Animal Planet Airing “Werewolves: The Dark Survivors” Tonight
Sunday, October 25 2009 – 5:37 PM
Posted by Andrew
Werewolves: The Dark Survivors (originally titled We’rewolves) is airing tonight on Animal Planet. It’s a two-hour special shot in a faux-documentary style that examines what the world would be like if werewolves really existed. If you miss it tonight, don’t worry– it’s airing six times in total before the end of the month. It sure sounds like an interesting concept! If you see it, leave a comment below to let your fellow werewolf fans know what you think!
October 25th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Dumb as hell. The narration is cheesy and that part’s the only documentary likeness of it. The rest of it looks like a really bad movie. It’s like one big horrible dramatization.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Meh. Could’ve been much better.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Meh. Could’ve been much worse.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
THIS WAS THE BEST DOCUMENTARY EVER. PERIOD.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Agreed, seemed like they really tried to shoe-horn a lot of medical stuff into the story to make it seem “plausible,” but that actually made it lamer. There are also a couple of contradictions and plot holes, as well as some unscientific comments about wolf behavior.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
I liked it, but was very disappointed in what it actually was. A new strain of rabies? Really? No moon? REALLY? Oh well. Enjoyable for what it was, incredibly disappointing for what it turned out to be.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
As someone who’s written a “realistic” take on werewolves, I’m interested to see this.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Not bad, could have been better but i liked it. Gives a different and interesting twist on the story of werewolves.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I didn’t get to see this because the Canadian feed of Animal Planet didn’t pick it up, nor does it look like they plan to. Luckily there are alternatives that don’t involve having to sit through the same Home Depot ad every 8 minutes!
October 25th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I think it is a very cool program. I actually looked this up to see if this was a real documentary….lol …..But really, I liked it.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
It is what it is. I could be much better, but it could be up there with Eyes of the Werewolf *barf* Werewolf lovers seem to have to take what we can where it pops up. One day we will have good fiction out there in print and on film.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Come on! I thought it was a dramatization of actual events! Not relaying this to the audience could spread false truths to idiots like me. I was about to start texting everyone to tell them about it! Interesting to contemplate but make sure to specify that this was made to show how werewolves ‘may’ live among us, not how they ‘do’.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I’m watching it right now, I liked the part with the kid on the camera filming the older kid who transforms, that’s about so far.
I personally think Werewolves and Lycans should just keep their good old story lines that we’ve grown to love!
October 25th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I love how you use the word ‘Lycans’ and say ‘grown to love’.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I’m not sure if that’s sarcasm or not.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Those are stupid. They’re not werewolves at all! More like a cheap rendition of a live action Thundercats.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:50 am
not very impressed, prefer for animal planet to deal with reality not fiction. I would not recommend it
October 26th, 2009 at 5:51 am
It was really a great love story, until they said it wasn’t true. If it was supposed to scare me it did, for about 3 min. I think to get better scares they should try something like Mothman. There’s been about like 500 sightings of it.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:02 am
I liked how the narration was first person, “we” “us” “our”. It was pretty cheesy, though for what it was, this “documentary” was pretty good.
One thing that bugged me was that they were still “human”. To me a werewolf should look wolf like, not just have some facial distortion and longer nails and teeth.
Good for what it was, could have been a lot better. I’m kind of disappointed.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:34 am
it was awsoume and makes you think twice about things in the real world that you live in right now. If you haven’t seen it yet You need to you will be captivated about how real it looks and eveything!!!!! so watch it!!!!!!!!!!!
October 26th, 2009 at 7:37 am
ok and i was also going to tell evetryone one about WEREWOLFS are real and then i come to this website and read it and BAM it all false info. that made me very sad and i had my hopes up that they were real i was doing research and everything to you guys how made this website like made me all bummed out “sad face” :(
October 26th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I was planning on watching this last night, but ended up going to a pool hall and drinking myself silly for a friend’s birthday instead. Based off of the comments that was the better choice, but I did record this on my VCR and will give it a watch regardless.
On another note: anyone else sad about the apparent lack of Halloween programming this year? Used to be the whole month was chock full of horror specials, movies and documentaries. Kind of meager offerings this year.
