the animal planet mermaid mocumentary is airing!

[AniaR]

check it out if you get the station, otherwise MOST of it is online http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1697521.php/Animal-Planet-s-Mermaids-begins-May-21

[embry]

interesting... i don't have cable will have to watch it online :P

[Mermaid Rillia]

Sounds interesting. ill have to TiVo it

[midwesternmermaid]

I think it's the same thing and it's on Animal Planet *right now*.

[AniaR]

yes, this is the advertisement for it that I linked to LOL

[~Molly~]

i figured i wasnt the first to catch this...it's on again right now. (12:30am est)

[Prince Calypso]

I watched and recorded the two premieres and i have to say though the CGi left something to be desired
the theories put forth actually do get you thinking
i mean Christopher Columbus did write about seeing mermaids off the coats of Santa Domingo (or wherever it was)
and do did captain john smith and several other famous sailors, and seamen

the aquatic ape theory actually makes quite a bit of sense
and honestly i believe that if you want to disprove something as real and make people questions it. put it on tv

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

I found it fairly disappointing, actually.

1. They used "mermaids" for the species, never actually mentioning if the body they found showed male or female traits (and most of the evolutionary flashbacks seemed to focus on the males).

2. There was no flowing hair... I find short-haired mermaids cute and fun to draw, but flowing haired ones are a staple of myth and folklore... sitting on rocks and combing their hair and singing. These mermaids couldn't do that.

3. The conspiracy theories were annoying and distracting... I find it hard to believe that the U.S. military has the manpower and political power to guard and sweep EVERY SINGLE BEACH IN THE WORLD for the sake of one experiment.

4. Megalodons and some species of dolphins and whales did coexist... but I'm not sure ones that resembled bottlenose dolphins existed at the point where these "mermaids" would've been developing in order to watch the dolphins and learn to hunt like them.

5. They're not very good actors (or the scripts aren't very good).

6. The prehuman/pre-mermaid relatives looked more monstrous than our ancestors likely did, and the modern mermaid had too many "horror-movie-zombie" moments, like when the one reared up and grabbed at and roared at the kid.

7. That voice also wasn't particularly musical in mid-roar.

8. The evolutionary details were cool, but I wish there were more of them instead of the Big Brother stuff.

9. The backstory about the cave paintings in Egypt explaining "mermaids" aversion to humans was contradictory to plenty of other details throughout the world showing coexistence between the two peoples.

10. They never came out and discussed the comparative intelligence and culture of the "mermaids" even though they were arguing that these were our closest relatives.

All in all, it was interesting, and gave me some ideas for the mer rpg, but I think Animal Planet has done better.

[Prince Calypso]

i have to agree with all of the above but 3. your'd be surprised what the government is capable of covering up.
as for the hair, yeah i was a little disappointed by the lack of hair. they could found a way to work it in somehow. i mean even the mermaids in Harry potter had tendril like hair and the POTC mermaid had their hair even under water.
they could have gone more in-dept about the biology of the mermaids as well.
this is nowhere near as grand or as well done as when they did "Dragons; A fantasy Made real"

[Mermaid Marissa]

the "mermaids" look super creepy! and gross >:P (hits dislike button)

[AniaR]

Like I said earlier, it's a "mock"umentary, which means it's entertainment only. The majority of their "facts" are scripted/created.

[midwesternmermaid]

My apologies if this already got posted somewhere, but here's the press release from Discovery:
http://press.discovery.com/ekits/monster-week-mermaids/press-release.html

I'm sure there's already a version out there that links to the actual sources, like "here's where you can find the Bloop reel," "This picture is from this place and here's documentation that it's not faked," etc. If not there should be.
Most mocumentaries I've seen make it really clear up front that "we don't really know but this is our best guess." Mermaids didn't do that so much much. If you're posing "what if"s, the audience needs to know that. Lying pisses me off almost just as much as naval sonar weapon testing w/o regard for the creatures it might affect.
Too much "publish or die" sufferers.

[AniaR]

well I saw it the first time it was aired, and they made it clear it was a mockumentary. Fairly sure there's an online reference that confirms that maybe on IMBD - we looked it up on mer yuku after conversation too. I didnt watch it this time around because 1) I dont have animal planet and 2) it's been on youtube for years and can be watched there. As part of their advertisement theme they had this website "taken down" by homeland security- all the homeland security images were hosted on the animal planet website LOL

Also, it's during cryptozoology week, remember that famous alien autopsy documentary that admitted being a staged mockumentary years later? I kinda honestly thought this was common knowledge and that most people here had already seen it- but I guess I am thinking more of the participating members on mer yuku over a year or so ago.

