I've always been a fan of the mini-series genre. I have not been a fan of the Hallmark mini-series. With the exception of Merlin and the 10th Kingdom, they are normally an exercise in overblown dramatics (see Noah's Ark and for example). However, after watching the first two nights of Dinotopia, I can see a marked change in the mini-series.
Mini-series are usually characterized by large casts with big name stars. One can see the trend going as far back as Roots, North and South, and The Winds of War. While not exactly the "mega-series" that it is advertised to be (running only six hours), Dinotopia is different. With a cast of telented but little known stars (with the possible exception of David Thewlis), Dinotopia shined as an example of entertainment that appeals to both the family unit and the individual watcher. Children will love the images and soft colors that paint the screen. Adults will love the intelligent script and complex world that is created. Indeed, the world is so complex, that one watches just to see what ingenious concept will come next.
Dinotopia, while based on a series of books going by the same name, does borrow concepts from other sources. It's spiritual ideas are eastern. It' s architectural design is largly ancient. There are examples of Egyptian gods in the references of the underworld. And, of course, (in the relationship between the dinosaurs and humans), there are references to the Flintstones. Unlike the Flintstones, the citizens of Dinotopia live in harmony with the dinosaurs, rather that have the dinosaurs work for them. It would bode well for the humans of our age to see that lesson as one that should span time.
Mini-series are usually characterized by large casts with big name stars. One can see the trend going as far back as Roots, North and South, and The Winds of War. While not exactly the "mega-series" that it is advertised to be (running only six hours), Dinotopia is different. With a cast of telented but little known stars (with the possible exception of David Thewlis), Dinotopia shined as an example of entertainment that appeals to both the family unit and the individual watcher. Children will love the images and soft colors that paint the screen. Adults will love the intelligent script and complex world that is created. Indeed, the world is so complex, that one watches just to see what ingenious concept will come next.
Dinotopia, while based on a series of books going by the same name, does borrow concepts from other sources. It's spiritual ideas are eastern. It' s architectural design is largly ancient. There are examples of Egyptian gods in the references of the underworld. And, of course, (in the relationship between the dinosaurs and humans), there are references to the Flintstones. Unlike the Flintstones, the citizens of Dinotopia live in harmony with the dinosaurs, rather that have the dinosaurs work for them. It would bode well for the humans of our age to see that lesson as one that should span time.