View source for Walking with...

{{Short description|Television series}}
{{for|the BBC walking series|Walking with... (2019 TV series)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| title = ''Walking with...''
| image = Walking with.jpg
| image_size = 180px
| caption = Cover of the Australian 2008 DVD box set of the franchise
| creator = {{nowrap|[[Tim Haines]] & [[Jasper James]]{{efn|Tim Haines conceptualized both ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'' and is often referred to as the creator of the series.<ref name=":04">{{cite web |last1=Haines |first1=Tim |title=The Making of…Walking with Dinosaurs |url=http://www.dinosaurlive.com/about-the-show/the-making-of/ |access-date=10 April 2016}}</ref><ref name=":11" /> Jasper James joined as producer during the development of ''Walking with Dinosaurs<ref name=":132">{{Cite web |title=Summary |url=http://walkingwithdinosaurs-theorigins.com/index.php |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021015129/http://walkingwithdinosaurs-theorigins.com/index.php |archive-date=21 October 2013 |access-date=21 October 2013 |website=Walking with Dinosaurs - The Origins}}</ref>'' and served as co-creator and creator for later programmes; together they founded [[Impossible Pictures]], which produced all series and specials except for ''Walking with Cavemen''. Additional creators behind the different series include [[Susan Spindler]] (co-creator of ''Walking with Dinosaurs''),<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 July 2001 |title=BBC "Making It Happen" Project Director Joins Speakers at CSR Forum |url=https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/21495-bbc-making-it-happen-project-director-joins-speakers-at-csr-forum |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=CSRWire |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":23">{{Cite web |title=Greg Dyke Making It Happen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/02_february/07/makingithappen.shtml |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=BBC - Press Office}}</ref> Andrew Wilks (co-creator of ''Walking with Beasts'' and ''Walking with Monsters''), Richard Dale and Peter Georgi (creators of ''Walking with Cavemen'') and [[Chloe Leland]] (co-creator of ''Walking with Monsters'').}}}}
| origin = ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]''
| owner = [[BBC]]
| books = ''[[#Books|See below]]''
| vgs = ''[[#Electronic media|See below]]''
| tv_series = {{Plainlist|
*''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999)
*''[[Walking with Beasts]]'' (2001)
*''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'' (2003)
*''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'' (2003)
*''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' (2005)
*''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025 TV series)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (2025)}}
| tv_specials = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]'' (2003)}}
| plays = ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular]]'' (2007-2019)
| films = ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)]]'' (2013)
}}'''''Walking with...'''''{{efn|'''''Walking with...''''' is the conventional umbrella title for the franchise.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rawnsley |first1=Ming-Yeh T. |author1-link=Ming-Yeh Rawnsley |author2-link=Gary D. Rawnsley |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qb9aDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT175 |title=Connecting Taiwan: Participation – Integration – Impacts |last2=Rawnsley |first2=Gary D. |date=2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-26894-3 |editor-last=Storm |editor-first=Carsten |language=en |chapter=Science communication in Taiwan}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{Cite web |title=BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Walking with Spacemen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/03_march/wws.shtml |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Other names sometimes used include '''''Walking with Prehistoric Life<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 March 2022 |title=11 Must-Watch Dinosaur Movies That Aren't 'Jurassic Park' |url=https://collider.com/dinosaur-movies-that-arent-jurassic-park/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Collider |language=en-US}}</ref>''''' and '''''Prehistoric Earth'''''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calderaro |first=Marc |date=31 July 2008 |title=Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/prehistoric-earth-a-natural-history-2496135312.html |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999), ''[[Walking with Beasts|Beasts]]'' (2001) and ''[[Walking with Monsters|Monsters]]'' (2005) have also been marketed together as the '''''Trilogy of Life'''''.<ref name=":5">''Walking with Monsters'' DVD - ''Trilogy of Life'' featurette</ref>}} is a [[Paleontology|palaeontology]] [[media franchise]] produced and broadcast by the [[BBC Studios Science Unit]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Støen |first=Michael |date=2022 |title=1999: The BBC simulates prehistoric wildlife |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09636625211068944 |journal=Public Understanding of Science |volume=31 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=524–529 |doi=10.1177/09636625211068944 |pmid=35062833 |s2cid=246165620 |issn=0963-6625|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The franchise began with the series ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999), created by [[Tim Haines]]. By far the most watched science programme in British television during the 20th century,<ref name=":172" /> ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (1999) spawned companion material and five sequel series: ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'' (2001), ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'' (2003), ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'' (2003), ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' (2005), and ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025 TV series)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (2025). Series in the franchise typically use a combination of [[computer-generated imagery]] and [[animatronics]], incorporated with [[live action]] footage shot at various locations, to portray prehistoric animals in the style of a traditional [[nature documentary]].

