OPEN THREAD: THE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

Well, I don’t know about you, but the final three episodes for the season pretty much touched on everything imaginable – love, betrayal, fear, conflict, sacrifice, loss and, of course, triumph. It’s amazing how much has changed across the Kalahari since this season first began. Who knew Rocket Dog would rise to the occasion and prove to be not only a leader but a survivor, or that Zorro would make a historic power play only to have all his efforts end up in vain? Share your thoughts about tonight’s season ender and come back tomorrow for a final recap covering all three episodes.

Comments

[Angie aka Meerkata]

I absolutely loved that they did 3 episodes back to back I just wish it would not have been the final 3.

I couldn't help but cry when R.D. came out of the burrow after the bite. I knew previously she had been bitten but it was still heartbreaking to see just how bad she actually looked.
I also felt that it was incredible that they showed her family sticking by her as if they were working in shifts, unlike what was portrayed about Flower that she was just left there by her family. I always had a hard time believing that since these meerkats always show such affection towards each other, and this episode proved it as they stayed by R.D. side.
I absolutely loved all the footage of the pups and could watch them for hours. It was so precious to see Juno hugging his much younger cousins, talk about a kodak moment.

I also loved seeing Zaphod and how much he appears to be enjoying his grandpups. Although he did appear to look alot older in last nights episode, I guess running off rovers has taken a toll on him. Loved the comment about Maybelline being a daddy's girl it was very cute.

The rovers episode had me laughing more than once especially when Mitch toppled out of the tree. I too thought that Wilson(HR) and Sophie made a very cute couple and the fact that Philipe had his own lady kat aka Wiley Cat I was hoping they'd all stay together.

Not to upset anyone but I just wanted to put this out there. Wilson is not the same Wilson from the Mozart storyline, he passed away from TB 4 months after Mozart died.
The Wilson in this storyline is most likely Homestar Runner who's the brother of Philipe. I believe he also passed away from TB and if you rewatch the episode you will notice that there's a big lump on the right side of his face (signs of TB). It's very heartbreaking that Baker too had to be euthanized because of TB after the filming of the season.

Regarding the snake bite, we must remember that Flower was older, pregnant and not in the best of health which is why she probably died from the bite where R.D. was able to survive it. It breaks my heart to think that she suffered something so devastating and horrific only to survive the bite and shortly there after she's killed by someone driving a car. I guess in the Kalahari the meerkats are equivalent to squirrels here in the U.S.

Also R.D. gave birth above ground during season 3 the pup didn't survive, then she had Nugget and Beaker I believe in December 2007. Then in March 2008 she aborted again so the storyline with Rita was let's say artistic licensing on the Producers part.

I'm so hoping that there will be a season 5 even though so many of our favorites from this season have also died since filming ended including Wiley Cat whom so many worried about her fate since it was left unanswered last night.
Like I've written so many times before I would love if they followed even more families in a season 5 especially since so many original Whiskers are now members of other groups or have started groups of their own. Maybe in season 5 they should just make up all new names and anyone that wants to get the real info on the meerkats can go on the FKMP site and look it up themelves.

I know that the Whiskers were originally chosen due to the size of the group, with so many members there would always be something interesting going on. Now with the groups being so much smaller the Producers may feel that they wont be able to get enough footage to make a season.

I also feel like Janelle and I spoke about earlier that they may feel the magic is gone with the deaths of so many of the fans favorites especially the number #1 in all the Kalahari and that would be Flower.

Angie aka Meerkata

[John]

So, is there indeed another season? I sure hope so. How do we find this out? I work on Friday nights, I am so happy my Direct TV DVR grabbed all three shows.

When will the next season start? Please someone answer this

[Carol Terry]

My comcast showed "The worst Day" as a series ending.It would be like losing a good friend. I thought the meercats were signed up for 5 not 4 seasons. Which is it? Oh I hope there is another season. The meetcats make my week.

[Carol Terry]

My comcast showed "The worst Day" as a series ending.It would be like losing a good friend. I thought the meercats were signed up for 5 not 4 seasons. Which is it? Oh I hope there is another season. The meetcats make my week.

[meerkat1212]

Three shows together is too much for me to process. I will have to watch each one separately to extract the maximun enjoyment and knowledge.

