With each year that passes the world continues to get even more digital. This is especially the case for entertaining content, which makes sense. If people don’t have to leave their house for their source of entertainment then why even contemplate it? Where movies and TV are concerned, everything can be watched online and there are always new streaming platforms. The best digital platforms are those that offer content for free, like the DW channel. They have a channel on YouTube and a website that is packed with free digital content. This week, The Neanderthals is viable option for any homebody.
The DW channel has done a documentary on who humanity’s ancestors were and where they come from. The Neanderthals documents the earliest traces of the ‘Neanderthal’
The DW channel has done a documentary on who humanity’s ancestors were and where they come from. The Neanderthals documents the earliest traces of the ‘Neanderthal’, their migrating patterns, how they obtained food, survival methods, cognitive ability and development, communication limitations, and even how they differ genetically from humans in the present day. The documentary is aided by numerous experts in this field of study including archaeologists, paleoanthropologists, scientists, and historians all of whom shed light on the origins of those that preceded modern human beings. Evidence and opinions are interjected into this fascinating and educational conversation that’s purpose is to entertain as well as to enlighten.
There are countless ways in which this documentary stokes interest. First, as it’s a documentary, its largest purpose is to present itself as educational, and it does. The amount of knowledge that’s packed into this forty-five minute program feels as though it could be equated to taking an online course. Second, is the amount of professional opinions they have provided access to. There’s a variety of different and diverse experts that contribute information on the topic, so watching this isn’t just listening to one or two people controlling the narrative. Those participating are also accredited, and their credentials can be verified. Then on the production side, they’ve added breathtaking cinematography of nature which assists in showing their reenactments. There are plenty of aerial shots and drone photography that coincide with the narration, and this keeps the documentary from being too bland. Even with all of the interviews, information, and cinematography, it doesn’t come off as overly convoluted or unbalanced in either direction. It can take patience for many to get through a documentary, even one like this, but DW and their team have created a special that makes it feel near effortless.
Documentaries don’t typically tickle everyone’s fancy, but fans of programs like the History Channel or National Geographic will appreciate The Neanderthals. Anyone who enjoys learning is bound to take away something from this, and who knows, there may even be other things worth watching on the DW website. DW’s website is home to this and many other documentaries, and as stated previously, most of it is free. If online content is indeed the way of the future, DW is leading the charge on offering up entertainment that at present only requires a laptop or smart TV, and an internet connection.