The ''Walking with...'' programmes were praised for their special effects and for their science communication. Though largely praised by scientists for the effort to adhere to science and for portraying prehistoric life as animals rather than movie monsters, some academic criticism has been leveled at the series for not making clear through their narration what is speculative and what is based in fact.<ref name=":92">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Darren |author-link=Darren Naish |title=Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 2 |url=https://tetzoo.com/blog/2021/7/3/reminiscing-about-walking-with-dinosaurs-part-2 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Tetrapod Zoology |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In addition to the five main series, the success of ''Walking with...'' also led to the production of the ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' special episodes ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'', [[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|''The Giant Claw'' and ''Land of Giants'']]. The franchise has also been accompanied by several books, merchandise, video games and the live theatrical show ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs − The Arena Spectacular]]''. In 2013, [[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)|a movie]] based on ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', with the same name, was directed by [[Neil Nightingale]] and [[Barry Cook]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Cook |first1=Barry |title=Walking with Dinosaurs 3D |date=19 December 2013 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1762399/ |type=Animation, Adventure, Comedy |publisher=Animal Logic, BBC Earth MD (WWD), BBC Earth |access-date=2 April 2022 |last2=Nightingale |first2=Neil}}</ref> In 2025, a new ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025 TV series)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' series was produced by BBC and PBS, with Kirsty Wilson as the showrunner.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2025 |title=Walking With Dinosaurs - Everything you need to know about the new series |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/walking-with-dinosaurs-everything-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

== Development ==

=== Original 1999 series ===
{{Main article|Walking with Dinosaurs#Production}}
[[File:Eustreptospondylus head.jpg|left|thumb|Puppet head of the dinosaur ''[[Eustreptospondylus]]'', used in ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' (1999)]]
''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'' was devised by the then [[BBC]]-employed science television producer [[Tim Haines]] in 1996. Inspired by the 1993 film ''Jurassic Park'', Haines envisioned a more science-based documentary programme using the same techniques as ''Jurassic Park'' to bring dinosaurs to life. Though such a series was initially feared to be far too expensive to produce, particularly considering the production costs of ''Jurassic Park'', Haines managed to bring down the costs through working with the award-winning UK-based graphics company [[Framestore]]. It was only after the production of a six-minute pilot episode in 1997 that Haines managed to secure funding for the series; ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was funded by the BBC, [[BBC Worldwide]] and the [[Discovery Channel]], alongside major investments from [[TV Asahi]] in Japan and [[ProSieben]] in Germany.''<ref name=":132" />'' At a cost of £6.1 million ($9.9 million), ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' cost over £37,654 ($61,112) per minute to produce, making it the most expensive documentary series per minute ever made.<ref name=":GUIN">{{Cite web |title=Most expensive television documentary series per minute |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-expensive-television-documentary-series-per-minute |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}</ref> The visual effects of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' were done by Framestore and the puppets and animatronics were done by the special effects company [[Crawley Creatures]].<ref name=":92" />

The success of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' led to the rapid creation of ''Walking with...'' as a brand of documentary series.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Thussu |first=Daya Kishan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L-5jny8sijsC |title=News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment |date=2008 |publisher=SAGE |isbn=978-1-4462-3331-3 |pages=36 |language=en}}</ref> In the aftermath of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', Haines founded the production company [[Impossible Pictures]] together with [[Jasper James]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Impossible Pictures Appoints New Managing Director - UK Broadcast News {{!}} 23 November 2006 |url=https://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews/57099/impossible_pictures_appoints_new_managing_director |access-date=3 May 2022 |website=www.4rfv.co.uk}}</ref> one of the producers on ''Walking with Dinosaurs''.''<ref name=":132" />''

