It’s been 50 years since “Jaws” ruined that summer season, spawning a fleet of more and more dreadful sequels and knockoffs, turning a easy fish right into a film monster, and a dozen since “Sharknado” turned the monster right into a joke. Sharks had been swimming within the tradition earlier than that, to make certain, typically with the prefix “man-eating” appended, although males eat sharks too, and far more typically — so who’s the actual apex predator? And despite the fact that they aren’t as naturally cute as our cousins the dolphins and whales — I’ve by no means heard of 1 balancing a ball on its nostril — they’ve additionally been made lovable as plush toys and cartoon characters.
“All the Sharks,” premiering Friday on Netflix, is a contest present wherein 4 groups of two vie to {photograph} essentially the most, and essentially the most totally different, species of sharks, throughout two eight-hour days, and are set free within the waters off Japan, the Maldives, South Africa, Australia, the Bahamas and the Galapagos Islands. And, brother, are there numerous varieties — hammerhead shark, strolling shark, whale shark, tawny nurse shark, pajama shark, pelagic thresher, tiger shark, tasselled wobbegong shark, puffadder shy shark, child shark, mommy shark and daddy shark, to call however just a few. (There are 124 species of sharks in Japanese waters, we’re informed, and 200 off South Africa.) Factors are awarded in line with the rarity or abundance of the species in every location. These sharks are neither monsters nor jokes, although a minimum of one contestant finds the banded houndshark “freaking adorable … their little cat eyes, their subterminal mouth.”
As competitions go, it’s pleasant, like “The Great British Baking Show” or “MasterChef Junior.” There’s no method to sabotage your opponents, no technique previous guessing the place the sharks could be operating, consuming or hanging out. The purse — $50,000 — goes to the winners’ chosen marine charity, although prizes are additionally awarded to the top-scoring workforce in every episode. (Cool gear, seaside holidays.) Profitable just isn’t a lot the purpose as simply staying in so long as potential — as a result of it’s enjoyable. Generally issues don’t go a workforce’s means, however nobody has a nasty perspective.
“All the Sharks” is hosted by Tom “The Blowfish” Hird, far left. The rivals are Randy Thomas, Rosie Moore, Aliah Banchik, MJ Algarra, Dan Abbott, Sarah Roberts, Brendan Talwar and Chris Malinowski.
(Netflix)
Naturally they’re handsome, as a result of that is tv, and match, as a result of it is advisable be to do that; most have skilled experience in fishy, watery or wild issues. (They actually know their sharks.) Brendan (marine biologist) and Chris (fisheries ecologist) are a workforce known as the Shark Docs. Aliah (marine biologist specializing in stingrays — that are intently associated to sharks, do you know?) and MJ, recognized as an avid spearfisher and shark diver, comprise Gills Gone Wild; they met at a “bikini beach cleanup” and have been besties ever since. British Bait Off are Sarah (environmental journalist) and Dan (underwater cameraman), who like a cup of tea. And at last, there are the Land Sharks, Randy and Rosie. Dreadlocked Randy, a wildlife biologist, says, “I was always one of the only Black guys in my classes … I got that all the time: ‘Oh, you’re doing that white boy stuff’ and it’s just like, ‘No, I’m doing stuff that I love.’” Rosie, an ecologist who focuses on apex predators, desires to point out ladies it’s “OK to be badass … work with these crazy animals, get down and dirty.” She will maintain her breath for 5 minutes.
The present has been produced with the same old tics of the style: feedback introduced within the current tense that might solely have been taped later; dramatic music and modifying; the “hey ho uh-oh” narrative framing of massive, loud host Tom “The Blowfish” Hird, together with his braided pirate’s beard, whose web site identifies him as a “heavy metal marine biologist.” Footage of nice white sharks — the variability “Jaws” made well-known — is inserted for the joys issue, however none are coming.
However no matter massaging has been utilized, “All the Sharks” is actual sufficient. The contestants cope with tough seas, robust currents, jellyfish and varied venomous creatures, intruding fishermen, restricted air, sinus crises, variable visibility and sudden orcas. And the sharks — who don’t appear notably within the people, as there isn’t any lack of acquainted lunch choices — do generally arrive in nice, unsettling profusion. (There’s a motive “shark-infested waters” grew to become a phrase.) In the meantime, the ocean itself performs its ungovernable half. Of their enveloping blueness, dotted with colourful fish and coral reefs, the undersea scenes are, in actual fact, fairly meditative. (People transfer decelerate there.) Somebody describes it as like being inside a display screen saver.
Within the discount, we be taught not a bit of bit about shark conduct and biology, and there may be an implicit, generally express, conservation theme. Every encountered species will get a graphic describing not solely its size, weight and lifespan however the diploma to which it’s or isn’t endangered — and, unhappy to say, many are.
