Jurassic Parkmay be the most famous dinosaur property around, butit’s far from the only game in town when it comes to animated TV shows with a focus on dinosaurs.Animation has some big advantages when it comes to depictingthe dinosaurs thatJurassic Parkmade famous, not being limited by live-action props, expensive photorealistic CGI, or integration with real actors. While theJurassic Parkseries has utterly dominated the movie industry when it comes to dinosaurs, animated TV presents of few competitors.
That being said,theJurassic Parkfranchisealso has some animated TV shows of their own, expanding far beyond the more limited scope of the movies. In this medium, science fiction author Michael Crichton’s beloved IP has far more competition, with some excellent cartoon series celebrating the prehistoric creatures just as well.Spanning a variety of tones, art styles, and formats, there are a surprising number of animated TV shows with a heavy emphasis on dinosaurs sure to enthrall any hardcoreJurassic Parkfan.
10 Biggest Differences Between The Lost World: Jurassic Park Book & The Movie
The Lost World: Jurassic Park movie was based on Michael Crichton’s 1995 novel The Lost World but didn’t exactly follow the book.
10Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
5 seasons
Jurassic Worldmay have revived the film series from fossilization, but the reboot was also responsible for the genesis of a streaming series empire. EnterJurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, a companion series set in the same universe asJurassic World.The series follows the adventures of a young dinosaur fanatic named Darius from Oakland who receives an exclusive invitation to an adventure camp full of real dinosaurs on the infamous Isla Nublar.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceouswill instantly feel familiar to fans ofJurassic Park
Of course, as is tradition in theJurassic Parkseries, the dinosaurs break loose, and it’s up to Darius and the other campers to find a way to survive.Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceouswill instantly feel familiar to fans ofJurassic Park, and manages to hit many of the same wondrous dinosaur beats without the limitations of live-action filmmaking.The Netflix cartoon is also surprisingly star-studded, featuring performances from the likes of Jenna Ortegaas well as appearances from classic dinos likethe Spinosaurus fromJurassic Park III.
9Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
1 season (ongoing)
Even ifJurassic World: Camp Cretaceousdidn’t reach the same heights of fame as its movie counterparts, the series was still popular enough to get a sequel of its own.Jurassic World: Chaos Theoryis a sequel series toJurassic World: Camp Cretaceous,taking place in betweenJurassic World: Fallen KingdomandJurassic World: Dominion. The new series sees “The Nublar Six” reunite six years later to uncover a deep-rooted dinosaur conspiracy theory while aiding the newly-formed DPW: Department of Prehistoric Wildlife.
Aging with its original audience and characters,Jurassic World: Chaos Theorytakes a decidedly darker tone,with lingering trauma from the hectic events of the previous series still haunting the narrative. WhileJurassic World: Camp Cretaceousmay have been a more classicJurassic Parkadventure,Jurassic World: Chaos Theorytakes a closer look at what real-world applications and exploitation of dinosaurs might look like, creating a far more original and fascinating premise. With new dinosaurs and action setpieces as sharp as ever, the sequel series manages to outdo its predecessor.
8Ark: The Animated Series
1 season
Video games have also presented an engaging visual medium with which to portray dinosaur-centric stories, including some officially licensedJurassic Parkspin-offs. However, one of the most popular prehistoric games isArk: Survival Evolved, a multiplayer roleplaying game in which players must build themselves from the ground up on an isolated fantasy island populated by ancient wildlife and hostile humans.Ark: The Animated Seriestakes this premise and crafts its own story with it,following the adventures of paleontologist Helena Walker.
One of the better, if underrated,TV show adaptations of a video game,Ark: The Animated Seriesboasts a stunningly star-studded cast, with the vocal talents of David Tennant, Gerard Butler, Jeffrey Wright and Michelle Yeoh.Their performances help elevate the mysterious world, which veers further into fantasy compared to the relatively grounded science fiction of theJurassic Parkseries. Fostering a sense of wonder with its mysteries, world building, and clever interpretations of mechanics from the game,Ark: The Animated Seriesis a great way to scratch the dinosaur itch.
7DinoSquad
2 seasons
While heady explorations of humanity’s place in the grander scope of evolution and natural laws are great places to take dinosaur stories, there’s no denying that the reptilian colossi are great for simpler stories as well.DinoSquadis a series very indicative of its mid 2000s heritage,embodying the trends of some of the era’s best cartoons with a dinosaur flair. The series stars a quintet of teenagers who discover they have the ability to transform into five distinct dinosaurs, and must use their powers to protect the Earth from the evil Victor Veloci.
Admittedly, the premise ofDinoSquadbrings the original recipePower Rangersto mind earlier thanJurassic Park, but the similarities extend beyond a surface-level bond for dinosaurs.DinoSquadembeds some great lessons for younger viewers in the chaos of its exciting superhero narrative,and helps teach some prescient lessons surrounding ecological responsibility and the dangers of global warming. As far as an entertaining vehicle for such morals goes, one could do far worse thanDinoSquad, even if its dinosaur depictions aren’t the most accurate.
6Primal
2 seasons (ongoing)
While it’s always entertaining to watch modern human beings clash with ferocious dinosaurs, sometimes a more uncivilized look at prehistoric animal husbandry can be a refreshing breath of fresh air. Anotheranimated series from the brilliant Genndy Tartakovsky,Primaltakes place in a timeless alternate pre-history in which early humanity and dinosaurs lived side by side.The cartoon follows Spear and Fang, a human-dino duo who come together after losing their respective families, forging a powerful alliance to take on the dangerous, chaotic world they inhabit.
