was saved by his older brother when a gang of teenage meerkats abandoned him. He has the potential to become a dominant male.

[edit] Rest of the Whiskers Family

  • Atilla, an aggressive son of Zaphod and Flower. He notably led a charge against roving meerkat Grog from the Commandos, who approached the Whiskers' babysitting burrow to look for females in season 2.
  • Achilles: in the same litter with Attila.
  • Apollo: he and Athena, Pepper, and Nutmeg, are surviving members of Blossom's litter.
  • Athena: in Blossom's litter: see Apollo.
  • Basil: in the same litter as Columbus.
  • Big Will is a large male along with Yousarrian and Mitch wanted to mate with Lazuli females.
  • Bing: in same litter as Milly.
  • Blossom: a daughter of Flower. A goshawk carried her off when she got lost in the bush in the Series 2 episode Growing Pains.
  • Candace, Mozart's daughther. Was killed by a goshawk.
  • Chutney: in the same litter with Attila.
  • Clive: in same litter as Dudley, which see.
  • Columbus, the adventurous little pup, is another of Zaphod's sons. He went foraging with the adults the moment he saw sunlight and is now adult (season 2).
  • Cruise, the sister of Mitch, Rocky, and Einstein. She is notoriously feisty.
  • C.W, one of Mozart's sons.
  • Dudley: Dudley, Clive, Petra, & Marypat are Flower's pups. They were separated from Whiskers in the Season 1 episode The Good, the Bad, and the Desperate.
  • Einstein, another of Zaphod's sons, is seen trying and failing to open a tortoise egg. He is in the same litter as Mitch, Rocky, and Cruise.
  • Galileo, Kinkajou's son. He is friends with C.W.
  • Ivy, one of Mozart's daughters. See Sidney.
  • Jogu, the five-year-old son of Tosca. See McMurphy.
  • Judy, Kinkajou's daughther. She led an attack against Daisy once.
  • Karen, one of Mozart's daughters. She is notable for defending Kinkajou's pups against the Commandos.
  • Kinkajou, one of Flower's more notable daughters. Was the leader of the group of teenage meerkats who abandoned Mitch. In season Three, she killed Mozart's pups so hers would have a better chance of survival.
  • Pooky, one of Flower's sons. As a teenager, he saved one of Tosca's pups during the first burrow move which Yousarrian caused.
  • Mango: in the same litter with Attila. Mango is a sister to Attila.
  • Marypat: in same litter as Dudley, which see.
  • McMurphy , a son of Tosca. In the episode Flower Power McMurphy and Jogu were assigned to babysit Flower's pups, but due to their youth and inexperience, they lost interest and wandered off.
  • Millie: in same litter as Shelly and Bing.
  • Nutmeg: in Blossom's litter: see Apollo.
  • Parsley: in the same litter as Columbus.
  • Kooky, one of the young females who went on sentry duty shortly before the Commandos attacked the smaller Whiskers splinter group.
  • Pozzo: Pozzo and Sparky followed their mother, Flower, when the Whiskers split up.
  • Pepper: in Blossom's litter: see Apollo.
  • Petra: in same litter as Dudley, which see.
  • Rocky, the sister of Mitch, Cruise, and Einstein.
  • Rose: in the same litter as Columbus.
  • Shellie: in same litter as Millie; see Millie.
  • Sidney, from Mozart's first dominant litter. She and Ivy were killed by Kinkajou.
  • Sophie, a pup from Mozart's first litter. She and Spud helped babysit one of Flower's litters. She was permanently evicted in season 3 for having pups.
  • Sparky: Sparky and Pozzo followed their mother, Flower, when the Whiskers split up.
  • Spud, a pup from Mozart's first litter. See Sophie.

[edit] Lazuli family

The Lazuli are a family of meerkats who are neighbors and rivals of the Whiskers.