[AniaR]

quote from the creator,
Foley is quick to point out that he doesn't necessarily believe that mermaids existed, but, as he did with a previous special, "Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real," wanted to "plausibly imagine them."

"This is meant for entertainment," he laughed. "We didn't submit this for peer review." - Quotes from the Huffingting post

edit:
Also, it's labelled as a "docu"fiction on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaids:_The_Body_Found
and mockumentary on IMBD http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1816585/

[midwesternmermaid]

Well, this was the first time I saw it and didn't know any of the background. Apparently I missed the clear revelation and feel a bit silly. Maybe b/c I would like to believe there are things out there that the almighty human doesn't know about. And I definitely wouldn't put it pass governments to hide things from us. (Yeah, haven't you seen Men in Black ;) ).

[AniaR]

not trying to burst your bubble, It miffs me when they do things like this and dont make it clear, it encourages people to just accept what they're told and believe all the work has been done, and I think we already do that enough especially when the government comes a knockin. It's unfair to viewers and spreads a lot of ignorance.

[midwesternmermaid]

not trying to burst your bubble, It miffs me when they do things like this and dont make it clear, it encourages people to just accept what they're told and believe all the work has been done, and I think we already do that enough especially when the government comes a knockin. It's unfair to viewers and spreads a lot of ignorance.

I'm right there with you. To me, it's a science-based channel and if something is presented as scientific evidence, I am inclined to take it as such. I like the learny-type channels and usually it's been pretty clear when they're just blowing hot air. Maybe I just didn't have enough context as far as the whole Monster Week thing went to easily conclude that this was just a sciencey fairy tale. nonetheless...grrr.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Ok, it is basically designed to show how mermaids could exist in some fashion... and prove that our fantasy and mythology isn't entirely out of the real of possibility. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that... we just need to watch everything and keep it in context. I refer to this as the "War of the Worlds" phenomenon (like when the book "War of the Worlds" was read over the radio, certain listeners tuned in after the point where it was introduced as a book and assumed it was a real newscast and that aliens were invading the Earth. Similarly, people who saw clips of the first X-men movie before it came out apparently called their senators and asked who this "Senator Kelly" guy was and what his "Mutants are dangerous" platform was about. When the Dragons mockumentary came out, they released details on the web that made it seem like it was ALL real, instead of being based on real science and biology, and there was a similar furor. We just have to be careful and do our research about things before we start taking them for God's honest truth, and make sure we're paying attention to the details and fine print. Also, while animal planet is a scientific network, it's also largely one for entertainment... if there was evidence of dragons or mermaids found in real life, it would be on the news first, not Animal Planet.

[Prince Calypso]

in all honesty i believe mermaid are real and the documentary did put forth some theories that could possible explain them. not all the idea in the movie are complete fabrications. the aquatic ape theory is a real theory and the data that makes it up is true as well. it is also true that fisher men have found ON OCCASION fish with what appear to be spear marks or with what could be mistaken as spear head lodged in them. also is the fact that both john smith and Christopher Columbus did mention mermaids in their ship logs.

[Mermaid Marissa]

in all honesty i believe mermaid are real and the documentary did put forth some theories that could possible explain them. not all the idea in the movie are complete fabrications. the aquatic ape theory is a real theory and the data that makes it up is true as well. it is also true that fisher men have found ON OCCASION fish with what appear to be spear marks or with what could be mistaken as spear head lodged in them. also is the fact that both john smith and Christopher Columbus did mention mermaids in their ship logs.

I agree with this though there footage sucks! even the "video evidence" is complete CGI (good-ish CG but still CG)

[Alveric]

I think as a science channel they have a responsibility to plainly state what is real data and what is made up. Sure it's entertainment, but would they do the same if the topic were say, planetary physics? I knew that this was not a serious documentary, but I also recognized that real honest crypto zoological data was sprinkled throughout. It shows a lack of respect for the phenomena, mixing the real and the fake with no guidance. This causes people to dismiss the entire thing as bunk. I think this sort of thing causes more harm than good and would discourage any real research.