What makesPrimalso engaging is its visual storytelling,truly leveraging the medium of animation for all it’s worth to weave engaging stories without a single spoken word. The sleek color palette elevates Tartakovsky’s trademark art style to convey some breathtaking bestial savagery, giving depth to animal characters in a way few other series can capture. Going forwards, Tartakovsky has confirmed thatPrimalwill become an anthology series, shifting its focus to new unexplored heights.
5Cadillacs And Dinosaurs
A seldom-remembered cartoon from the 90s,Cadillacs and Dinosaursdelivers on its bizarre name with an even stranger premise.Equal partsMad MaxandJurassic Park,Cadillacs and Dinosaurstakes place in the post-apocalyptic 26th century, in which human civilization has crumbled away to pre-historic jungles teeming with dinosaurs, ready to re-claim the Earth. Quickly establishing the absurd world with amazing voice-over narration in the intro of each episode,Cadillacs and Dinosaursis truly something special.
Protagonist Jack Tenrec is the perfect personification of a dinosaur story protagonist. He’s kind, respectful of nature, but deadly in a fight and single-handedly able to maintain a fearsome fleet of restored Cadillacs. The juvenile premise and far-out fantasy world hides a real understanding of political and ecological issues which the series isn’t afraid to explore through obvious narrative stand-ins.Cadillacs and Dinosaursis an endlessly creative dinosaur experience that needs to be seen to be believed.
4Walking With Dinosaurs
On the polar opposite end of the spectrum of dinosaur entertainment from far-out premises of fantastical Saturday morning cartoons is the grounded docuseriesWalking with Dinosaurs.A six-part “speculative documentary” first aired in 1999, the series was directly inspired byJurassic Park, using similar combinations of CGI, animatronics, and live-action shots to paint a detailed picture of what prehistoric life might have actually been like.Walking with Dinosaurshas inspired many similar documentaries.
Often considered to be among the singlemost successful documentaries ever created,Walking with Dinosaurshelped expand on the real life science behind the fascinating ancient creatures made popular byJurassic Park.Commended by real researchers and paleontologists for its accuracy, the series is far more than a dry recitation of dinosaur facts, crafting engaging “storylines” of its animal subjects struggling to make perilous journeys, protect their young, or simply earn their next meal.Walking with Dinosaursis the gold standard for dinosaur edu-tainment.
3Planet Dinosaur
12 years after the success ofWalking with Dinosaurs, the BBC would reprise their success with a new animated dinosaur documentary series,Planet Dinosaur.Updating returning viewers with scientific discoveries made in the time span between the premiere of both shows,Planet Dinosaurmanages to outdo its predecessor with its breathtaking presentation of prehistoric life thanks to some updated 3D animation.Add in some consistent narration by the soothing dulcet voice of British actor Sir John Hurt, andPlanet Dinosaurbecame an instant classic.
Admittedly, the science takes a little bit more of a back seat compared toWalking with Dinosaurs,with more effort going into the biological narratives being undertaken by each individual of the dinosaur species represented. But the stunning graphics that bring audiences up-to-speed with where each dinosaur species depicted wound up in the vast geological record of planet Earth more than makes up for any lack of technical information.Planet Dinosaurhas thusly become a staple in the collection of any amateur paleontologist.
2LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar
The beloved LEGO toy line has managed to put their own spin on a great number of classic intellectual properties, with numerousLEGO movies, TV shows, and video games giving their own humorous takes on entertainment’s most iconic franchises. The newJurassic Worldseries is no exception, peaking withLEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar.Following up the two-part movieLEGO Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit, the series introduces the nephew of Dennis Nedry, Danny Nedermeyer, as a villain to disrupt the fragile stability of the titular dinosaur theme park.
LEGO Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit, the series introduces the nephew of Dennis Nedry, Danny Nedermeyer, as a villain to disrupt the fragile stability of the titular dinosaur theme park.
It goes without saying thatthe sanitized layer of LEGO irons out the scarier elements of theJurassic Worldseries, creating a cartoon suitable for very young viewers.For what it is,LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublaris an enjoyable product, maintaining the irreverent humor the LEGO brand has come to be known for in its movie and TV show offerings. Some prescient callbacks to the movies, such as the villain Danny Nedermeyer, keeps things enjoyable for anyJurassic Parkfan.
1Valley of the Dinosaurs
From the charming animation studios of the iconic Hanna-Barbera productions,Valley of the Dinosaursis a quintessential dinosaur cartoon.Similarly toPrimal,Valley of the Dinosaursre-imagines prehistoric life in a timeline in which humans and dinosaurs walked side-by-side.Riffing off of shows likeJohnny Quest, the series follows the adventurous Butler family as they find themselves displaced through time into the titular Valley of the Dinosaurs.
Even if the premise is more magical in nature,Valley of the Dinosaursmanages to get across some phenomenal educational beats. Not only does the series show off numerous species of dinosaurs, but it also explains some of the realities of early human life, with the Butler family fashioning real primitive technology out of the limited resources available to them. Although the series literally doesn’t re-invent the wheel,Valley of the Dinosaursis a great aperitif forJurassic Parklovers looking to extend their palette of dinosaur media.
Jurassic Park
The Jurassic Park franchise is an action-adventure sci-fi series that began with Michael Crichton’s original novel. The series explores the dramatic repercussions of resurrecting dinosaurs through advanced genetic science. Set primarily in a disastrous theme park, Jurassic Park explores the profound ethical dilemmas about tinkering with the DNA of long ago extinct creatures and the manipulation of the natural world through science.