Why was the season truncated and the 3 shows aired together? It seems to me to be disrepectful to a great show and to great fans.

There is certainly no show that can go up in it's time slot that would be as compelling and as endearing.

More meerkats, please.

[Big Si]

want to clarify my own post...

Still never saw an actual Sophie, I thought they actually mentioned Ella in earlier seasons so maybe Sophie is Tina Sparkle? Or as other post mentions maybe they are calling Ella Sophie?

Pozzo didn't die early but Zarathustra is definitely Zorro...

we all know Maybelline is really Monkulus...

anyone know who Seacrest actually was? Cruise maybe?

Phillipe is real but from Young Ones (as is Axel)

also Rita is called Amira by FKMP

any contributions or corrections to this are greatly appreciated...

All the crazy little kats are great!

[Rocket Dog lover]

for all the people that didnt know sophie is actually ella the real sophie dissapeared i dont like rita either i was so sad when i saw rocket dog i just bursted to tears shes my fav meerkat sophie should appreciate rocket dog because she saved her pups no other meerkat will be as good as FLOWE R AND ROCKET DOG THEIR THE BESTEST GREATEST LEADERS

[Rocket Dog lover]

for the people that dont know sophie is actually ella the real sophie dissapeared i dont like rita either Rocket Dog is nice brave and a good leader no other meerkat will be as good as FLOWER AND ROCKET DOG

[Big Si]

Can anyone clarify?

I know Sophie as actually being Tina Sparkle, daughter of Mozart...

Zorro as being Zarathustra, Nikita as Zorilla, Phillipe as Homestar Runner (this one not so sure about)...

also last I saw on FKMP website (before they blacked it out for preventing spoilers) Ella waas listed as the DM, maybe they renamed her but I remember Ella references in earlier episodes

Pozzo I am pretty sure was missing or lost early (in response to some claiming Zorro is Pozzo)..

anyways TIA and thanks to Animal Planet, KMP & FKMP, Stockard Channing (funny to see her get an NFL new QB in your favorite team treatment) you all do an awesome job, keep MM coming!

[Big Si]

Great show, I was a little confused as I thought it was common knowledge that RD met her demise at the hands of a truck earlier this year, whether made up or not regarding the snake bite it was still touching...I haven't heard anything about Ella at all and last I checked she was the DM of whiskers...

I hope this wasn't the SERIES FINALE as described in my comcast info, when I saw that they were playing 3 in a row alarms went off that maybe ratings aren't good and the contracted 5 seasons has been thrown out to end it all here in the 4th. And with the events in the last episode it seemed to seal this fate (had originally heard they would have a little moment to remember RD as she was hit by a truck, which obviously didn't happen, also at the end of every episode / season they had a sneak peek of waht would come next), Hope I am wrong

[Brenda]

Thank you to Animal Planet, Oxford Scientific and The Kalahari Meerkat Project for bringing a truely brilliant conclusion to a very controversial season! Watching Rocket Dog lead her family to safety was both gut wrenching and so heart warmingly inspirational that still to think of her struggle brings tears to my eyes. I consider myself lucky to have been able to wittness her triumph. I have been watching Meerkat Manor from the begining and this season has been wonderful! Although Ms. Channing was not warmly received, I believe she can rightfully consider herself a member of the mob! Thank you also to her, for bringing a voice to the Next Generation. I am so looking foreward to season 5!!

[Sara]

I love MM!! I can't wait for the next season. However, I have one question that has always bugged me: What do the Meerkat do with their dead? Do they eat them (like competing pups)? Do they just leave them to the vultures? Do they bury them? What?

TIA for any info anyone has to share about this!

[kelly]

I really enjoyed the last three episodes and I really like Stockard Channing's voice. I was glad they were all shown in one setting so I could get all my crying done at one time. : )
Though I wish the show was a bit more honest and at least put up at the end that RocketDog had later died. After reading the book, Meerkat Manor, I realized how much more goes on than can be shown in a 30 min show but thinking RocketDog survived and then finding out today that she really didn't is frustrating. But on the flip side if Sophie is the new leader I am thrilled. She is just my favorite, her loyalty to her family is amazing - she can teach us a lot. But I still miss Flower, Mozart, & Shakespeare.
And I wish that when a meerkat is talked about that follow up was done, like what happened to Wiley Kat???
I do hope that seasons continue to be shown as they teach adults and children alike what life is like for animals, which you can never see or know from a zoo.

