Edit filter log

'{{More citations needed|date=December 2022}} {{Fan POV|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | genre = [[Nature documentary]] | creator = Andrew Carl Wilk | developer = | voices = [[Dudley Moore]]<br>[[Billy West]] | theme_music_composer = [[Darryl Kubian]] | opentheme = | endtheme = | composer = [[Alan O'Day]] and Janis Liebhart (songs)<br />[[Darryl Kubian]] (score) | country = | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 26<ref name="clicker"/> | list_episodes = | producer = | executive_producer = Andrew Carl Wilk | location = | camera = | runtime = 45 minutes<br>23 minutes (TV version) | company = [[National Geographic Society]] | network = [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]] (1993-1995) CBS (1995-1996) | picture_format = | audio_format = | first_aired = {{start date|1993|10|24}} | last_aired = {{end date|1996|3|6}} | related = }} '''''Really Wild Animals''''' is an American children's [[nature]] [[television series|series]], hosted by [[Dudley Moore]] as Spin, an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[globe]].<ref name="clicker"/> Comprising 13 episodes, it was released between October 24, 1993, and March 6, 1996. It was nominated for five national [[Daytime Emmy Award|Daytime Emmy]] Awards and won one. Released by the [[National Geographic Society]], the series educates children about many different species of animals. It goes to every [[continent]], describing the [[wildlife]] on each one and also focuses on one specific group of animals, such as [[dog]]s, [[cat]]s, [[endangered animals]] and [[Fauna of Africa|animal]]s of the [[Africa]]n [[savanna]]h. Songs were written, produced, and mostly performed by Alan O'Day and Janis Liebhart. At the end of an episode, Spin says, "But (you know), there are lots more Really Wild Animals all across this wonderful world of ours, so be sure to join me on our next (exciting) adventure. Until then, this is your pal Spin. Spin ya later!" ==Episodes== The series was released on [[VHS]] and on August 2, 2005, National Geographic began releasing the episodes on DVD. {{Episode table |background=#FFD700 |overall=8 <!-- |season= --> |title=72 |airdate=20 |episodes= {{Episode list | Title=Swinging Safari | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1993|10|24}} | EpisodeNumber=1 | ShortSummary=This episode features animals from [[Africa]], primarily in the [[Serengeti]], but also the [[jungle]]s of mid-Africa and the [[Kalahari Desert]] including Botswana's [[Central Kalahari Game Reserve]]. These animals include [[African elephant|elephant]]s, [[hippo]]s, [[rhino]]s, [[giraffe]]s, [[zebra]]s, [[chimpanzee]]s, [[Black-and-white colobus|colobus monkey]]s, [[meerkat]]s, [[cheetah]]s, and [[lion]]s. The law of survival and the food chain are also emphasized. [[Jane Goodall]] and [[Daphne Sheldrick]] appear. There are five songs. The 1st is about lions ("Hey Lion"); the 2nd is about baby animals ("Young Thing"); the 3rd is about how [[human]]s, monkeys, and [[ape]]s are related ("Family"); the 4th is about zebras ("Stripes"), and the 5th is about Africa's beauty ("The Heart That Beats in Africa") sung by [[Dorian Holley]]. Note: The DVD version omits the "Weather Update," "Africa's Most Wanted," "Traffic Update," and "As the Earth Turns" signs. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Wonders Down Under | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1993|11|16}} | EpisodeNumber=2 | ShortSummary=In this episode, the animals of [[Australia]] are examined. The theme of "weirdness" among Australia's creatures (compared to the rest of the world) is explored by looking at mammals, birds, and reptiles. The [[kangaroo]]s, [[mudskipper]]s, [[quoll]]s, [[fruit bat]]s, [[echidna]]s, [[platypus]]es, [[riflebird]]s, [[bowerbird]]s, [[lyrebird]]s, [[emu]]s, [[malleefowl]]s, [[Chlamydosaurus|frilled lizard]]s, [[Ranoidea platycephala|water-holding frog]]s, [[dingo]]es, [[tasmanian devil]]s, [[Sugar Glider|flying possum]]s, [[numbat]]s, [[thorny devil]]s, and [[koala]]s are featured. There are five songs. The 1st is about Australia and how unique it is ("Down Under"); the 2nd is about kangaroos ("Wait Up, Kangaroo"); the 3rd is about Australia's strange animals ("Proud to Be Strange"); the 4th is about the Outback's reptiles and amphibians ("Tracks in the Sand"); and the 5th is about how despite the "strange" appearances, Australia's animals make it a unique land ("Strange New Friend"). |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Deep Sea Dive | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1993|12|1}} | EpisodeNumber=3 | ShortSummary=This episode plunges into the world's oceans and explores underwater life. Key destinations include the [[Great Barrier Reef]] and [[Antarctica]]. Some of the animals featured are [[dolphin]]s, [[octopus]]es, [[seahorse]]s, [[fish]], [[cuttlefish]], [[jellyfish]], [[sea otter]]s, [[shark]]s, [[emperor penguin]]s and [[whale]]s. It also attempts to capture the wonders of the sea and the importance of protecting it from pollution. There are five songs. The 1st is about water ("Water"); the 2nd is about strange animals that live deep in the sea ("City of the Creeps"); the 3rd is about the importance of keeping the water clean ("If the Water is Clear"); the 4th is about animal movement ("It's in the Way You Move"); and the 5th is about the "real" underwater treasure, all the wildlife ("I Found a Treasure"). Note: This is the first episode Spin explores the world instead of just sticking to one continent, and the last one Caesar Video Graphics animates. