Mermaids: The Body Found
Mermaids | |
---|---|
![]() Title Screen | |
Directed by |
Sid Bennett Director of Animation - Steve Gomez |
Produced by | Darlow Smithson, Tom Brisley |
Written by |
Charlie Foley Vaibhav Bhatt |
Story by |
Charlie Foley Vaibhav Bhatt |
Distributed by |
Discovery Communications Animal Planet |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Language | English |
Mermaids is a docufiction[1] that originally aired as Mermaids: The Body Found on May 27, 2012, on Animal Planet and June 17 on Discovery Channel. It tells a story of a scientific team's investigative efforts to uncover the source behind mysterious underwater recordings of an unidentified marine body. The show presents the generally discredited aquatic ape hypothesis as evidence that mermaids exist, along with a digitally manufactured video. A sequel broadcast called Mermaids: The New Evidence aired May 26, 2013.
Ratings
Mermaids: The Body Found received 1.9 million views during its US telecast premiere on Sunday, May 27, 2012. This is the network's most watched telecast since the Steve Irwin memorial special in September 2006.[2]
Criticism
Mermaids has been criticized for giving the impression of being an actual documentary, when in fact much of the material was made up, and the scientists shown were actors.[3] Publicity for the program included a website falsely claiming government seizure of the site's domain, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration put up a rebuttal to the program.[4]
See also
- The Last Dragon, a similar program airing on Animal Planet that attempted to describe dragons in a scientific manner.
References
- ↑ "Mermaids: The Body Found (press release)". Animal Planet Media. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
This two-hour special is science fiction based on some real events and scientific theory.
- ↑ "Animal Planet Slays With Best-Ever May in Network History". Animal Planet Press Release. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ↑ Jim Vorel (July 17, 2012). "Mermaid body found? No, bad TV". Quad-City Times.
- ↑ "Mermaids: The Body Found". Snopes.com. May 28, 2013.