List of Meerkat Manor episodes

This is an episode list for the on-going British documentary "Meerkat Manor". The programme, which is in its fourth series, was created by Caroline Hawkins, executive producer and series editor at Oxford Scientific Films,cite web|title=Key Personnel - Southern Star Group |publisher=Southern Star |url=http://www.oxfordscientificfilms.tv/productionhome.aspx?cid=26 |accessdate=2007-11-11 ] and commissioned for Animal Planet International by executive producer and commissioning editor Mark Wild. [cite web |title=Animal Planet Begins Production on Third Season of Meerkat Manor |publisher=World Screen |date=2007-03-12 |url=http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php?filename=animalp031207.htm |accessdate=2007-11-07 ] The original episodes are narrated by Bill Nighy. The Australian and American channels redubbed the episodes using their own narrators. the Australian episodes are narrated by Mike Goldman. In the US, episodes for the first three series were narrated by Sean Astin. For the forth series, Astin was replaced with Stockard Channing. "Meerkat Manor" is also broadcast in more than 160 countries. [cite press release |title=Primetime Emmy Nominations for Meerkat Manor |publisher=Southern Star |date=2007-08-21 |url=http://www.oxfordscientificfilms.tv/NewsDetails.aspx?niid=1580&d=2 |accessdate=2007-10-31 ]

The show premiered on Animal Planet International in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2005, and the first 13-episode series concluded on 24 October 2005. With the success of the programme in the UK, Animal Planet began broadcasting "Meerkat Manor" on its national channels in Australia, Canada, and the United States. The programme premiered in the United States on 9 June 2006, with the first series airing through 25 August 2006. The second series aired simultaneously in both the US and the UK, starting 29 September 2006. The third series premiered in the US on 10 August 2007, followed in the UK on 10 September 2007, and in Canada on 3 October 2007. Because each channel had different broadcasting schedules, the UK sequence of new episodes ended well before those in the US and Canada. The fourth series premiered in the United States on 6 June 2008 with the subtitle of "The Next Generation".cite web |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/04212008/tv/heres_a_stock_tip_107486.htm |title=Starr Report |first=Michael |last=Starr |publisher=New York Post |date=2008-04-21 |accessdate=2008-04-21 ] It is not expected to begin airing in the United Kingdom until February 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-meerkat6-2008jun06,0,7659836.story?track=rss |title='Meerkat Manor' stars enter the next generation of drama |first=Lynn |last=Smith |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2008-06-06 |accessdate=2008-06-07 ] [cite web |url=http://www.meerkatmanor.co.uk/the-burning-question.htm |title=The Burning Question |publisher=Southern Star Entertainment |accessdate=2008-10-11 ]

Notable merchandise based on the series include multiple DVD episode sets covering the first three series released in two regions, an upcoming feature film that will be a prequel to the "Meerkat Manor" series, [cite web | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/27/AR2007072700731_pf.html | title = March of the Cuddly-Wuddly Documentaries | first = Desson | last = Thomson | work = The Washington Post | date = 2007-07-29 | accessdate = 2007-07-29 ] and a book by Professor Tim Clutton-Brock entitled "Meerkat Manor - The Story of Flower of the Kalahari" (ISBN 0-297-84484-9). [cite web | url=http://friends.kalahari-meerkats.com/index.php?id=mmbook | title=Tim Clutton-Brock's Meerkat Manor book | publisher=Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project | date=2007-09-29 |accessdate=2007-12-24]

As the show is based in the United Kingdom, this article refers to seasons as series. In the case of changes made in the American broadcast, the title it aired under in the US will be listed below the original title, while meerkat name changes will be noted in the episode summary.

eries

eries 3: 2007

For the third series, Animal Planet UK aired a new episode each weeknight, finishing the entire series run in less than a month. In the US and Canada, new episodes in the third season are aired weekly, on Friday and Wednesday nights respectively.

eries 4: 2008

Distribution

Online episodes

All episodes aired in the United States have been released for download from iTunes, except for the "Meerkat Manor Re-Cap" special from series 2. Discovery Channel's website also offers documentary videos featurettes about the series, top ten moments from the series, and a memorial sequence for Flower through their online video on demand system. [cite web |url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6499382.html?industryid=47200 |title=Short-Form Content Drives Discovery VOD Gains |accessdate=2007-11-21 |last=Reynolds |first=Mike |authorlink=Mike Reynolds |date=2007-11-09 |publisher=The New York Multichannel News]

DVD releases

In Europe, DVD Region 2, Animal Planet International has released the first two complete series to DVD in the form of four disk series box sets. [cite web |url=http://environment.independent.co.uk/nature/article2030803.ece | publisher=The Independent | title=March of the Meerkats | date=2006-12-03 | accessdate=2009-01-04 ] A special edition box set containing both series 1 and series 2 has also been released,cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meerkat-Manor-Narrated-Bill-Nighy/dp/B000VVI2EY | publisher=Amazon.co.uk | title=Meerkat Manor - Series 1 & 2 Box set | accessdate=2009-01-04 ] as well as an intro disc containing the first three episodes of series one.cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/An-Introduction-To-Meerkat-Manor/dp/B000XSNCBS/ref=pd_sbs_d_h__title_1 | publisher=Amazon.co.uk | title=An Introduction To Meerkat Manor | accessdate=2009-01-04 ]

In Region 1, which includes the United States and Canada, Animal Planet US began releasing "Meerkat Manor" to DVD through its online store on 30 November 2006. Four season sets have been released, with each set containing all 13 episodes in its respective seasons. The sets could also be purchased with an optional meerkat plushie and all three seasons can be purchased together in an "Ultimate Fan" collection.cite web | url=http://shopping.search.discovery.com/Discovery/?searchbutton.y=0&Ntt=Meerkat+Manor&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&N=2027278&searchbutton.x=0 | title=Meerkat Manor DVDs | publisher=Discovery Channel | accessdate=2008-01-05] These sets were done in Discovery's usual "burn-to-order" fashion, in which the DVDs are burned to DVD when someone places an order. As such, they were only available on Discovery's online store and through Amazon.com. On 9 October 2007, Discovery began releasing the series in regular DVD season sets, through distributor Genius Products. The new sets featured new cover, a thinpak box design, and contained the same number of episodes, but on only two discs.cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Meerkat-Manor-Season-3/9152 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |first=David |last=Lambert |title=Meerkat Manor - Two "Meerkat" DVD Releases This June Include 3rd Season Set |date=2008-03-11 |accessdate=2008-03-16 ] cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Meerkat-Manor-Season-2/8755 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |first=David |last=Lambert |title=Meerkat Manor - 2nd Season DVDs Popping Out of the Ground for Retail Release Soon! |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2008-03-16 ]

Episode notes

References

;General
*cite web| url=http://www.tv.com/meerkat-manor/show/59800/episode.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabssh&tag=tabs;episodes |title="Meerkat Manor" Episode Guide|publisher=TV.com|accessdate=2007-12-30
*

;Specific

External links

* [http://blogs.discovery.com/meerkat_manor/ Official Discovery Channel "Meerkat Manor" blog with episode summaries]