‘Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty’ Recap – ‘Episode 4: Winter of Discontent’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty’.

When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous BBC America series, Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty, we talked at length about a grave concern. In that, little Swift was bitten by a snake and in a bad place health wise, leaving the audience wondering exactly what was going to become of this proud descendant of Flower. For there was a chance that she would suffer the same fate as her ancestor and succumb to the bite, leaving the Whiskers family in a broken place, one where the family might face new and difficult challenges without their beloved matriarch leading them to continued prosperity. But while that definitely left the family and the audience in a troubled and worried place, the good news is… we didn’t have to wait that long to uncover Swift’s fate. 
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For last night’s episode, ‘Episode 4: Winter of Discontent’, wasted zero time in giving us the news we all wanted to hear. In that, Swift survived the bite after all and continued to go forth and lead her family… if only for a little while. Because the title of this particular tale, reflects the fact that the Whiskers family entered some dire straits once winter settled into the Kalahari, and the lack of food and water that accompanied this season, motivated some of Swift’s children to rise up against their mother and wound her and take command of the clan… if only for a little while. For they struggled to lead the family to prosperity and well, once Swift healed from her wounds, she was quick to reassert herself and decided that the only way the family would remain as a single unit and fed, was to move them to a dangerous yet bountiful place nearby. 

Which brought the Whiskers family to a nearby cattle farm, where food and water would be easily found thanks to watering troughs and bugs feeding off the waste of the cattle. And all they had to do to enjoy this little slice of weird paradise, was to keep a low profile and hope that they didn’t offend the giant cattle surrounding them and wouldn’t you know it? That plan worked. For they timed their water runs just right and never once made their presence known to the true masters of this oasis and for their efforts, they had everything they needed. Including new burrows with which to thrive from and enough safety and security that Swift was able to have a few more pups along the way, and really this segment and the others we are about to discuss, more or less signaled the fact that for now… the tough times appeared to be over in the Kalahari. 

Because even Flint figured out how to keep her family fed during the winter, and all it took to make that happen… was to enact a bold plan of her own. One that saw her family swing by the very road they abandoned in last week’s episode, all because she realized that there was a fair chance that the fences surrounding this road, kept a great deal of natural predators out. But since they were so teeny (and so cute) they could sneak through the latticing and feast on all the bugs hanging out on the side of the road and well, this plan was so fruitful that the Hakuna Matata clan ate their weight and more in bugs and lizards, and enjoyed some peace and quiet for a change and the good times didn’t end with our two primary families. Since this story also took the time to inform us that the Ubuntu family managed to snag a new home, by outright taking one from another. 

If anything, this was just a fascinating episode when all is said and done. Largely due to the fact that it put some of the more aggressive traits of the meerkat on display by way of the power play that Swift’s daughters enacted. And it was simply incredible to learn that these little cuties will resort to mutiny when they’re hungry and thirsty but at the same time, that should come as no surprise. For this is nature we are talking about here, and animals will do what they must to survive and that is perhaps the true theme of this episode. Since all of the families present in this tale, went the extra mile to ensure that they will make it to tomorrow and see their lines thrive and well, now that the tough times are apparently out of the way, at least for a little while, we can turn our attention to new adventures and new challenges when next week’s episode of this magnificent series gets underway. Until then.

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