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Totally Tropical Rain Forest | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|9|14}} | EpisodeNumber=4 | ShortSummary=This episode shows an in-depth look at the [[rainforest]]s of [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. It's structured around a journey through the layers of the forest, from the floor to the mid-layers to the canopy. During this journey the [[jaguar]], [[tapir]], [[leafcutter ant]], [[howler monkey]], [[Basiliscus (genus)|basilisk lizard]], [[Poison dart frog|poison arrow frog]], [[parrot]], [[tarantula]], [[harpy eagle]], [[piranha]], [[vampire bat]], [[hoatzin]], [[Bald uakari|uakari]], [[three-toed sloth]], and [[Amazon river dolphin|river dolphin]] are among the animals shown. Environmental issues surrounding deforestation are also looked at. There are four songs. The 1st is about all the life that lives in the rainforest ("Greenhouse"); the 2nd is about the importance of finding food and the food chain ("What Do You Want for Lunch"); the 3rd is about the rainforest canopy and all the birds that call it home ("Bird's-Eye View"), and the 4th is about the importance of keeping the rainforest safe ("This Must Be the Place"). Note: This is the first episode animated by Click 3X and the change in studios resulted in Spin being redesigned. The end has a prototype animation in which Spin doesn't put away his magnifying glass at the end; he zooms in. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Amazing North America | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|9|28}} | EpisodeNumber=5 | ShortSummary=This episode looks at [[North America]]'s [[ecosystem]]s from its deserts and swamps to its cities and tundra. [[Ground squirrel]]s, [[rattlesnakes]], [[North American beaver|beaver]]s, [[raccoon]]s, [[woodpecker]]s, [[corn snake]]s, [[American alligator|alligator]]s, [[Florida red-bellied cooter|red-bellied turtle]]s, [[Arctic wolves]], [[musk ox]]en, [[polar bear]]s and [[American black bear|black bear]]s are all featured. The film's diversity of the North American landscape and how its animals have adapted are key points. There are four songs. The 1st is about what animals need to do to survive in North America ("I Gotta Be Wild"); the 2nd is about the places animals call home ("Look Who's Moving In"); the 3rd is about difficulties in getting what animals want ("To Get What You Want"), and the 4th is about the [[winter]] season ("Winter"). |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Adventures in Asia | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|10|9}} | EpisodeNumber=6 | ShortSummary=The immense continent of [[Asia]] is explored. With such a large area to cover, Spin jumps from one place to the next, including the tropical islands of [[Indonesia]], the [[Arabian Peninsula]], Russian mountains, Japanese mountains, Indian jungles, and Chinese forests and mountains. Some of the featured animals are the [[sea snake]], [[white-bellied sea eagle]], [[Japanese macaque|snow monkey]], [[proboscis monkey]], [[mudskipper]], [[fiddler crab]], [[dhole]], [[Asian elephant]], [[tiger]], [[Komodo dragon]], [[cobra]], [[Arabian oryx]], [[ibex]], [[camel]], [[garden eel]], [[manta ray]], [[giant panda]], [[Crane (bird)|crane]], [[Cave swiftlet|swiftlet]], and [[orangutan]]. The difference between myth and reality is tested in uncovering the lifestyles of all these creatures. There are four songs. The 1st is about all the Asian legends and how much truth is in them ("Legends in Asia"); the 2nd is about territories ("Get Off of My Turf"); the 3rd is about animal roughhousing and its importance ("Roughhouse"); and the 4th is about all the life, human and animal, in Asia ("Keep the Legends Alive"). |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Polar Prowl | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|12|20}} | EpisodeNumber=7 | ShortSummary= In this episode, Spin takes a trip to the [[Arctic]] and [[Antarctica|Antarctic]]. Animals such as [[polar bear]]s, [[walrus]]es, [[Killer whale|orca whales]], [[caribou]], [[musk oxen]], [[Kodiak bear]]s, [[arctic tern]]s, [[penguin]]s, [[Pinniped|seal]]s, and [[humpback whale]]s are explored. Additionally, they examine the three ways animals