  • Big Si is the former dominant male of the Lazuli. He was the biggest meerkat in the Kalahari Desert. It was said that Big Si killed Shakespeare in a daring raid to the Whiskers burrow, but that is only a rumor. Shortly after, he became extremely ill and had to be put down.
  • Cazanna is the dominant female of the Lazuli. She is unable to bear pups (unless she sneaks a stray mating with an outsider male) since Big Cy is dead and the new alpha male is her and her mate's son, J.D, and there is not an unrelated member in her family.
  • Bubble, a small pup. Was killed in the attack by the Lazuli's enemies, the Commandos.
  • Carlos is a male, considered a sly playboy. Has mated with Mozart, Tosca, and Daisy.
  • J.D. is Cazanna and Big Cy's dominating son. He is now the alpha male of the Lazuli, but cannot mate with his mother, Cazanna, since his dad died after he became ill.
  • Magnus, a large male meerkat who attempted to mate with Flower, but was chased off by the majority of the Whiskers males.
  • Marilyn is a female. She failed to defend Bubbles and Squeak because she was outnumbered by the Commandos when they attacked the territory and when the rest of the family were away. She survived the Commando attack but was badly injured.
  • Pancake, another Lazuli female. She once mated with Youssarian and had two pups. She once was babysitting the pups during a burrow raid by the Whiskers, but the Lazuli came and the Whiskers retreated.
  • Penny is a Lazuli female.
  • Squeak was the smallest pup in his litter with Bubble. He survived the Commando attack and it was said the spirit of Big Cy lives on in him.

[edit] Commando family

The Commandos are a family of meerkats that are sworn vicious enemies of the Whiskers.

  • Hannibal, the dominant male of the Commandos. Hannibal has one eye and, like Flower and Zaphod, is known to be the toughest meerkat in the area.
  • Nikita is the dominant female of the Commandos. Along with the rest of the Commandos, she killed one of the pups in the Lazuli in a raiding attack.
  • Ozzy, the son of Hannibal and Nikita. He was killed during a fight with the Whiskers.
  • Grog, a member of the Commandos who is first seen in season 2. He approached the Whiskers' babysitting burrow to look for females but he was chased off by Attila, one of the pups of Flower and Zaphod. He is a huge meerkat.

[edit] Gattaca family

The Gattaca are a family of meerkats who are territory neighbors of the Whiskers.

  • Izit, the dominant male of the Gattaca. He went out in the open and was caught by a predator, but it is unknown which. The dominant male is now his brother Stinker. Izit is the half-brother of Youssarian and Zaphod.
  • Risca, the dominant female of the Gattaca and the sister of Flower. She recently lost her mate, Izit, to a predator.
  • Stinker, one of the largest and oldest meerkats in the Kalahari Desert. Stinker is also the grandfather of Carlos of the Lazuli and is pronounced the dominant male of the Gattaca after his brother's recent death.

[edit] Meken Family

The Meken are a small peaceful family of meerkats and the Whiskers' other neighbors.

  • Sophie, Mozart's eldest daughter and dominant female of the Meken. She was evicted for having pups, and she started this group.
  • Kojo, the dominant male of the Meken and Sophie's mate. He is originally the son of Yousarrian.
  • Eliza, an evicted female from the Lazuli and Kojo's half sister.
  • Sue, from Sophie's first litter. She was injured in the attack by the Starkies, the Whiskers' other neighbors.
  • Ki, Sue's sister. Was killed in the attack by the Starkies.
  • Sherlock, the only surviving pup from Eliza's litter.
  • Trillian, Sue's sister. Like Shakespeare, she becomes very sick when she is bitten by a puff adder, but later recovered.
  • Yul, Joe, Mike, pups from Eliza's litter. They had become hungry and they had not had any food in days and they began to starve to death, leaving Sophie's son, Sherlock, the last surviving pup of the family.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] First Season

Episode Summary
A Family Affair Shakespeare is bitten by a puff adder which had occupied one of their dens when they were trying to chase it out.
Love Thy Neighbour Shakespeare is starting to starve after his bite. Battle against the Lazuli. Carlos mates with Daisy.
Some Like It Hot Mozart has pups. Shakespeare recovers and goes foraging with Tosca and Mozart.
Revolution Youssarian starts a den move which results in the death of one of Mozart's pups.
Childhood's End Flower evicts Mozart from the family; Mozart must leave her pups. A storm drives the Whiskers to shelter in a Lazuli burrow; they win the resulting battle against the Lazuli.
Boys Will Be Boys Mitch eats poisonous insects and becomes ill. Mozart is allowed back in. Tosca is evicted for having pups.
Divided Loyalties' The Whiskers are split in two, leaving Flower with only seven meerkats, Zaphod, Mozart, Pozzo, Sparky, Dudley, Clive, and Mitch
The Good, The Bad And The Desperate The Whiskers are reunited. Tosca is evicted for taking charge of the splinter group.
Daisy's Choice Daisy has her pups in the wrong burrow; Youssarian rescues two of them. Babysitters abandon Daisy's pups.
Flower Power Flower has pups. The Whiskers find Lazuli pups in a burrow. Babysitters Joju and McMurphy abandon Flower's newborn pups; Shakespeare rescues them.
An Awfully Big Adventure Flower's pup Columbus goes foraging at the moment he sees light.
The Calm Before The Storm Tosca mates with Carlos. The Lazuli threaten Flower's pups while the Whiskers are away.
Moving On Shakespeare fights against Big Cy who went into den. Whiskers return; battle: Whiskers defend den and save the pups. Shakespeare disappears, presumed dead.