[AniaR]

you hit the nail on the head with what I feel the issue is. Well said

[~Molly~]

found this today. not from mer's point of view. hahahaha http://timenolonger.ning.com/forum/topics/mermaids-sound-weapons-and-government-cover-ups

[lasserine]

I found this http://animal.discovery.com/videos/mermaids/

[AniaR]

yeah, they staged a bunch of videos, theyre all over youtube too, and people keep telling them off in the comments lol All those websites went up as soon as animal planet started advertising for the show. and like I said, that image they'[re showing from the 'government' was hosted on the animal planet website.

[WavyMermaidy]

I finally just finished watching this program online. I knew from all the discussion on these forums and elsewhere that this was a "what if" scenario told as science fiction with some theoretical basis. However, I personally am not particularly a fan of the "mockumentary" genre...particularly in a situation like this where something does have some scientific and cultural basis (and that it not clearly stated up front at the beginning of viewing).

What a great DOCumentary this could have been if they had simply overviewed the history of mermaid folklore and combined it with the Aquatic Ape theory (and any other possible theories) into a what-if without all the conspiracy and dramatic parts to it. I don't think there has really been a tv doc on something like that, or at least not one I am aware of. There were enough true facts peppered throughout that it makes the dramatic and made-up facts seem kinda pointless and stupid.

I ended up pausing it to look up various parts to see what was real and what wasn't. For example, found out there actually are cave paintings in South Africa that depict mermaid-like creatures...then why go and make up fake ones in Egypt for the show? The real version would have been interesting. And then parts of it were presented factually, such as the Moken people in Thailand that can constrict their pupils to see underwater (so totally cool!!!) which I was convinced was made up until I researched it a bit...point being, I don't like the way that they presented some things very factually (including the dolphins helping fishermen thing at the end) but made the hell up some of the other stuff. I guess that's why I don't like mockumentaries. Either present it as a documentary or as fiction* I don't like the in-between bits, especially as presented on what others have noted as a scientific network. Seems like our human dramas are all going toward "reality" TV while our science and reality needs to be dramatized...and none of the results are very convincing either way. A big ball of blech. *and I get that there is fact-based fiction - something like From Hell about Jack the Ripper or Titanic, but you get that it's a movie, and it might get you interested enough in the facts to do your research...but there's a marked difference in the presentation from something like this show.

And really in the end it seemed to me overall to be less a look into mermaids than a statement on the crappy, exploitative relationship that humans have with other creatures. Like most, if not all, of my fellow mers I deplore the idea of sonar and other navy testing, and I am endlessly frustrated at what we call humanity and our need to dominate the earth. So if that was the real purpose of the show, than fine. I think more people need to see movies like The Cove and Whaledreamers to step out of ignorance, but if that was the purpose of this show it seemed to be an unfocused way of presenting that cause. Almost seemed like 2 shows glued together in weird places actually.

With all that said (plus more that I could've written), I want to mention that I thought the theory of evolution of merfolk in those parts of the show was really cool. I know others have said their peace about the creatures being a little scary and not having hair, but if we are talking scientific probability than they probably wouldn't be really pretty with shiny bras and long hair (that was not meant to be insulting, I swear!!!). I actually thought the way they designed the color and skin thickness pattern on the neck and back looked like hair and could theoretically be a basis for sightings of mers with long hair. So that part was cool.

Ok, wow, so that was longer and more ranty that I intended, but hey...that's how the water foams sometimes.

[Prince Calypso]

I finally just finished watching this program online. I knew from all the discussion on these forums and elsewhere that this was a "what if" scenario told as science fiction with some theoretical basis. However, I personally am not particularly a fan of the "mockumentary" genre...particularly in a situation like this where something does have some scientific and cultural basis (and that it not clearly stated up front at the beginning of viewing).

What a great DOCumentary this could have been if they had simply overviewed the history of mermaid folklore and combined it with the Aquatic Ape theory (and any other possible theories) into a what-if without all the conspiracy and dramatic parts to it. I don't think there has really been a tv doc on something like that, or at least not one I am aware of. There were enough true facts peppered throughout that it makes the dramatic and made-up facts seem kinda pointless and stupid.