survive the harsh cold; [[hibernation]], insulation, and migration. There are four songs. The 1st is about the cold temperatures and how the animals survive ("Cold, Cold, Cold"); the 2nd is about ways animals beat the cold ("That's the Way We Do It Up Here"); the 3rd is about penguins, and names the 17 species ("Penguins"), and the 4th is a tribute to Antarctica ("The Last Great Wilderness"). |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Hot Dogs and Cool Cats | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|11|21}} | EpisodeNumber=8 | ShortSummary=Spin looks at dogs and tries to determine if there is a link between [[Canidae|wild]] and [[Dog|tame dog]]s. The 1st song is about why dogs do what they do ("Hey Dog"), and the 2nd is about dogs' loyalty ("Best Friends"). Spin examines [[Felidae|cat]]s and learns that no matter how [[Cat|tame]], they're always wild. The 1st song is about cats having an attitude ("The Cat's Got an Attitude"), and the 2nd is about how they're wild inside ("Wild Inside"). Note: This was where the series started airing on TV, so the episodes had to be cut down in length. All VHS/DVDs released contained two 30-minute episodes. Also, beginning here, all episodes only have two songs. A bridging dog commercial between the two episodes is removed from the DVD version. The second part is also the first time Alan O'Day does not appear. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Dinosaurs and Other Creature Features | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|12|5}} | EpisodeNumber=9 | ShortSummary=Spin examines [[dinosaur]]s such as [[Hadrosaur]]s (Duck-Billed Dinosaurs), [[Struthiomimus]], [[Tyrannosaurus rex]], and [[Dromaeosaur]]s (Raptors), and tries to answer the questions surrounding them, including how they became extinct, and if relatives still exist such as [[American alligator|alligator]]s, [[snake]]s, [[Komodo dragon]]s, [[lizard]]s, [[ostrich]]es, and [[cassowary|cassowaries]]. The 1st song focus on dinosaurs ("Dinosaurs"), and the 2nd shows how their modern-day relatives still "rock our world" ("We're Gonna Rock Your World"). Spin looks at some of the world's creepiest creatures, such as [[vampire bat]]s, [[ant]]s, [[flies]], [[spider]]s, [[vulture]]s, and [[dung beetle]]s. He shows that no matter how scary they are, they all play an important part in the world. The 1st song is about how creatures are creepy and intriguing ("Creepy Creatures"; animation by Jim and Vezna Tozzi), and the 2nd is about how important they are ("Keep on Creepin' On"). Notes: This is the first episode where the background changes from the sky to [[outer space]], which will remain for the rest of the series. Also, Spin reads the title card as "Dinos and Other Creature Features" and footage from Phil Tippett's ''[[Prehistoric Beast]]'' and ''[[Dinosaur! (1985 film)|Dinosaur!]]'' are used for the dinosaur scenes. Paleontologist [[Robert T. Bakker]] appears, and footage from the ''[[The Three Stooges|Three Stooges]]'' episode "[[Disorder in the Court]]" and a clip from ''[[Killer Shrews]]'' is shown. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Monkey Business and Other Family Fun | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|12|26}} | EpisodeNumber=10 | ShortSummary=Spin looks at primates, including [[gibbon]]s, [[Colobinae|langurs]], [[bush baby|bush babies]], [[aye-aye]]s, [[Capuchin monkey|capuchin]]s, and [[baboon]]s. He also explains that primates are our distant relatives. The 1st song is about all [[primate]]s ("Primates"), and the 2nd is about [[gorilla]]s, our "gentle brothers" ("Gentle Brother"). Spin looks at animal families, including [[African elephant|elephants]], [[African bullfrog|bullfrog]]s, [[ostrich]]es, [[Giant Pacific Octopus|octopus]]es, [[albatross]]es, and [[Loggerhead Sea Turtle|sea turtle]]s and shows they're not all that different from human families. The 1st song is about how curious animal children are ("I'm Curious"), and the 2nd is about how important families are ("You're My Family"). Note: This episode features a parody of ''[[Candid Camera]]'' called "Candid Critter Camera" hosted by "Alan Grunt" (a parody of [[Allen Funt]]), who is played by [[Billy West]]. A "Candid Critter Camera" segment between the two episodes involving meerkats is removed from the DVD version. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Farmyard Friends | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1996|1|9}} | EpisodeNumber=11 | ShortSummary=Spin looks at farm animals, such as [[Domestic turkey|turkeys]], [[Domestic pig|pig]]s, [[sheep]], [[horse]]s, and [[cows]], and examines their wild relatives, such as [[dall sheep]], [[wild turkeys]], [[warthogs]], and [[zebras]], from all over the world. The 1st song is about all the animals on the farm ("Farmer, Farmer"), and the 2nd is about whether the viewer would be wild or tame ("Would You Rather be Wild, Would You Rather be Tame"). Spin looks at humans helping endangered animals, how animals rescue people, and if people work together to save animals, they'll prevent them from becoming extinct. The 1st song is about help being available for animals ("Help is on the Way"), and the 2nd is about humans working to save animals ("Safe at Last"). Notes: This first part doesn't mention the second segment. The TV version of "Farmyard Friends" was titled "Spin's Really Wild Farm Tour." Also, at this point, [[Warner Home Video]] became the distributor and started advertising before the episode began. |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Awesome Animal Builders | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1996|2|20}} | EpisodeNumber=12 | ShortSummary=It shows how animals build their own homes, such as [[termite]]s, [[beaver]]s, [[orb-weaver spider]]s, [[Cave swiftlet|swiftlet]]s, [[bee]]s, [[Bombyx mori|silkworms]], [[caterpillar]]s, [[Ploceidae|weaver birds]], [[Naked mole-rat|naked mole rats]], and [[osprey]]s, and explains that they build their homes to have families. The 1st song is about the different kinds of animal homes ("Anything to Make it Home"), and the 2nd is about why animals build homes ("I Am an Architect"). Spin takes us to look at animals that migrate, such as [[wildebeest]], [[sockeye salmon]], [[tundra swan]]s, [[African elephant]]s, [[Goose|geese]], [[shark]]s, [[Batoidea|ray]]s, [[pronghorn]] and [[toad]]s. It explains that the cycle of [[Animal migration|migration]] never ends. The 1st song is about animals migrating ("I'm Movin' Out"), and the 2nd is about how migration never ends for animals ("Every Ending is a Beginning") |LineColor=FFD700 }} {{Episode list | Title=Secret Weapons and Great Escapes | OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1996|3|6}} | EpisodeNumber=13 | ShortSummary=Spin's a spy who is trying to find out how some animals have ways to defend themselves, such as [[Chlamydosaurus|frilled-neck lizards]], [[poison dart frog]]s, [[Owl butterfly|owl butterflies]], [[green tree python]]s, [[Hemisphaerota|Hemisphaerota beetle]]s, [[army ant]]s, [[skunk]]s, [[Common Surinam toad|Surinam toads]], [[Latrodectus|black widow spider]]s, [[bombardier beetle]]s, [[mantis shrimp]], [[cobra]]s, [[tomato frog]]s, [[cone snail]]s, and [[Tetraodontidae|puffer fish]], and finds out why animals need defenses. The 1st song is about animals having secret defenses ("I've Got a Secret"), and the 2nd is about animals needing to watch out for other animals' defenses ("Trick of the Trade") Spin shows animals that live on certain islands, such as [[lemur]]s and [[chameleon]]s in [[Madagascar]], [[Marine iguana|Marine]] and [[Galapagos land iguana|land iguana]]s on the [[Galápagos Islands|Galapagos]], [[Tasmanian devil]]s and [[quoll]]s in [[Tasmania]], [[gannet]]s and [[kea]]s in [[New Zealand]], [[Juan Fernández fur seal|fur seal]]s on the [[Juan Fernández Islands]] and [[eastern rockhopper penguin]]s with [[Snares penguin]]s in [[Snares Islands / Tini Heke|Snares Island]], and shows how unique they are. Footage of [[New York City]] and its [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|Twin Towers]] are shown, as well as the [[Heron]]s and [[egret]]s on the harbor's islands. Both songs are about islands and how unique they are. ("Welcome to the Islands" and "It's a World Within a World") Note: Despite this being the last episode, it still ends with Spin saying, "But there are lots more ''Really Wild Animals'' all across this wonderful world of ours, so be sure to join me on our next adventure. Until then, this is your pal, Spin. Spin ya later!" This is presumed to encourage the viewer to start over again. |LineColor=FFD700 }} }} ==Notes== {{Reflist |refs= <ref name="clicker"> {{cite web |url=http://www.clicker.com/tv/really-wild-animals/#EpisodeList |title=Really Wild Animals |work=clicker.com |publisher=Clicker |accessdate=14 October 2010 }} </ref> <!-- <ref name="natgeo"> {{cite web |url=http://www.shopngvideos.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=16053&storeId=15001&categoryId=243393&langId=-1&page=1&viewAll=0&sortValue=0 |title=Really Wild Animals |work=shopngvideos.com |publisher=National Geographic Society |accessdate=24 October 2010 }} </ref> --> }} [[Category:Television series about mammals]] [[Category:Television series about birds]] [[Category:Television series about fish]] [[Category:Television series about reptiles and amphibians]] [[Category:American television series with live action and animation]] [[Category:1990s American children's television series]] [[Category:1990s American documentary television series]] [[Category:American children's education television series]] [[Category:Nature educational television series]] [[Category:National Geographic (American TV channel) original programming]] [[Category:1993 American television series debuts]] [[Category:1996 American television series endings]]'