October 26th, 2009 at 10:39 am
this documentary was kind of corny, but there was one scene that i will never forget. When the zoologist follows the pack to the woods and she sees the female wolf eating a deer and the wolf looks up into the camera for a good 10 seconds, i was scared out of my mind. that image will haunt my dreams forever.
October 26th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Stumbled across this show at 4 in the morning, got sucked in and watched the whole 2 hours. It was a fun diversion. I’m DVRing the next airing so I can share it with other family members. Great programming for this time of the year — kudos to Animal Planet. Did anyone else think that the narrator sounded like Matthew Broderick? It wasn’t him, but it sure sounded like him….
October 26th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I watched the documentary and liked it. I want to watch it again though because I wanted to look up the type of Vikings they referenced. I think one day I’d like to write either a screenplay or a book about werewolves. But it will be more in the drama genre than straight forward killing and gore. But there would be at least some killing and gore. I mean, come on– it’s werewolves. I hope to watch this so called Doc. again Thursday night.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
The vikings they referenced were ulfhednar. Or Beserkers as they’re more commonly known.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
The viking they specifically reference is Kveldulf, a character oft mentioned in the early chapters of Egil’s Saga (him being Egil’s grandfather.) I was unable to find any reference to Kveldulf trying to kill his own son; in fact, all I know is that Kveldulf was stricken with grief when his own son was killed by King Harald, and swore revenge. The name “Kveldulf” means “night wolf” or “twilight wolf,” and does not literally mean “werewolf,” although it is implied by the name. His son is Thorolf, “wolf of Thor.”
If Kveldulf did indeed try to kill his son, (maybe I missed it somewhere,) then it would have been out of a family quarrel and not werewolf bloodlust or some other such nonsense.
At any rate, the vikings provide us with a good deal of European werewolf lore; their “werewolves” were incredibly ferocious warriors, and most likely served as the inspiration for the Satanic creatures of later Christian superstition. (Since Scandinavian spiritual beliefs of the time were eventually deemed heretical.)
October 26th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I find it disappointing that people living with werewolf syndrome in reality have to deal ignorance of this program instead of taking the opportunity to define what werewolf syndrome truly is. I felt animal planet truly did a disservice to the public and to people with hypertrichosis.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Honestly though, not sure why Animal Planet should waste their budget and air space over a condition that affects less than .0001% of people (and which, unlike rabies, doesn’t have anything to do with animals.)
October 26th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Animal planet needs to stick with non-fiction, that was a waste of our time watching it. What is it with Lost Tapes? We stopped watching that to, it is to far fetched.
October 26th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
It wasn’t what I expected but I didn’t think it was that awful. Certainly have seen many worse werewolf films.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Watched this last night. Not impressed. I mostly laughed and made snarky comments at the TV.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
scausey,
i think you miss the point that there isn’t really any ‘werewolf’ syndrome. it’s not real.
people in the past with a condition like hypertrichosis or pohyria or any physical diability were labelled as such as there was no medical understanding of these conditions at that time. this is how these myths of werewolves, vampire et al came about. they were viewed as the devils work. its a very sad condition that is still a victim of prejudice.
also,its all ficitonal. its not really real.
its supposed to be far fetched.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
is there a second episode
October 28th, 2009 at 9:29 am
@joe
Currently there is only the one. I kind of hope it stays that way unless they intend to really kick everything up a bit.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Okay thanks to Berserker and Ryan for clearing up the whole viking thing for me. It comes on again tonight and tomorrow night so I’m gonna try to watch. I’ve been actually piecing together parts for a film script revolving around the whole werewolf/beast theme so I hope it can help further my research. You guys gonna watch again?
