''Dark Days in Monkey City'' is an
Animal Planet
Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...
documentary series about the lives of wild
toque macaque
The toque macaque (; ''Macaca sinica'') is a reddish-brown-coloured Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known as the ''rilewa'' or ''rilawa'' ( Sinhala: රිළවා), (hence "rillow" in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''). Its n ...
s in
Sri Lanka. In the tradition of ''
Meerkat Manor
''Meerkat Manor'' is a British television programme produced by Oxford Scientific Films that premiered in September 2005. Originally broadcast on Animal Planet International for four series, until its cancellation in August 2008, the program ...
'' it followed the stories of individual
primate
Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter including ...
s, but differed from earlier shows by adding special effects and transitional
animation (in the style of
comic-book panels).
It was devised as part of Animal Planet's strategy to
re-brand itself as an "entertainment" network. Its entire 13-episode run was broadcast in 2009.
Production details
NHNZ
NHNZ, formerly Natural History New Zealand, is a New Zealand-based television production house.
It works and co-produces with multiple major global broadcasters: Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Science, A&E Television Networks, Na ...
had
story boarded the action in advance, and shot the macaques (on location) for a month against portable
green screens. Though that green screen footage was used (combined with
CGI in post production.
) the original script was abandoned in favor of the animals' real behavior—according to series producer Ian McGee.
After green screen filming was complete, the cameras followed the most charismatic monkeys for ten weeks in their natural habitat.
Reception
Most
critics
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...
gave moderate recommendations, but preferred ''Meerkat Manor'' in the "docu-soap hybrid" genre,
feeling ''Dark Days'' was
over-produced and less credible.
Many felt its "intense" visual style (indebted to
300
__NOTOC__
Year 300 ( CCC) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius (or, less frequently, year 1053 ''Ab ...
and
Sin City
''Sin City'' is a series of neo-noir comics by American comic book writer-artist Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in ''Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special'' (April 1991), and continued in ''Dark Horse Presents'' #51 ...
)
didn't match the available
live action
Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...
footage,
and that the narration was overblown.
Broadcast schedule
The announced schedule was to air all 13 episodes in successive weeks on Animal Planet (starting 2009-02-24) but only two weeks (and four episodes) were shown on that initial run.
[
] All 13 episodes were broadcast later in 2009, and were released on DVD (which included a 14th, "
making-of
In cinema, behind-the-scenes (BTS), also known as the making-of, the set, or on the set, is a type of documentary film that features the production of a film or television program. This is often referred to as the EPK (electronic press kit) vid ...
" episode).
Smithsonian Primate Project
This is only the latest TV series to be based on the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
Primate Biology Program (PBP) in the "Monkey City",
Polonnaruwa
Poḷonnaruwa, ( si, පොළොන්නරුව, translit=Poḷonnaruva; ta, பொலன்னறுவை, translit=Polaṉṉaṟuvai) also referred as Pulathisipura and Vijayarajapura in ancient times, is the main town of Polonnaruwa Dis ...
. At least two earlier series have documented the PBP's animals,
including "The Temple Troop" which followed the Temple Macaques for an entire year.
Dark Days in Monkey City uses footage from the PBP, which has been studying the Polonnaruwa macaques since 1968 (and is the longest continuous study of
vertebrate
Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () (chordates with backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the phylum Chordata, with c ...
population dynamics in a varying environment). The study's conductor,
Wolfgang Dittus said, "We have promoted and participated in film documentaries on the premise that the public will conserve only that which they love, and love only that which they understand".
Plot
The central
narrative
A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional ( fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc. ...
over the series' 13 episodes is the struggle between two macaque tribes: the Black Claws, and the Temple Troop.
Temple Troop
The
program begins with "Temple Troop", a
troop
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...
of
toque macaque
The toque macaque (; ''Macaca sinica'') is a reddish-brown-coloured Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known as the ''rilewa'' or ''rilawa'' ( Sinhala: රිළවා), (hence "rillow" in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''). Its n ...
s who live in a
temple area known as Fig Tree Vale.
