Ep 1. New Dawn

Walking with Prehistoric Beasts is an amazing documentary series that takes viewers on a thrilling journey through the history of our planet. This show is an incredible blend of live-action footage and CGI animation that depicts prehistoric animals and their way of life. Each episode of this series explores a particular period of time and its fauna, giving the viewers an immersive experience of how these animals lived, interacted, and evolved.

The first episode of the first season is called New Dawn, which explores the aftermath of the mass extinction that ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Set about 60 million years ago, this episode takes us to the beginning of the Cenozoic era, where mammals began their ascent to dominance.

The episode starts with a scene of a meteorite crashing into the Earth, causing a massive explosion that sent shock waves across the continent. The narrator explains that this cataclysmic event led to the demise of about three-quarters of the plants and animals on the planet, as well as the extinction of the dinosaurs.

As the dust and debris settled, the world which emerged was vastly different from the one that had existed before. The episode then takes us to the lush forests of Europe and Asia, where we first encounter the main character of this episode, a monkey-like mammal called Propalaeotherium. Through stunning CGI animation, we see how these animals evolved to climb trees to escape predators and reach for fruit, their primary food source.

As we travel through time, we encounter a plethora of new species, each with features that make them uniquely adapted to their environment. We see the evolution of horses, from small forest creatures to powerful, plains-dwelling giants, and the bizarre Ambulocetus, a semi-aquatic mammal that is both reptile and mammal, and becomes the ancestor of all modern whales.

The episode also highlights the fierce competition among the newly emerging predators. In the dense forests of Europe, we see the rise of Adapis, a ferocious carnivore that uses its powerful jaws to crush small mammals. We also encounter the towering Megacerops, a massive rhino-like creature with a horn that it uses to dispatch its prey with ease.

As the episode progresses, we witness the arrival of new species, including the dangerous Hyaenodon, a pack hunter that is both faster and stronger than any other carnivore in the region. We also get to see the Gigantopithecus, the largest primate to have ever existed, which towers over most of the other mammals in the region.

Throughout the episode, we get a glimpse of the challenges faced by these ancient creatures as they compete for survival in a rapidly changing world. We see how ecological niches are created and filled as new species emerge and adapt to their surroundings. The episode reveals how the new dawn of a new era on Earth led to the evolution of many new and diverse species that have come to dominate the planet to this very day.

In conclusion, the Walking with Prehistoric Beasts season 1, episode 1, New Dawn is an extraordinary documentary that provides mesmerizing insights into the lives of prehistoric creatures that lived on our planet millions of years ago. The episode presents a compelling narrative that combines informative commentary, live-action footage, and stunning CGI animation to bring these extinct animals to life. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in the Earth's history, science, and the evolution of life.