October 29th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Ugh no reason to watch it again. Honestly it’s all stuff that has been talked about for years on various werewolf forums.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I am watching Lost Tapes, you are showing segments of Werewolves;The Dark Survivors. Get real, now you have answered my question about Lost Tapes. (my comment posted on oct. 26 th)
October 29th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
pretty good, but the naration makes it unreal without it, it semes like fact.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I thought it was pretty cool, not to mention rather believeable. it makes you wonder, if all this that is called fiction actually has some basis in truth.In the hundreds of millions of things that pertain to werewolves, one HAS to be right. Because, i mean, get real: over a million people are wrong? The legends have to be based on something, right? I mean, yes, some people may just make up a tale to do it just to do it, but olden-time people were very god-fearing, so they werent as likely to lie for no reason, since they believed that God(s)would strike them with a bolt of lightning, or something. So obviously, someTHING or someONE is right. Does anyone have staight forward reference to the vikeings, and how they pertain to the werewolves? I’ve been searching, but all there really is is just some stupid Yahoo q’s and a’s, and sites selling things. Any staight foward info would be much appreciated. (Either comment back, or use this secure email adress:lil_luna_love@yahoo.com.) Thanks! (maximum privacy garunteed)
October 29th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
At first I thought it was true. Until I got on the website. (I’m gullible sometimes.) It did make sense and I liked it but It could have been waaaaaaaaaaaay better. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
October 29th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Freaked me out at first… watching it in the background while doing other stuff. Some of the ‘surveillance’ had me going and I had to do a Google search to verify! Once paying attention though, the narration could be better & the “science” is easily questionable. Good entertainment though.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:53 am
I think the worse part of it all was the fact that the were wolves were wearing normal clothes.
October 30th, 2009 at 4:46 am
@Lil Love:
The vikings had a type of warrior called a Berserker, who wore animal skins and were said to enter an trance-like rage with animal ferocity in battle. A type of berserker mentioned in several viking sagas was the Úlfhéðnar, which means “wolf pelted” or “wolf skinned.” These warriors wore wolf pelts in battle, sometimes forgoing armor, and their savagery was so intense that occasionally, enemies believed them to be more than human; they blurred the line between wolf and man. The word “werewolf” is a Germanic word whose very origin probably came from tales of these wolf-skinned warriors.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:25 am
I think the show very great .I Love Werewolves
October 30th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I was pleasantly surprised. I stumbled on this show and was riveted. Seemed believable to me. The pack looked totally like people I’ve seen and wondered about. The plot twist for me was the ending. I thought he was going to make the female anthropologist his mate.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I think this is quite possible. Rabies has many different forms, and some are more similar to this than you may want to believe.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
If you want to research real werewolves in their own territory then google ‘Wisconsin Werewolf Sightings.’ Hundreds of peole have reported ‘it’(maybe ‘them’) and there probably are documented accounts as well. The possibility of nature is limitless. From octupus changing color and skin color patterns entirely, to lizards who can grow back a tail if it is cut off . . . Makes you wonder what amount of little power and energy nature would have to apply just to change an organism’s skeletal structure and chemical makeup. Werewolves have been talked about and feared since the earliest of civilization. Several of which accounts say that the werewolf was seen transformed form man-to-wolf, wolf-to-man. When you start to question nature and the magic that it possesses, dont ask how, ask “why not.” Anything is possible. And skeletal and chemical makeup alternations, really, seem like a pretty simple concept for nature to play around with. Stop denying everything and recognize the power that nature bestows upon you, and EMBRACE IT!!!
October 30th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Especially when you bring the Rabies virus(i think its a virus? a disease maybe?) Not sure what the difference is. But when it is taken into consideration. Thats a big door-way that can entail so many things. Not to mention how many forms of it their are. And all those forms were spawned off of another thing. Maybe the Lycan Rabbie’s virus IS a spawn . . .
October 30th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
And maybe another reason werewolves are scarce in population(if they DO exist, which wouldnt supprise me.-these days atleast), IS BECAUSE the virus that infects the human system. Like on the movie, “Ultraviolet,” if you got ‘sick’ with the ‘virus’ you had 12 years MAX to live. Most commonly less than that. But, maybe the Lycan virus kills it’s host after a period of time. As a result of stress on the human system and anatomy? Or it corrupts cellular development or does something to the blood . . . or brain. Just as it does with the most common form of Rabies found in dogs. Which would also explain why they could not re-produce as the human theyroid or something elso in the newly created, ‘creature,’ would be to innsufficent to support the physical and anatomical demands of a werewolf.
October 30th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
TO: BERSERKER
Well, I liked watching it a second time because I hadn’t seen the ending and in a sort of weird way, I liked it. It has helped me some with my script’s plot. Also: I watched a doc. on the History Channel about werewolves and it talked about a werewolf in France in the 1700′s that the people called “The Beast of Gevaudan” that they believed was responsible for killing men and stealing children in the night. I’m not sure what “Gevaudan” means. I think it was the name of their region or territory. It was located not far from modern day Versaille. You should check out my blog because I am getting ready to write a short story on there about my upcoming wereswolf script.
