by Jason Mack, Contributing Writer
Discovery’s Shark Week jumped the shark years ago, at one point even literally so, as it was swallowed whole by its wild popularity. Has it come back around to being worthwhile again? There is an oversaturation of shark content; Discovery’s offerings are now joined by National Geographic’s Shark Fest, and the growth of streaming has strengthened the experience for both.
The early-to-mid years of Shark Week were appointment viewing, and it was sad times some years if you were busy that week and did not yet have a method of recording them. Streaming has cured those ails in the 34th year. Sometimes cultivating appointment viewing is a strength, but Shark Week was suffering from oversaturation and overly commercialized and self-aware content. Streaming provides the option to easily pick and choose at will which ones you’ll watch and when.
Shark Week is not completely cured from its days of cashing in on its popularity, but it has come a long way since the dark days of displaying live tweets from fans all over the screen. And the popularity is not all bad. The attention the programming has received has led to lots of increased funding for research, and it also is leading to some inventive new specials with researchers attempting to create devices to observe sharks in unique ways. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s fun watching members of Jackass and Impractical Jokers put together shark specials.
Shark Fest is somewhat an antithesis to Shark Week, as its content tends to focus on being more direct and centered around the science. This was illustrated well in World’s Biggest Hammerhead?, as they did not find what they were seeking, yet they capitalized on opportunities with other sharks as they presented themselves.
National Geographic keeps up admirably well in production value, especially in terms of cinematography. Shark Side of the Moon explores the impact of lunar cycles on the migration and other behaviors of hammerhead sharks, and there are some breathtaking shots of hundreds of hammerheads swimming in groups. The one area the productions clearly lag behind is in the voiceover, as it often sounds like someone from a true crime show. As it grows in popularity and embraces its placement on Disney+, it is likely to see jumps in available talent. That is already happening with an interesting special, Shark Beach, featuring Chris Hemsworth, about how humans and sharks can peacefully coexist currently on the streaming service.
The commercialized side of Shark Week comes with mixed results. A special featuring Tracy Morgan is little more than quick hits of shark facts narrated by Morgan with a few attempts at jokes thrown into the mix. If he were reprising his SNL character from Brian Fellow’s Safari Planet, then I’d be all in. Luckily the Jackass and Impractical Jokers episodes brought more to the table.
Jackass is the one featuring the literal jumping of the shark, as Poopies attempted to recreate the iconic scene from Happy Days last year, and it went horribly wrong. He was attacked and needed a lengthy surgery and extensive physical therapy to repair the damage to his hand, and this year’s special was centered around getting him comfortable returning to the water with sharks. There was a little too much vomiting, but it otherwise was loaded with fun bits and even some interesting science. You can say the same for Impractical Jokers, which was highlighted by the testing of dolphin noises and shark repellent. It isn’t as funny as a typical Impractical Jokers episode or as informative as a typical shark show, but it is still an enjoyable watch.
For every commercialized offering, there are multiple informative episodes to watch. Great White Battleground tests theories of sharks breaching out of the water for communication as well as hunting, and the breaching footage and shots of great whites in a frenzy around the cage are both thrilling.
Island of the Walking Sharks provides a unique prospective from a tribe in Papau New Guinea which holds sharks in high regard. The Haunting of Shark Tower is edited at times like a found footage horror movie, and it does a great job of creating tension with the creepy atmosphere.
The two most interesting offerings are Mission Shark Dome and Shark House. Mission Shark Dome investigates pregnant great whites using a custom underwater ultrasound device, and the dome allows a free diver to stay beneath the surface at depth for an extended period, thanks to a large air bubble. Shark House takes it a step further by building a complete living space below the surface where someone lives for a week and goes out on dives. They get up close and personal in the open water with great whites, other sharks, rays, seals, and more.
Not all of Shark Week or Shark Fest are for everyone, but they do have something for everyone. In this age of streaming, it is easy to pick and choose which new specials to watch on Disney+ and Discovery+. As long as you aren’t a completionist, you can put together a fun watch list and have a great time with it.
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