[edit] Second Season

Episode Summary
Cold Comfort It is winter and Shakespeare still has not been seen since. Big Cy of the Lazuli dies of illness and is succeeded by his son J.D. Youssarian mates with Pancake (a female evicted from the Lazuli).
Three Amigos Youssarian, Mitch, and Big Will are looking for females to mate with. The Whiskers spend a night with a Cape Cobra in their burrow, but no harm caused.
Young Blood The Commandos attack: Marilyn is injured and Bubble dies.
Iron Lady Flower is pregnant. Mozart mates with Stinker.
There's No Place Like Home Flower evicts Mozart from the family; Mozart is pregnant. Flower has 5 pups.
When Flower Met Hannibal A goshawk attacks the Whiskers, scattering them into 2 groups. Rain. Flower's group has to hide in a burrow in Commandos territory. Mozart miscarries her pups. The Commandos attack the Whiskers; episode ends during the battle.
United We Stand The Whiskers won a fearless battle against the Commandos; Mozart rejoins the Whiskers.
The Enemy Within Youssarian abandons Flower's pups.
The Art of Leadership The Whiskers finds a new home. Flower finds out that Mozart is pregnant.
Balance Of Power Flower and Mozart both pregnant. Mozart evicts Daisy.
Growing Pains The Kalahari Desert grows much vegetation. A goshawk kills Blossom.
The Godmother Mozart is abandoned by the rest of the family with her newborn pups. Flower has 3 pups, Millie, Shelley, and Bing
The Quiet Fields Mozart struggles to take care of her pups; the Commandos kill them.

[edit] Third Season

Episode Summary
Luck of the Luckless Mozart is accepted back into the group; her pups, Karen, C.W, and Candace survive.
Like Mother, Like Daughter Sophie mates with J.D of the Lazuli.
Forbidden is the Girl who breaks the rule Sophie is pregnant; evicted from the Whiskers.
Darkest Hour Flower is bitten by a snake and dies.
Lost Youth Candace is picked up by a goshawk.
Rise Again Mozart becomes dominant female of the Whiskers. Sophie starts to starve but manages to keep her unborn pups alive.
Family Sophie makes an alliance with Kojo, and Eliza; gives birth to her pups.
Get a Grip Kinkajou has pups; Daisy rebels against Mozart.
The Wicked and the Queen Kinkajou kills Mozart's pups, Sidney and Ivy.
The Hero of the Young Karen defends Kinkajou's pups from the Commandos in a burrow raid.
Never Again Eliza's pups die; Burrow raid results in the death of Ki.
Give Me Life Sophie's eldest daughther, Trillian, is bitten by a snake and nearly dies.
Unlikely Hero Mozart leads the Whiskers to a burrow that has Shakespeare and Tosca in it.

[edit] DVD releases

Below is a list of DVDs for each country/region.

Title Release Date # of Discs # of Eps
The Complete First Season (UK) released, October 2006 4 Single Sided Discs 13
The Complete First Season (AU) TBA, 2006 4 Single Sided Discs 13
The Complete First Season (US) November 30, 2006 3 Single Sided Discs 13
The Complete Second Season (UK) October 14, 2007 4 Single Sided Discs 13
The Complete Second Season (AU) April 12, 2007 4 Single Sided Discs 13
The Complete Second Season (US) March 8, 2007 3 Single Sided Discs 13

[edit] External links

[edit] Tables for Hire

Work in progress, tables being made for articles that need them.

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