I ended up pausing it to look up various parts to see what was real and what wasn't. For example, found out there actually are cave paintings in South Africa that depict mermaid-like creatures...then why go and make up fake ones in Egypt for the show? The real version would have been interesting. And then parts of it were presented factually, such as the Moken people in Thailand that can constrict their pupils to see underwater (so totally cool!!!) which I was convinced was made up until I researched it a bit...point being, I don't like the way that they presented some things very factually (including the dolphins helping fishermen thing at the end) but made the hell up some of the other stuff. I guess that's why I don't like mockumentaries. Either present it as a documentary or as fiction* I don't like the in-between bits, especially as presented on what others have noted as a scientific network. Seems like our human dramas are all going toward "reality" TV while our science and reality needs to be dramatized...and none of the results are very convincing either way. A big ball of blech. *and I get that there is fact-based fiction - something like From Hell about Jack the Ripper or Titanic, but you get that it's a movie, and it might get you interested enough in the facts to do your research...but there's a marked difference in the presentation from something like this show.

And really in the end it seemed to me overall to be less a look into mermaids than a statement on the crappy, exploitative relationship that humans have with other creatures. Like most, if not all, of my fellow mers I deplore the idea of sonar and other navy testing, and I am endlessly frustrated at what we call humanity and our need to dominate the earth. So if that was the real purpose of the show, than fine. I think more people need to see movies like The Cove and Whaledreamers to step out of ignorance, but if that was the purpose of this show it seemed to be an unfocused way of presenting that cause. Almost seemed like 2 shows glued together in weird places actually.

With all that said (plus more that I could've written), I want to mention that I thought the theory of evolution of merfolk in those parts of the show was really cool. I know others have said their peace about the creatures being a little scary and not having hair, but if we are talking scientific probability than they probably wouldn't be really pretty with shiny bras and long hair (that was not meant to be insulting, I swear!!!). I actually thought the way they designed the color and skin thickness pattern on the neck and back looked like hair and could theoretically be a basis for sightings of mers with long hair. So that part was cool.

Ok, wow, so that was longer and more ranty that I intended, but hey...that's how the water foams sometimes.

i love you!!! this is exactly how i felt. all that big brother crap could have ben left ouy and they could have focused on real historical as well as mytholical accounts of mermaid and the like

[Alveric]

I agree with the Wavy mer. I like fiction, I like speculation and I like fact, but I demand honesty as to which is which!

[spottedcatfish]

I just found an official statement from NOAA's website concerning the existence of mermaids. "But are mermaids real? No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found" the statement says.

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mermaids.html

Apparently they have been getting a lot of questions concerning the Animal Planet mock-umentary, and why they haven't been transparent with the research the Animal Planet "documentary" said they "uncovered". Personally, I watched that documentary knowing before-hand that it was staged, and fake, and there were no warnings at the beginning of the documentary, or during it, stating that the documentary features ''theories that have not been proven by science", or that "some parts of this documentary have been added for the viewers enjoyment, and did not actually happen"... No. AP goes and makes this mockumentary, and does such a good job at making it look real and scientifically proven, so viewers have been messaging NoAA, in regards to releasing the "data" that was shown in the mockumentary.

Here's another article on why they released the statement:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/07/02/mermaids_the_body_found_government_agency_noaa_deb unks_animal_planet_show.html

I agree that Animal Planet could have made this documentary a lot better, by mixing mythology with reality, and creating a more substantial documentary, instead of making this fake, and misleading "documentary".

[Merman Craig (Delphinar)]

I think mermaids and mermen do exist. Even I believe that I'm one of them, and was one in a previous life.

[Mermaid Caidence]

I just found an official statement from NOAA's website concerning the existence of mermaids. "But are mermaids real? No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found" the statement says.

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mermaids.html

Apparently they have been getting a lot of questions concerning the Animal Planet mock-umentary, and why they haven't been transparent with the research the Animal Planet "documentary" said they "uncovered". Personally, I watched that documentary knowing before-hand that it was staged, and fake, and there were no warnings at the beginning of the documentary, or during it, stating that the documentary features ''theories that have not been proven by science", or that "some parts of this documentary have been added for the viewers enjoyment, and did not actually happen"... No. AP goes and makes this mockumentary, and does such a good job at making it look real and scientifically proven, so viewers have been messaging NoAA, in regards to releasing the "data" that was shown in the mockumentary.

Here's another article on why they released the statement:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/07/02/mermaids_the_body_found_government_agency_noaa_deb unks_animal_planet_show.html

I agree that Animal Planet could have made this documentary a lot better, by mixing mythology with reality, and creating a more substantial documentary, instead of making this fake, and misleading "documentary".