The
vale is abundant in
figs
The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...
and water. The troop was led by Lear, the king of the troop who had been its
dominant male for 4 years. One of Lear's biggest concerns was the threat of
deposal, and that threat came with the arrival of Hector. Hector had recently joined the troop and seemed discontent with his
position
Position often refers to:
* Position (geometry), the spatial location (rather than orientation) of an entity
* Position, a job or occupation
Position may also refer to:
Games and recreation
* Position (poker), location relative to the dealer
* ...
within it. Hector challenged the old king and during a large scuffle, Lear fell to the ground from a tree, which cost him his throne. Hector was the new king of Temple Troop and took full advantage of his new authority. Hector bullied his subordinates, but to secure his regime, he needed the support of Gemini, the
matriarch
Matriarchy is a social system in which women hold the primary power positions in roles of authority. In a broader sense it can also extend to moral authority, social privilege and control of property.
While those definitions apply in general En ...
of the Troop.
The Temple Troop's arch rivals, the Black Claws,
invaded their territory, and drove the Temple Troop from it.
Exiled to the bad lands, the troop were joined by a wandering male called Che, who proved to be an asset, especially to Gemini and Portia. They tried to invade a
market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
*Märket, an ...
but were driven back to the bad lands by a city troop. As Che was settling into the troop, his wandering band of bachelor males returned, giving Hector an excuse to
banish
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples su ...
him. Che attacked his former band to remain in the troop, and later he convinced both groups to merge.
With more warriors to fight the Black Claws the exile Temple Troop marched towards Fig Tree Vale to confront their ancient foes.
Black Claws
The Black Claws are a street bred
troop
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...
of toque
macaques who live in the periphery of Monkey City, relying of
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
s for food. The troop's queen, Pandora, tried to use the opportunity of the Temple Troop males' supremacy battle to capture their abundant territory. She and the Black Claws are the drama's
antagonists.
The Black Claws' king Goliath led a small attack on the Vale; this was repulsed, but it was followed by a mass invasion from the entire Black Claw troop. Stronger and more numerous, the Black Claws prevailed in the ensuing battle, killing Lear, and expelling the Temple Troop from Monkey City. (The Black Claws had prospered under queen Pandora with the growth in
city trash.)
As Pandora settled into her new territory, a troop of
langur
The Colobinae or leaf-eating monkeys are a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 61 species in 11 genera, including the black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications sp ...
monkeys tried to capture Fig Tree Vale. The Black Claws drove them off, but Pandora disappeared and was found to have died of an unknown cause (ascribed by the program makers to having attacked the
sacred
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
Hanuman langurs). Pandora's youngest daughter, Scarlett became the new queen of the Black Claws. The king of the Black Claws, Goliath, was concerned about the new matriarch, needing to win her favor to remain king. Scarlett was ruthless and greedy with food, not allowing the lower class near any figs. (The Black Claws, comprised two bickering clans:
workers
The workforce or labour force is a concept referring to the pool of human beings either in employment or in unemployment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic reg ...
&
aristocrats
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word' ...
, both of which Pandora had dominated.) The leader of this lower clan was Jezebel, who had tired of Scarlett monopolizing the food. Unable to directly defeat Scarlett and her aristocratic sisters, Jezebel led her half of the troop back to their ancestral lands, the
car park
A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface ...
. To start a troop she needed a king, so she subverted a
subordinate
A hierarchy (from Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important ...
Black Claw aristocrat into defection. Scarlett responded with an attack on Jezebel's troop, making her back down. This
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
concludes as Temple Troop begin their march back to
Fig Tree
''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending ...
Vale.
The macaques
The Smithsonian Primate Project names all 4,000 individuals in its study,
but the show substituted the names of
iconic characters from
Tragedy
Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...
. Below are the names and main narrative
arcs selected by the writers:
Lear
Lear's kingship was threatened by
Hector
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
, an ambitious recent recruit. Lear watched as his rival forced his authority on the other monkeys, until confronting Hector with a stare. Hector backed down, but later gathered male allies from within the troop and confronted the king. Lear fought Hector in a tree, and was knocked to the ground; he survived but was
dethroned.
When the Black Claws first attacked Fig Tree Vale, Lear played an active role in its defense. And, when Portia's baby was seen by a
feral dog
A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of ...
Lear confronted it, saving his offspring. But Lear was killed by the Black Claws when they invaded in full strength.
Gemini
Gemini and her sisterhood are the core of the troop and Gemini ruled Fig Tree Vale, her lifelong home.