=== 2000s ===
2000 saw the release of a special episode of ''Dinosaurs'', ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]'', focusing on a single ''[[Allosaurus]]'' specimen.''<ref name="BBC One">{{Cite web |title=Walking with Dinosaurs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sy534/episodes/guide |access-date=12 October 2020 |website=BBC One}}</ref>'' The first entire sequel series released in 2001: ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'', which explored the life of the Cenozoic, after the age of the dinosaurs. Like ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' before it, ''Beasts'' was the idea of Haines. Haines wished to introduce the general public to the assortment of animals of the Cenozoic, typically less represented in popular culture than the dinosaurs.<ref name=":11">{{cite video |title=Tim Haines Production Interview |date=2002 |people=Tim Haines |medium=''Walking with Beasts'' DVD featurette |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Haines served as executive producer on the series, with James and Nigel Paterson producing and directing.<ref name=":12">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - TV Production |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/prod/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011223144053/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/prod/index.shtml |archive-date=23 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> ''Beasts'' was in terms of effects more challenging to produce than ''Dinosaurs'', owing to mammals having features such as fur, whiskers, eyebrows and various floppy parts absent in dinosaurs, and to audiences being more familiar with how mammals move and act and thus better at spotting mistakes.<ref name=":3" />
[[File:Walking with Spacemen book cover.png|thumb|Initial cover for the companion book of the 2004 BBC series ''[[Space Odyssey (TV series)|Space Odyssey]]'', initially intended to be part of the ''Walking with...'' franchise as "''Walking with Spacemen''"|upright=0.8]]
In late 2002 and early 2003, further special episodes of ''Dinosaurs'' were broadcast: ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|Land of Giants]]'' and ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw]]''. These specials starred wildlife presenter [[Nigel Marven]] as a "time-traveling zoologist". Marven's inclusion was mainly so that audiences would have a better understanding of the scale of the animals shown.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=The Giant Claw {{!}} Impossible Pictures |url=http://impossiblepictures.co.uk/project/the-giant-claw/ |access-date=18 October 2020 |website=impossiblepictures.co.uk}}</ref> While Haines, James and Impossible Pictures worked on ''Land of Giants'' and ''The Giant Claw'', the BBC produced a further series without their involvement: ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'', also broadcast in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 May 2014 |title='Walking with Dinosaurs' - the Television Phenomenon |url=https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87827629 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition}}</ref> ''Cavemen'' acted as a sequel to ''Beasts'', exploring [[human evolution]]. The series was created by Richard Dale and Peter Georgi, both of whom had previously worked together on documentaries such as ''[[The Human Body (2001 film)|The Human Body]]'', and starred [[Robert Winston, Baron Winston|Robert Winston]] as a presenter.<ref name=":22">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/03_march/12/cavemen.pdf ''Walking with Cavemen'' - BBC One Press Pack] (3 March 2003)</ref> The success of ''Land of Giants'' and ''The Giant Claw'' led to the creation of ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]'', broadcast in 2003, a miniseries exploring the "seven deadliest seas of all time", once again starring Marven.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |last=Kettlewell |first=Julianna |date=7 November 2003 |title=Ancient sea monsters bite back |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3247691.stm |url-status=live |access-date=16 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016150627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3247691.stm |archive-date=16 October 2020}}</ref>

The series ''[[Space Odyssey (TV series)|Space Odyssey]]'' (2004), produced by Haines and James at Impossible Pictures together with BBC Worldwide, the Discovery Channel and ProSieben, was originally going to be titled ''Walking with Spacemen''. Both executives of the BBC and ProSieben heralded ''Walking with Spacemen'' as the logical next step in the series, following on from the journey began with ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', ''Beasts'' and ''Cavemen''.<ref name="BBC" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Meza |first=Ed |date=27 March 2003 |title=ProSieben, Discovery 'Spacemen' in orbit |url=https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/prosieben-discovery-spacemen-in-orbit-1117883674/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Space Odyssey'' used special effects and techniques from the ''Walking with...'' documentaries<ref name=":1" /> to speculate how astronauts may explore the various planets in the [[Solar System]] on [[Human spaceflight|crewed missions]].<ref name="BBC" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=27 March 2003 |title=Blue plaques for film stars' seats |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2892155.stm |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> Despite the title change, ''Space Odyssey'' has at times been referred to as ''Walking with Spacemen'' also after its release<ref name=":0" /> and the old title was used in some of the companion material, including as the title of the earliest editions of the companion book, co-authored by Haines and [[Christopher Riley]].<ref>[https://www.amazon.in/Voyage-Planets-Beyond-Giles-Milton/dp/0756612659 ''Walking with Spacemen'' (2004) by Tim Haines and Christopher Riley]. ''[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]''. Retrieved 2 May 2022.</ref>

