There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that tomorrow, just after dawn, my sister is coming to whisk me away on a secret weekend vacation that I am extremely excited for. The bad news is that it cuts into my Shark Week time! My goal between now and when she picks me up is to binge as many sharky shows as possible. Can I do it?
Island of the Walking Sharks: Before this special, I didn’t realize there was more than one type of epaulette shark – and this is exactly why we need more Shark Week specials that feature the stranger/less well-known sharks. Forrest Gallante should get way more air time on Shark Week because his shows never disappoint – this one is both educational and compelling. Which understudied (and adorable) shark species will he track down next?
10 out of 10 Fin Feet
MechaShark: Love Down Under: This didn’t strike me as being all that different from last year’s MechaShark special, which is unfortunate because I was expecting to really love this one. It also played out the overdone trope of looking for a very specific shark throughout the duration of the episode, rather than doing much else of anything. Still, I have to know, will MechaShark ever find true love?
6 out of 10 Disoriented Kinnas
Mission Shark Dome: Watching free diving gives me a bit of anxiety, so watching Andre use the Shark Dome was both fascinating and terrifying. I love seeing the creativity researchers are using to solve the mysteries of great white mating and birthing. Will scientists uncover all the answers within my life time?
8 out of 10 Ultrasounds on a Stick
Great White Comeback: Unfortunately, the first third of this show was just way too similar to all of the other Shark Week specials that have investigated the disappearance of great whites off the coast of South Africa. But it did pick up, and it’s hard not to love a show that features Andy Casagrande and Alison Towner. Now that a few specials have taken place in South Africa I have to ask, is Chris Fallows not a part of Shark Week this Year?
7 out of 10 Asshole Orcas
Shark Academy: This series has been a “watch in the background while I’m doing other stuff” kind of show. It’s focused more on the people than on the sharks, and the contestants really annoy me. Do we really need to make a reality competition show out of everything?
4 out of 10 Whiny, Entitled Shark Enthusiasts