[
] Gemini showed advances to Hector
behind Lear's back and when Hector became brutal and attacked an infant, Gemini expected Lear to act; when he did not she turned her attention to the
pretender
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...
, Hector.
While in exile, the Temple Troop met Che, whose foraging skills impressed her more than Hector's selfish consumption. Che led Gemini and the Temple Troop to the land of the humans and the troop found food, but while the troop was crossing a road one of infants was hit by a car. The merger with Che's band of wandering males gave Gemini the confidence to lead her Temple Troop back to Monkey City.
Hector
Hector used brutality to establish himself as chief rival for Lear's throne, finally provoking the king by an attack on his queen, Gemini. Lear confronted Hector but allowed Hector to back down and grow in confidence. After building alliances with other males and gaining Gemini's attention Hector challenged Lear to battle.
Hector, triumphantly claimed the throne after dislodging Lear from the tree they had fought in. He won the advances of queen Gemini and authority over all members, including Lear.
After the second Black Claw incursion on Temple Troop territory
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
broke out between the two tribes; Hector's troop was defeated. In exile water was scarce, but when Hector found a tap, he drank and took a bath from it, never sharing with the other members of the troop. Hector tried to lead the troop back to their home range from the bad lands, but Gemini overruled him and lead them into the
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
. Hector was uneasy at the sight of people; as a wandering male he had seen his brother
captured. He allowed Che's band to join his troop, despite the growing threat from Che, so that they might be strong enough to regain Fig Tree Vale.
Portia
Portia was the lowest ranking female in the troop, and the
central character
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
in the documentary.
She hoped for Lear not to lose his position to Hector, who often attacked low ranking monkeys like Portia. The program makers emphasized her fear that if Hector rose to power he would kill the babies fathered by the previous king, including her unborn baby by Lear. (Hector ultimately killed no infants, and though rare macaque
infanticides occur, some researchers say it doesn't specifically target offspring of the previous leader.)
When Portia found food, she was often displaced by Gemini, the queen of the Temple Troop and the other high ranking females. In exile Hector found a tap with dripping water, but Portia had to wait for her turn behind high ranking infants, and the tap dried up before she had a chance to use it.
Portia's fortunes improved with the arrival of Che, a wandering male who managed to join the Temple Troop after a romantic meeting with Portia.
She was the first to discover a rice field and the troop briefly had abundant food, but people soon put the troop to flight, and while crossing the road, one of the troop's infants was hit by a car. Portia held on to her own baby tightly.
When Temple Troop marched back to Monkey City Portia tried to give her son a better life by rising up the hierarchy.
[
] She was constantly being bullied by Cassandra (her cousin, and a high ranked female). Portia watched as Cassandra bullied Ophelia (another low ranking female in the Temple Troop). Portia allied with Ophelia to drive Cassandra down the pecking order, and increase her own status.
Che
Che was a wandering male who had encountered the Temple Troop many times before. He got together with Portia in the forest, and when she rejoined the troop Che joined the Temple Troop with total confidence.
While in the forest, one of Gemini's adolescent daughters was playing in the leaf litter when Che saw a
python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (pro ...
and sounded an alarm. This ensured the troop's safety and impressed Gemini, but king Hector saw Che as a rival. Che was experienced in the bad lands and led the Temple Troop into the land of the humans. Hector was reluctant to follow, but was unwilling to leave his queen alone with Che.
Che suddenly left the Temple Troop and joined the resident city troop, who were said to be former members of his wandering band. In their second visit, the Temple Troop came into conflict with the city troop and among the fighters at the city troop's front line, was Che. As the two troops fought, Che suddenly switched again and sided with the Temple Troop, attacking the city troop. Che and Temple Troop were forced to retreat.
Just when Che was settling into the Temple Troop, his roving band of bachelor males showed up.
He knew that the presence of the wandering males would give Hector an excuse to banish him, so, while Hector was watching, Che attacked the wandering males and drove then away.
Hector was impressed—though still uneasy of Che. When the wandering males returned Che persuaded them to join the Temple Troop, swelling their army enough to fight for Fig Tree Vale.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark Days In Monkey City
Television series about monkeys
2000s American documentary television series
2009 American television series debuts
2009 American television series endings
2009 New Zealand television series debuts
2009 New Zealand television series endings
Man of Action Studios
Nature educational television series
Animal Planet original programming