The show on Animal Planet is a documentary following the crew of one (now three) ship of the Sea Shepherd campaign as they fight the Japanese whalers in the vast ocean. The Japanese claim they are doing animal research and they are within the legal limits. The Sea Shepherds claim that there is no way all these whales are needed for research and that the Japanese are in fact in violation of international whaling laws.
The third season is upon us and there is some drama already. There have been engine problems with two of the ships, including the newest addition Ady Gil. The Ady Gil is an integral new part of the campaign to end whaling in its futuristic design and fast speed. There is a third ship that has been added to the Sea Shepherd campaign called the Bob Barker. Not this Bob Barker, but this Bob Barker. The boat was named after the Price is Right host for his donation and animal rights activism. This ship was kept a secret and it also had engine problems. A difference besides the ship change up, is the way the whalers are reacting to the Sea Shepherds. In previous seasons there was only a fight when the two ships came in contact and it was usually the Sea Shepherds that made the first contact. This season the Japanese are actively perusing the Sea Shepherd ships and using defensive weapons such as water canons to deter the Sea Shepherds. We are 4 episodes in to the third season and the Sea Shepherds are relentless in their campaign against whaling.
It is necessary for Animal Planet to air a program like this to further their mission to raise animal right awareness. The use of the common pirate flag with a twist in Whale Wars makes the show appealing to kids and general fans of the pirate culture and thus gains viewership and attention to this international issue. If this program could be syndicated and incorporated into different channels like the original Discovery channel, Travel channel, the History channel as well as A&E channel the awareness of illegal whaling would be more prominent and there would be more news based around this ongoing battle.
I agree with you that this show would be much better suited on Discovery Channel or the History Channel. While the show is well intended and good hearted, the crew on the so called pirate ship doesn't do anything but piss off the people killing whales. The show needs some enforcment power, like maybe the world police or something, to actually get this awful hunting to stop. Without anything except stink bombs and water cannons nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteWhile the intent of this show, to provide awareness of the whales being killed daily in the Antarctic ocean, is evident I can't help but laugh at this show. Does anyone else think its just a group of hippies who honestly have no idea what they are doing? Every time they go on one of their crusade missions something goes horribly wrong. I guess it adds shock value to the series but the Japanese whalers are not even slowing down. If anything they are learning better ways to counter these protesters. The premise of the show is great but it seems the series is stuck in a cyclical bind where nothing is ever accomplished.
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