Instead of a futuristic series, Haines and Impossible Pictures decided to round off the ''Walking with...'' series by making a programme on the before then largely underutilized [[Paleozoic]] era, set before the dinosaurs. ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'', broadcast in 2005, utilized the most sophisticated effects of the entire franchise, owing to advancements in technology by the time of its production.<ref name=":4" />

Framestore and Crawley Creatures returned to do the computer graphics and animatronics, respectively, for every successor series produced by Impossible Pictures.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - Computer Graphics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/cg/index.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221074333/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/cg/index.shtml |archive-date=21 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |date=2001 |title=Making Of - Animatronics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/anim/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221070809/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/makingof/anim/ |archive-date=21 December 2001 |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><!-- sources for Walking with Beasts --><ref name="Framestore">{{Cite web |date=15 February 2012 |title=Framestore CFC Makes Sea Monsters |url=https://www.creativeplanetnetwork.com/news/framestore-cfc-makes-sea-monsters-396143 |access-date=25 October 2020 |website=Creative Planet Network |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 May 2019 |title=Films, TV & Adverts |url=https://crawley-creatures.com/films-tv-adverts/ |access-date=17 October 2020 |website=Crawley Creatures |language=en-GB}}</ref><!-- sources for Sea Monsters --><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=1 June 2016 |title=Walking With... Series |url=https://www.framestore.com/work/walking-series?language=en |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Framestore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mike |title=The People Behind Prehistoric Animal Animatronics and Puppetry |url=https://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2010/10/25/4664347.html |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Everything Dinosaur Blog |date=25 October 2010 |language=en-US}}</ref><!-- sources for Walking with Monsters --> ''Walking with Cavemen'' which involved Framestore but not Crawley Creatures.<ref name=":22"/> Practical effects of ''Walking with Cavemen'' were done by several companies, including Altered States FX, Animated Extras and BGFX.<ref name=":CV">{{Cite web |title=fantasy makeups {{!}} hominids and cavegirls {{!}} Suzanne Cave in 'Walking with Cavemen' {{!}} themakeupgallery |url=https://www.themakeupgallery.info/fantasy/hominid/walkingsc.htm |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=www.themakeupgallery.info}}</ref> After the release of ''Monsters'', Impossible Pictures, Framestore and the others involved were effectively forced to move on from documentary filmmaking and produce other series like ''[[Primeval (TV series)|Primeval]]'' (2007–2011) due to companies and executives losing interest in funding fact-based documentaries on prehistoric life.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Darren |author-link=Darren Naish |title=Reminiscing About Walking With Dinosaurs, Part 1 |url=https://tetzoo.com/blog/2021/6/23/reminiscing-about-walking-with-dinosaurs-part-1 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Tetrapod Zoology |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Original television series ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+''Walking with...'' original series
|-
! scope="col" | Series
! scope="col" | Release date (UK)
! scope="col" | Director(s)
! scope="col" | Producer(s)
! scope="col" | Episodes
! scope="col" | Narrator (UK)
! scope="col" | Composer
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 4 October – 8 November 1999
| [[Tim Haines]] & Jasper James
| John Lynch, Tim Haines & Jasper James
| 6
|rowspan=3| [[Kenneth Branagh]]
|rowspan=4| [[Ben Bartlett]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[The Ballad of Big Al]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 25 December 2000
| Kate Bartlett
| [[Mick Kaczorowski]], Tim Haines & Joshua C. Berkley
| 1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Beasts]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 15 November – 20 December 2001
| Jasper James & Nigel Paterson
| Tim Haines, Jasper James & Nigel Paterson
| 6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Land of Giants / The Giant Claw|The Giant Claw / Land of Giants]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 30 December 2002 – 1 January 2003
| Tim Haines & Jasper James
| Tim Haines, Gaynelle Evans, Adam Kemp & Jasper James
| 2
| [[Nigel Marven]]{{efn|Also presenter in the series}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 27 March – 23 April 2003
| Richard Dale
| Richard Dale, Peter Georgi, Nick Green, Mark Hedgecoe & [[Peter Oxley]]
| 4
| [[Robert Winston]]{{efn|Also presenter in the series}}
| [[Alan Parker (musician)|Alan Parker]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Sea Monsters (TV series)|Sea Monsters]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 	9–23 November 2003
| Jasper James
| Tim Haines, Adam Kemp & Jasper James
| 3
| [[Karen Hayley]]{{efn|Nigel Marven also stars in the series as a presenter}}
|rowspan=2|Ben Bartlett
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Monsters]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 	5 November 2005{{efn|''Walking with Monsters'' first aired as an [[omnibus (broadcast)|omnibus]] version, cut together into a single 90-minute instalment, on 5 November 2005. The series as divided into three episodes first aired a month later, 8–19 December 2005.}}
| [[Chloe Leland]]
| Tim Haines & Chloe Leland
| 3
| Kenneth Branagh
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (2025 TV series)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]''
| style="text-align:center" | 	25 May – 29 June 2025
| Kirsty Wilson
| Tom Hewitson, Stephen Cooter, & Owen Gower
| 6
| [[Bertie Carvel]]
| Ty Unwin
|}

=== ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (1999) ===
{{Main|Walking with Dinosaurs}}Envisioned as the first "Natural History of Dinosaurs" and a series that would provide viewers with "a window into a lost world",<ref name=":172">{{Cite journal |last1=Scott |first1=Karen D. |last2=White |first2=Anne M. |date=2003 |title=Unnatural History? Deconstructing the Walking with Dinosaurs Phenomenon |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0163443703025003002 |journal=Media, Culture & Society |language=en |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=315–332 |doi=10.1177/0163443703025003002 |s2cid=143566889 |issn=0163-4437|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' explores life in the [[Mesozoic]] era, particularly [[dinosaur]]s, in the format of a traditional [[nature documentary]].

=== ''The Ballad of Big Al'' (2000) ===
{{Main|The Ballad of Big Al}} The first special episode of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' to be released was ''The Ballad of Big Al'' (2000). ''Big Al'' follows a single ''Allosaurus'' specimen nicknamed [[Allosaurus#"Big Al" and "Big Al II"|"Big Al"]] whose life story has been reconstructed based on a well-preserved fossil of the same name.

=== ''Walking with Beasts'' (2001) ===
{{Main|Walking with Beasts}}''Walking with Beasts'' follows ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' in showcasing prehistoric life in a nature documentary style. ''Beasts'' tracks animal life, particularly the rise of the [[mammal]]s to dominance, in the [[Cenozoic]] era. The series also gives some insight into human evolution, with an episode devoted to ''[[Australopithecus]]'' and appearances by both [[Neanderthal]]s and [[anatomically modern humans]].

=== ''The Giant Claw / Land of Giants'' (2002–2003) ===
{{Main|Land of Giants / The Giant Claw}}The two later specials, ''The Giant Claw'' (2002) and ''Land of Giants'' (2003), star "time-travelling zoologist" Nigel Marven as he travels back in time to encounter and interact with prehistoric life.

=== ''Walking with Cavemen'' (2003) ===
{{Main|Walking with Cavemen}}''Walking with Cavemen'' follows ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'' in adopting the same nature documentary style, though this time involving presenter [[Robert Winston, Baron Winston|Robert Winston]]. ''Cavemen'' follows the story of human evolution through exploring key developments on the path from ''Australopithecus afarensis'' to modern humans. The programme often focuses on particular characters and their relationships to each other in order to be more accessible to viewers.

=== ''Sea Monsters'' (2003) ===
{{Main|Sea Monsters (TV series)}}''Sea Monsters'' once again stars Nigel Marven as a "time-traveling zoologist" who this time travels to seven different periods of time in prehistory, diving in the "seven deadliest seas of all time" and encountering and interacting with the prehistoric creatures who inhabit them.

=== ''Walking with Monsters'' (2005) ===
{{Main|Walking with Monsters}}Serving as a prequel series to ''Walking with Dinosaurs'', ''Walking with Monsters'' explores the prehistoric life of the [[Paleozoic]] era. The series focuses on "the struggle for the survival of the fittest", using stories of individual animals to cast the Palaeozoic as a long "war" between various animal groups for dominance, some of which are described within the context of the series as being distantly related to humans.

=== ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (2025) ===
{{Main|Walking with Dinosaurs (2025 TV series)}}
A revival of the franchise, the 2025 series recounts the stories of six individual dinosaurs. Each episode is divided between prehistoric segments of CGI animals set in live action landscapes, and modern day segments involving paleontologist activities at the dig sites where each dinosaur was discovered.