If you go to the first link you posted, it had a picture of a mermaid sculpture in Norfolk Va.
On my cruise to the Bahamas, we passed through there and I took a picture of this. xD
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h387/_Caitey_/IMG_0429.jpg

[deepblue]

With all that said (plus more that I could've written), I want to mention that I thought the theory of evolution of merfolk in those parts of the show was really cool. I know others have said their peace about the creatures being a little scary and not having hair, but if we are talking scientific probability than they probably wouldn't be really pretty with shiny bras and long hair (that was not meant to be insulting, I swear!!!). I actually thought the way they designed the color and skin thickness pattern on the neck and back looked like hair and could theoretically be a basis for sightings of mers with long hair. So that part was cool.

I haven't seen the show, so I hope it's okay if I mention one thing- the long hair thing? No way would a mermaid evolve with long hair. Technically, look at all ocean creatures, sea mammals don't have hair for a reason. And not technically? Trust me, I have hair past my waist, it's thick and wavy and while it looks really cool under water, once you get out of the water... you realize mers would evolve with dreads or bald. That image of mers combing hair on the rocks would have to involve a lot of agar to get the tangles out!

So I like the idea of a pattern... I'm going to have to watch this mockumentary now. Ugh, I didn't want to, but you're all pointing out so much about it. I'm curious now.

[Merman Dan]

Technically, look at all ocean creatures, sea mammals don't have hair for a reason...

Mammals, perhaps, but how about the stonefish:
http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000LpY2_j5lga8/s/750/750/Reef-Stonefish-Kenting-22-23May10-C-291.jpg

or the hairy frogfish:
http://i.pbase.com/o5/75/568475/1/67750781.cFrtdtME.IMG_8743copy.jpg

[MermaidMisty]

Merman Æolius, that hairy frogfish looks incredibly cool and incredibly creepy at the same time! lol
Perhaps mermaids could have something that looks similar to hair, like long semi-transparent fins or tendrils, coming out of their head. What do you guys think?

[Lyna]

it was all the hype online for a minute there and i reeeaaally wanted to catch it!

[Lyna]

I think as a science channel they have a responsibility to plainly state what is real data and what is made up. Sure it's entertainment, but would they do the same if the topic were say, planetary physics? I knew that this was not a serious documentary, but I also recognized that real honest crypto zoological data was sprinkled throughout. It shows a lack of respect for the phenomena, mixing the real and the fake with no guidance. This causes people to dismiss the entire thing as bunk. I think this sort of thing causes more harm than good and would discourage any real research.

omg i 100% agree. well said friend.

with that being said...trying to find the episode online...

[Merman Dan]

The mockumentary will be on Discovery at 9pm, tonight.

[Lyna]

Thank you!

[Mermaid Dottie]

Right, so I watched it the other night, and was relatively entertained by the evolution of the species, and horrified at the sonar testing. I agree that this should have been split into two different shows. One about mermaids, mythology, history and such, and another about the government's HORRIFIC sonar testing.
On that note, I just found a piece of Japanese Mythology. If you look at this short explanation of the ningyo (http://www.obakemono.com/obake/ningyo/), it correlates a tad with the aquatic ape theory, and if anyone actually found one washed up on a beach, it would be very bad for the rest of us.

[Talia]

I watched the entire show on YouTube. I did not know it was not a real documentary when I began watching it (it came clear at the end).

When I found out, I understood some things, and began to question the science shown as not very well researched. I thought it was a pity that the evolution about the mermaids was so poorly done, when it could have been better explained. Even though I am not a biologist, I know about the evolution of marine mammals. From the moment they said that it only took the mermen 7 million years to evolve, I thought there was something fishy there (if you'll pardon my pun). Seals, sea lions and other pinnipeds are still evolving, and they have been in the water for 12 million years. Dolphins and whales have been in the water for nearly 60 million years. It was impossible for a developed humanoid to grow a tail like that in 7 million years.
Besides, when they explained about the bones of the hands, they missed a point: inside the flippers of whales and dolphins are hand-like bones, although they are larger than ours. And more things...

I think also it could have been more interesting to research mermaid folklore and try to give it a scientific and modern view.

I recently saw a question on Yahoo Answers of someone wanting to pursue a biology career looking for mermaids, based on this "documentary". I think it has done more harm than good...

[Merman Dan]

It's on Discovery again tonight, at 9pm Eastern and again at 11pm.