After a much needed break, and a chance to recover from the whirlwind vacation my sister planned for me, I’m back and so is the blog! I’m glad Discovery+ finally became available in Canada because it meant I could pause Shark Week to go on vacation, and then pick up where I left off with no problem. It also meant that I got to extend my favourite week of the year to last a little bit longer. But it’s over now, and I’m left trying to figure out what I want to watch on TV. (Cue comments from my husband about my massive/intimidating/out-of-control to-watch list.)
Jaws vs the Blob: This is the kind of Shark Week content we need more of – real life examples of how climate change affects the natural world. I hope the scientists of Shark Week – and others – continue to keep an eye on the way the blob impacts the lives of sharks. If we don’t take drastic action to combat climate change, could we see more blobs in the near future?
8 out of 10 Baby Sharks
Clash of the Killers: Great White vs Mako: Basically the whole scientific expedition felt like a roundabout way of asking if makos and great whites swim in the same waters. But maybe I’m just not a fan of Riley Elliott anymore after sitting through a whole season of Shark Academy. Do we have to keep thinking about sharks as killers, and is it too much to ask to have this show titled Clash of the Titans instead?
7 out of 10 Massive Marlin
Shark Women: Ghosted by Great Whites: Yet another show about looking into the orca-related disappearance of South Africa’s Great Whites. It’s not a bad thing, but the gimmick about having an all-female team looking for and studying these sharks is. I get that there aren’t as many prominent women involved Shark Week as there are men, but did they have to title this show like the researchers are akin to women looking for men on tinder?
6 out of 10 Fancy Decoys
Monsters of the Cape: This episode should have been a companion piece to Great White Intersection as there are some… intersections between the two shows. Bust honestly, I’m getting tired of the “great whites are vicious killers” type episodes about the great whites off the US coast. Can we please have a positive show about American sharks?
6 out of 10 Misunderstood Monsters
Sharks in Paradise: I want to in a place like this where sharks are viewed positively. This show was entertaining, educational, and wholesome. Can Shark Week please return to this sharky paradise for future documentaries?
8 out of 10 Dream Vacations
Jackass Encore: Obviously, I didn’t need to watch the encore – especially since it’s something that only happens on cable and not on Discovery+. I just find it odd they would do an encore rather than give another celebrity guest – like The Rock, who was supposedly hosting this year – their own show. So I guess The Rock only appeared in the commercial breaks on cable – why don’t the Discovery+ subscribers get to see him?
N/A due to Missing Rocks
Shark Robber: This has happened to me before, and I blame Discovery US. Shark Week advertises a show on their lineup that doesn’t end up airing in Canada (or on Discovery+ Canada, apparently). I need to know: What was this show about?
N/A due to Lack of Shark Robbers
Return to Headstone Hell: Finally, a sequel to one of my favs from Shark Weeks past. Unfortunately, like many sequels, this one was not quite as good as the original. But can Shark Week scientists keep going back to Headstone Hell anyway so I can keep tabs on these precious sharks?
7 out of 10 Floating Big Macs
Fin: I have been dying to watch Eli Roth’s documentary on the shark fin trade ever since I saw the first hint of its existence. Worth the wait, but I got really upset watching it (as I expected). As a horror fan and writer, I expose myself to a lot of monsters, but this confirms that humans are the scariest monster there is. Everyone needs to watch this, especially if you care about sharks or about the environment. We have got to fight for change. If possible, please research what you buy and only purchase things that don’t contain dead shark.
10 out of 10 Sharks