== Reception ==

=== Accolades <!-- sources in individual articles -->===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Award
!Category
!''Walking with Dinosaurs''
!''The Ballad of Big Al''
!''Walking with Beasts''
!''Land of Giants/The Giant Claw''
!''Walking with Cavemen''
!''Sea Monsters''
!''Walking with Monsters''
|-
|[[Annie Awards|Annie Award]]
|Technical Achievement in the Field of Animation
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=5|[[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Award]]
|Outstanding Innovation
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Original Television Music
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Interactive Entertainment Award
|
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Sound (Factual)
|
|
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Visual Effects & Graphic Design
|
|
| {{nom}}
| {{won}}
|
| {{won}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=7|[[Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Award]]
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program|Outstanding Animated Programme (One Hour or More)]]
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
| {{won}}
|
|
| {{won}}
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects|Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special]]
| {{won}}
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special|Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special]]
| {{nom}}
|
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming]]
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming - Sound Mixing]]
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program|Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Programming – Sound Editing]]
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program|Outstanding Sound Editing for a Non-Fiction Program]]
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Monitor Award]]
|Film Originated Television Specials - 3D Animation
|
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[National Television Awards|National Television Award]]
|Most Popular Factual Programme
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Online Film & Television Association|Online Film & Television Association Award]]
|Best Visual Effects in a Series
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Informational Special
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Golden Laurel Award]]
|Best Original Television Music
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Peabody Awards|Peabody Award]]
|Peabody Award
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=5|[[RTS Television Award]]
|Design and Craft Innovation
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Visual Effects - Digital Effects
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Picture Manipulation
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Multi-Media and Interactive
|
|
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|-
|Best Presenter (Factual)
|
|
|
| {{nom}}
|
| {{nom}}
|
|-
|[[TV Quick Awards|''TV Quick'' Award]]
|Best Factual Programme
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[TCA Awards|TCA Award]]
|[[TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information|Outstanding Achievement in News and Information]]
| {{nom}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[TRIC Awards|TRIC Award]]
|Documentary Programme of the Year
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Visual Effects Society Award]]
|Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Series
|
|
|
|
|
| {{nom}}
|
|-
|[[Young Artist Award]]
|Best Educational TV Show or Series
| {{won}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

=== Viewership ===
''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was broadcast to record audiences in 1999<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last1=Haines |first1=Tim |title=[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]] |last2=Chambers |first2=Paul |publisher=Firefly Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-55407-181-4 |location=Richmond Hill, Ontario |chapter=Introduction |orig-date=2005}}</ref> and is sometimes considered the biggest science documentary series ever created.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Benton |first=Michael J. |author-link=Michael Benton |date=2001 |title=The Science of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' |url=https://cpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/5/537/files/2019/08/2003scienceWWD.pdf |journal=Teaching Earth Sciences |volume=24 |pages=371–400}}</ref> With 15 million viewers viewing the first episode on 4 October 1999 and another 3.91 million viewing it on its repeat the Sunday afterwards, ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' is by far the most watched science programme in British television history.<ref name=":172"/> Viewership figures steadily declined for later series; the first airing of the first episode of ''Walking with Beasts'' in 2001 had around 8 million viewers and the first airing of the first episode of ''Walking with Monsters'' in 2005 attracted 4.57 million viewers.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=10 May 2006 |title=Planet Earth sees off CGI |url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/may/10/broadcasting.bbc1 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

The ratings shown below are 7-day data, including both the original airings of the episodes and their repeats some days later. There is only data for the top 30 programmes in terms of viewers; episodes labeled N/A failed to reach the top 30 programmes during their airings.

