Careless Whiskers: 'Meerkat Manor 2'

Life in the Kalahari must go on even though there's no word of Shakespeare's death. For the second season of Animal Planet's critter soap opera, it's apparent from the opening credits that there's been loss.

We already know that the furry bard is missing after fending off an attack on the pups, but despite two new episodes, there's still no trace of Shakespeare. Similarly absent is Tosca, Flower's wild daughter -- who had an ill-advised tryst with Lazuli rover Carlos -- and was ejected for a litter of non-sanctioned pups. In the ominously titled premiere episode, "Cold Comfort," we discover that Tosca hasn't been seen again, and with the harsh winter hitting the Kalahari, is assumed dead. And Daisy? Well, we know what her choice was.

*Note: It's a sad observation that so many meerkat maniacs have agonized over Shakespeare's fate but haven't really worried about his sister Tosca. Yes, Shakespeare was heroic, but just because Tosca was a bit wayward, giving in to the attractive male qualities Carlos exhibited, doesn't make her a slut or her life any less important.

Okay, I'm down off my soap box.

It's been two months since the Lazuli's traumatic attack, and Flower's family, the Whiskers, is bent on foraging for as much food as possible for the new pups: the antagonistic Attila and scrappy Mango, among others. The kids learn to mimic their elders, especially how to dart into a safe bolt hole when Zaphod spies a flying predator in the sky.

Meanwhile, Zaphod's brother Youssarian (Flower's sheepish and rather addled ex) is trying to assert himself with other females, and has a one-night stand with the tick-ridden solo Pancake. His blood is up because it's a prime time to mate seeing how it'll rain soon. And with rain comes food -- the better to gestate and nurture pups with. After having his way with Pancake, he turns his dark-shadowed eyes to the Lazuli group, whose dominant female Cazanna recently lost her mate Big Si to an illness.

In the second episode, "The Three Amigos," foraging for food becomes imperative. A splinter group leads the pups off into rival gang Commandos' territory, but it pays off when the young are able to eat some juicy scorpions for sustenance.

There's a bit of a scare when the splinter group sees strange, intimidating meerkats approaching, but all is hunky dory when it turns out they're only fellow Whiskers. You see, meerkats are nearsighted and too proud to wear corrective lenses, so they couldn't recognize their own people. Flower and her mate Zaphod spend the next few minutes scent-marking everyone so they're not embarrassed again.

Back to Youssarian's hunt for some nookie.

He has some competition for Cazanna's affections, not only from Lazuli males like the dominant J.D., but also from his fellow horny Whiskers: Big Will and Mitch (who apparently matured enough to drop the "Young" from his name, much like Lil Bow Wow eventually became just "Bow"). Lazuli J.D. isn't having any poaching and successfully fends them off -- for now.

But Youssarian seems determined, possibly because he was deposed by his own brother in the Whiskers mob. But if he succeeds in becoming Cazanna's mate, he will become the dominant male in the Lazuli group. That means it will be Zaphod versus Youssarian, brother against brother, in the fight for survival.

But our scope is too narrow. It's not just about the Whiskers' beef with the Lazuli. No, the Commandos have a say too. As Sean Astin -- the helpful yet frustratingly objective narrator -- promises, next time, "tragedy strikes when the Commandos make a vicious raid." We also get a look at the Commandos' dominant male, who is a scarred, ugly MF that I wouldn't want to mess with.

Okay, all fun aside; some people have accused Animal Planet of manipulating viewers by anthropomorphizing the little mammals. But I think that the observations are accurate and true -- just couched in terms to lend it spice and allow us to comprehend all the scurrying and digging. Not that animals and people are identical -- it's just that there are definite similarities in what's necessary to survive: shelter, food, water, social interaction and order. Also, the meerkats seem to be a matriarchal society, much like some human ones were in the distant past (read the source materials for The Da Vinci Code).

Second point of contention: How can Animal Planet allow these cute little critters to die and do nothing to help? Well, first of all, these cameras are set up as part of a Cambridge University study, which means that much of the time, humans aren't present to witness the meerkats' trials and tribulations firsthand. Also, as much as it pains me to point out, there is such a thing as disturbing the course of nature. Think of it as Star Trek's Prime Directive: There will be no interference with the natural development of any primitive society. The meerkats have no warp drive; thus, they are primitive and shouldn't be messed with.

Some thoughts for next time:

Will Youssarian succeed with Cazanna, thus creating a fierce sibling rivalry? What tragedy befalls the Whiskers -- death? Are the pups safe? Where's Shakespeare when you need him? Will Mitch be able to step into Shakespeare's fuzzy shoes? Is Pancake ever going to find a group?

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