Check it out: http://geeks101.wordpress.com
October 30th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Hmm. It was a new strand of rabies. Well, I guess thats more believeable than transforming because of a full moon. o_o.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I liked it was cool. And i thought the nariration was good. I think that it will be a big hit.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:38 am
I LIKE WEREWOLVES!!!!!!!!
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
When i saw the show it was awsome! I love how it ends. When Steve saves Idi(i think thats her name) from that lone wolf that killed his 2 other rivals when trying to become alpha. It was too cool. AWSOME SHOW!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Man it was awesome so much like the real thing!!
November 12th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Hey there…my name is Ray Bowen…I played Big Ray in the film. I live in Canada so they haven’t broadcast it here yet. I’d like to see it…lol…does anyone have an idea where online I can watch the entire thing?
Thanks,
Ray
November 29th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Very very interesting. I loved the concept and the way it mixed werewolf life with the lives of real wolves. The pack idea was great and I loved the lone wolf’s plan to become pack leader, very wolf like. It was wonderful how they put in historical myths about the werewolves that I know are true, nice to know they knew what kind of creature they were talking about. Much better than some Twilight bull crap. It was very refreshing to see a small twist on the good old werewolves with out destroying them.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I thought it was well thought out…a cool twist on the idea of werewolves. My expectations about what the werewolves “should be” were more flexible than some of the other folks visiting this website. In my humble opinion, they did a good job of pulling werewolves out of the realm of fantasy and into the world of science fiction by building an interesting history for these “wolves among us.” As the movie progressed, I felt a little “protective” of the pack. They were human enough that I was able to kind of relate to them, on some level. For the critics, I do respect your opinions but think you should leave these puppies alone.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Hello, I missed the first hour or so, and i don’t know when they’ll show this again. From what I saw, It could have been so much damn better. Come on, really?!!1 I’m a serious werewolf fan, and I know many of the myths. This is an excellent storyline, only it looks as if you didn’t really get enough time to work on it. It would have been nice if the people actually turned into wolves, but I agree wholeheartedly that the whole moon thing isn’t necessar6y. If they are supposed to be more like wolves, then why do they still look human? After hours of transformation? I don’t get it one more thing I don’t get, the story would be much better without you trying to explain it away medically. The genetic thing is great, but … caused by toxins… that makes no sense, it’s just another loophole, a flaw. a major flaw. Please, I beg you. Take it off air, fix it, make better effects, keep the narration, and then re air it under a different name so that people will be willing to re watch it. Keep the plot line, though. It’s fabulous. Don’t ignore this, because it can be a majorly fabulously, wonderfully, spectacularly great story, especially for werewolf addicts like me who don’t get much worthwhile to read and watch anyway, and don’t get the few often either.
Over and out, MoonlightNight.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
By the way, Brittany, permit me to reply to your comment. I totally agree with you that it was great to take werewolves from myths and make it science – fiction, but I think they overdid the ‘trying to make it science’ bit. they tried too hard on that. What is wrong with Twilight? Stephenie reinvented the vampire concept, and I appreciate her for trying to do this. It was a great story in my opinion, and I want to know why you do not like it.
February 14th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
It’s things like this that make it impossible for people to actually believe in werewolves. The facts were weak and the acting was….okay. But I liked it, finally there’s something about putting science into the truth of folklore. I thought that in its entirety it was very good. Maybe some day people will acutually get REAL footage and prove the world worng!
February 16th, 2010 at 6:31 am
I really hope some one get real footage soon. curiosity got the best of me but i to chicken to get out there and do it my self. HELL NA!!!! lol
February 20th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
i whacht and i thought it was real but my aunt said you can be amased by what t.v can do . i do not know how to belive
June 4th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Saw this tonight, and was wondering, did anyone catch the name they called the viking clan Uthendar or something?
June 8th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
This show has only recently come on in Australia. Interesting concept and I agree with Day that its good to “putting science into the truth of folklore”. But an otherwise clunky production. Bit late to be a pedant now, but they refereed to the wolfsbane plant (that keeps appearing) as Arnica montana. This is a common name for this plant, but not the plant of werewolf folklore. I think they actually mean one of the Aconitum spp. – probably Aconitum vulparia (yellow wolfsbane)