{{Television ratings graph
| title       = Walking with...
| country     = UK
| season_title = Series
| color1      = #295354
| color2      = #D09916
| color3      = #54575A
| color4      = #222222
| color5      = #68411C
| color6      = #31485C
| color7      = #091411 
| color8      = #C6D9E4 
| legend1 = ''Walking with Dinosaurs''
| legend2 = ''The Ballad of Big Al''
| legend3 = ''Walking with Beasts''
| legend4 = ''The Giant Claw'' & ''Land of Giants''
| legend5 = ''Walking with Cavemen''
| legend6 = ''Sea Monsters''
| legend7 = ''Walking with Monsters''
| legend8 = ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (2025) 
| average     = y
| bar_width   = 9
| x_intervals = 5
| y_intervals = 2
| refs        = <ref name="barb">{{Cite web|title=Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) &#124; BARB|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/|access-date=5 January 2023|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="barb2025">{{cite web |url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/most-viewed-programmes/ |title=Weekly Top 50 Programmes |work=[[Barb Audiences]] |access-date=2 June 2025 }} (No permanent link available. Search for relevant dates.)</ref>
|-
<!-- New Blood -->| 18.91
<!-- Time of the Titans -->| 17.75
<!-- Cruel Sea -->| 17.96
<!-- Giant of the Skies -->| 16.8
<!-- Spirits of the Ice Forest -->| 15.95
<!-- Death of a Dynasty -->| 15.68
<!-- S01_AV -->| 17.18
|-
<!-- The Ballad of Big Al-->| N/A
<!-- S02_AV -->| N/A
|-
<!-- New Dawn -->| 13.99
<!-- Whale Killer -->| 11.34
<!-- Land of Giants -->| 9.27
<!-- Next of Kin -->| N/A
<!-- Sabre Tooth -->| 5.87
<!-- Mammoth Journey -->| 9.48
<!-- S03_AV -->| 9.99
|-
<!-- The Giant Claw -->| 6.83
<!-- Land of Giants -->| 5.76
<!-- S04_AV -->| 6.30
|-
<!-- First Ancestors -->| 7.63
<!-- Blood Brothers -->| 6.21
<!-- Savage Family -->| N/A
<!-- The Survivors -->| N/A
<!-- S05_AV -->| 6.92
|-
<!-- Dangerous Seas -->| 7.59
<!-- Into the Jaws of Death -->| 6.94
<!-- To Hell... and Back? -->| 6.52
<!-- S06_AV -->| 7.02
|-
<!-- 1 -->| 4.57
<!-- 2 -->| N/A
<!-- 3 -->| N/A
<!-- S07_AV -->| 4.57
|-
<!-- The Orphan -->| 2.99
<!-- The River Dragon -->| 2.47
<!-- Band of Brothers -->| 2.54
<!-- The Pack -->| N/A
<!-- The Journey  -->| 2.33
<!-- Island of Giants -->| 
<!-- S08_AV -->| 
}}

== ''Prehistoric Planet'' ==
{{distinguish|Prehistoric Planet (2022 TV series)}}

''Prehistoric Planet'' is a revision of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts'', done by [[Discovery Channel]] and [[NBC]] for the [[Discovery Family|Discovery Kids]] network in 2002–2003. Though the producers kept most of the original animation, David Bock and Peter Sherman wrote new text for a younger target audience, narrated by [[Ben Stiller]] (in Season 1) and [[Christian Slater]] (in Season 2),<ref>{{Citation |title=Prehistoric Planet |url=https://www.tvtime.com/en/show/139041 |work=TV Time |volume= |language=en |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> and interspersed the scenes with occasional quizzes to act as bumpers around the commercial breaks. New [[music]] was incorporated as well. Most marketing and advertising for the series focused on the dinosaur episodes. In addition, the final episode, ''Prehistoric Planet Top 10'', focused solely on the creatures from ''Walking with Dinosaurs''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

== Books ==

=== Companion books ===
The first four ''Walking with...'' series were accompanied with companion books. These books were [[coffee table book]]s exploring the settings from each series in detail, with scientific information, facts and narratives similar to those shown on screen. All of the books were lavishly illustrated with stills from the episodes. All of the ''Walking with...'' companion books were well received.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=1 March 2000 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History by Tim Haines |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780789451873 |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=1 November 2001 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: Walking with Prehistoric Beasts by Tim Haines |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780563537632 |access-date=29 April 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref><ref name=":62">{{Cite web |date=2003 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: WALKING WITH CAVEMEN |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780789497758 |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Publishers Weekly}}</ref>

* ''Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History'' (1999), by Tim Haines<ref name=":7" />
* ''Walking with Beasts: A Prehistoric Safari'' (2001), by Tim Haines<ref name=":9" />
* ''Walking with Cavemen: Stand Eye-to-Eye with your Ancestors'' (2003), by John Lynch and Louise Barrett<ref name=":62" />
* ''Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep'' (2003), by Nigel Marven and Jasper James<ref name="proquest">{{Cite journal |last=Sellers |first=LaRue |year=2004 |title=Chased by Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/4d66f455d6851fa88373ee5ec04029b0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=40590 |journal=The Science Teacher |volume=71 |issue=7 |pages=85}}</ref>
* ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' (2025), by Andrew Cohen, Helen Thomas, and Kirsty Wilson<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Walking With Dinosaurs |url=https://www.dk.com/uk/book/9780241761533-walking-with-dinosaurs/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=dkbooks |language=en}}</ref>

