franksremote

The most awesome part of this series is definitely the featured animals, landscape and local favor depicted (essentially, an African animal preserve). The storyline and arc of early seasons clearly made this a family oriented show which had a message contained within each solved "problem" that doubled as a lesson about life, people and how we should treat each other. Even DuPlusses meddling was for the greater good of those he cared for and more importantly, within reason for how someone might act in real life.

Season 5 and beyond saw these lessons become on-existent with that endearing meddling becoming more about his own needs masked as helping the situation with any lesson that could've been taught clearly no longer the focus. In fact, if one turned to the shows final seasons for any of life's lessons, there would be more immoral theirs and criminals created than the same masses who received fair moral guidance from early episodes.

Dup wreaked havoc on the oil company that wants to purchase the land in clear childish fashion and yet expects his antics to be rewarded with assistance when he needs it even though he clearly would not do the same in return. The heroes becomes the antithesis of people that the world wants to hate; arrogant, self-righteous, entitled. I truly find it sad and an undignified end to a story/series that did it right for so much of its time as a family oriented show. Why would it not just continue focusing on the animals, building (and salvaging) relationships that we should all find important (family), growing pains and guidance overcoming the trials of coming of age (through all age groups)? The formula worked fantastically for 5 years +/- and I believe it could have ended its run without resorting to the unrealistic antics seen in the final couple of seasons. It's what brought this from a 9.5/10 star rating to a 6/7 for me. I just couldn't relate to their resolutions any longer as they moved right out of the realm of believability transforming this once solid series into just another far-fetched fantasy that betrayed all of the good will it had built for itself.

The doctor evaluating the property for status as a protected preserve brought up a point about how much Danny intervenes against nature whereby his reply is he much save life at all costs 'cause he's a vet. It proves her point about interfering with nature's laws as its always been clear that Danny et al have always done what they've liked at all costs, only in the early seasons they were really only saving lives and giving animals the chances they deserved. It's clear that as the seasons have progressed, they've acted more and more like god, creating fates instead of just maintaining the balances offset by human interference.

It's the type of self-righteous soapboxing thats all about their superiority over nature. No way would this in any way mirror the actions of the masses, both in regards to acceptance of questionable behavior but in the actions taken (or not) to ensure their survival as a whole. Yes, the lioness was in labor, appearing in court at the pivotal moment to ensure the preserve's continued existence would cost her her life, but surviving would guarantee the ability to save even more lives in the future. One for many. Difficult decision, of course, but the greater good would be served by its sacrifice. How could one not see that, unless of course one's frog ant enough to believe he or she is the final word when it comes to matters of life and death. Even for physicians it's called a "God Complex" and only a self- important vet would believe its his decision what nature intended.

Again, it's sad, the show demonstrated such great writing and moral implication in its early seasons. It used to clearly show adherence to the spirit of things, (nature, relationships, the law), it was a mutual assistance demonstration of solidarity which morphed into repeated demonstrations of self-righteousness followed by expecting everyone else to be generous and understanding towards their plight. I.e. it's wrong to break the law so I must report and have you punished for your "crime" however, I must break the law as its the only way to prevent continued discomfort, but you shouldn't punish me as I had a "good" reason. To see this show move towards its end with a conversion to a self-righteous, self- serving, chest thumping platform without any moral guidance whatsoever is just sad.