=== Other books ===
''Walking with Monsters'' was not accompanied by a companion book, instead the series was in 2006 accompanied by the book ''[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]]'', an encyclopedia and reference work with images from the entire franchise, co-authored by Haines and Paul Chambers.<ref name=":63">{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Douglas |date=5 October 2005 |title=Book Review: Myriad monsters |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18825201-900-book-review-myriad-monsters/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=New Scientist |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition to the companion books and ''The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life'', several other books have been released to accompany the different series. ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was in addition to its companion book also accompanied by ''Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence'' (2000) by David Martill and [[Darren Naish]] and ''Walking with Dinosaurs: The Facts'' (2000) by [[Michael Benton]], both books serving to corroborate the science behind the series.<ref name=":10"/> Among the various children's books that have been released alongside the ''Walking with...'' documentaries is a children's book adaptation of ''The Ballad of Big Al'' by [[Stephen Cole (writer)|Stephen Cole]], titled ''Allosaurus! The Life and Death of Big Al'',<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Nancy J. |last2=Giorgis |first2=Cyndi |date=2002 |title=Children's Books: Pleasure Reading |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20205139 |journal=The Reading Teacher |volume=55 |issue=8 |pages=780–788 |jstor=20205139 |issn=0034-0561}}</ref> as well as 3D albums, [[sticker album]]s and photo journals for both ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' and ''Walking with Beasts''.

== Electronic media ==
With the exception of ''Walking with Monsters'', all of the ''Walking with...'' series launched with accompanying websites.<ref name=":172" /><!-- source for WWD --><ref name=":22"/><!-- WWC --><ref name=":16">{{Cite web|date=16 December 2001|title=BBC - Science - Beasts|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/|access-date=5 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011216035407/http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/ |archive-date=16 December 2001 }}</ref><!-- WWB --><ref name=":18">{{Cite web |title=BBC - Science & Nature - Sea Monsters |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/tv_radio/wwseamonsters/ |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><!-- Sea Monsters --> The original 1999 ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' website was considered innovative for the time and included scientific information, fact files, glossaries, as well as games and puzzles.<ref name=":172" /> The content of the websites of following series was similar, offering both accompanying scientific information and games.<ref name=":22"/><ref name=":16" /><ref name=":18" />

In addition to the games on the website, full ''Walking with...'' games have also been developed. The first such game was the [[freeware]] video game ''Dinosaur World'', developed by Asylum Entertainment and published by the [[BBC|BBC Imagineering]] in June 2001. ''Dinosaur World'' is an adaptation of ''The Ballad of Big Al'' where players try to find various animals and plants. The game was never finished but could be downloaded from the BBC website in its [[Alpha (software)|alpha]] form.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} There was also a video game adaptation of ''Walking with Beasts'', ''Walking with Beasts: Operation Salvage'', developed by Absolute Studios and published by [[BBC Worldwide|BBC Worldwide Ltd.]] in 2001. ''Operation Salvage'' is a [[top-down shooter]] where players travel back in time to observe animals and fight time-traveling enemies.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 October 2001 |title=65 Million Years of Strategy |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/10/05/65-million-years-of-strategy |website=IGN}}</ref> Another ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' game was released in 2013, titled simply ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs (video game)|Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', to accompany [[Walking with Dinosaurs (film)|the film adaptation of the series]] released that year. ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' is an [[augmented reality]] game developed by [[Supermassive Games]] in collaboration with the BBC.<ref name="joystiq">{{cite web |date=31 October 2013 |title=Wonderbook gets more Harry Potter, dinosaurs, detectives on Nov. 12 |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/31/wonderbook-gets-more-harry-potter-dinosaurs-detectives-on-nov/ |access-date=1 November 2013 |publisher=Joystiq}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
<references />

{{Walking with}}
{{Impossible Pictures}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walking With...}}
[[Category:Walking with...| ]]
[[Category:Television franchises]]
[[Category:Documentary films about prehistoric life]]
[[Category:Documentary films about science]]
[[Category:Documentary television shows about evolution]]