[Jtutton]

I am still wondering why the last three eps were crammed into one night. Don't get me wrong, I loved having 90 minutes of meerkats! I just had hoped the season would last longer. Sigh.

I was disappointed in the made up pups of RDs but I was soooo pleased to see that she was shown as recovering from the snake bite. I have to admit it was hard to see her sweet face all swollen and I was bawling when we thought she was dead. I did see her feet twitching, though so I had hope.

Really wonderful camera work. AP portrayed RD is kind of a negative light most of the season but did show her to be a brave and caring leader in the finale.

I'm not really happy with Stockard as the voice of MM, but I think the episodes this season have closely (except for a few) followed the true life history.

Sigh, now the long wait for S5. At least last year they were already filming when the season ended. This year they haven't even begun.

[Pamela]

Has Animal Planet actually released info concerning Rocket Dogs death by car or the series not returning? I've looked all over the website but maybe I missed it. The show ending would be awful. I could watch these guys forever!

[Michelle]

I've really enjoyed watching MM. It saddens me to learn that after all of Rocketdogs bravery and hard work she was ran over by a car. Still, the wiskers will continue in the capable paws of Rocketdogs sister. I do hope that the series will continue next season.

[olgap]

I was relieved Rocket Dog suvived the puff adder, even though the headline was that she "...followed in Flower's footsteps." Then I found out here that even though she survived, she then got run over by a car, which saddens me. Why didn't that get shown or mentioned on the show? It took a long time for Rocket Dog to assume her leadership role, but I suspect Sophie will display it immediately & do well, like she already has.

I still miss Flower, my favorite of all time. I couldn't help but become became invested in her survival. I have to admit Mozart, the scappy survivor until she finally died, was also a favorite of mine.

Although I love Stockard Channing as an actress in almost every role she has played, I preferred Sean Astin's voice--maybe because I got so used to it in the first seasons of Meercat Manor--maybe because I thought he told the sotry better.

Like someone wrote above, Meercat Manor (& it's offshoot, The Next Generation) has become on of my favorite *Friday fixes*, so please continue to film more seasons or it! I love it!

[Eva]

I read online that says Rocket Dog is dead and thought it would be on tonight's season finale. I prepared myself for it, but when I saw the swollen head of hers, I couldn't stop crying! I basically cried through the entire episode! I'm very happy that she made it through the nasty bite, but I can't endure to see her death in the next season. I love her more and more by episode.

Brilliant episodes tonight! I can't wait for the next season even though Rocket Dog's death is imminent.

[Alexa]

Wow i was amazed that RocketDog survived she is like her mother and is a fighter. For Zorro i can't believe that he died by a hawk and sophie i think she would be a good leader like RocketDog and Flower but i like RocketDog but if something ever happened to RocketDog then I would pick Sophie as the next leader of the whiskers and i hate rita she killed Rocketdogs pups and i hope there is another season i really like this show please make another one i like this show:)

[Joy]

I'm so proud of Rocketdog. It took awhile but she turned out to be as great a leader as as her mother. My daughter and I just cried thru the whole last episode. But now that she's gone...who better to take care of the Whiskers....than Sophie....and maybe that rascal Wilson...if she can ever tame him. The way the naration sounded unfortunately....it sure sounded final...I hope not...I hope the fans can all band together and make the producers at least give us one more season....

[Rocket Dog lover]

hey when will mm start again does anybody know

[Holly]

My brother and I both very much have enjoyed all of the seasons of this show. That of Flower and Rocket dog's leadership. I was devastated about Flowers death but suprisingly even more so with Rocket dogs. I felt like I could relate to her situation.

If there is any proof anywhere that animals have love and feelings, Meerkat Manor does just that! And im proud to speak out about the show. Its just plain brilliant. The social structures within a Meerkat family are much deeper than I would have ever expected. People could learn a lot from them...

Please air a new season soon! Many people look forward to it including myself :)

[Dollface]

I cried when I saw Rocket Dog's swollen face...she was so brave to take on that snake to save her family. It was so sad when Rocket Dog's 2nd litter of pups were killed by Rita, but that was life in the Kalahari. I've always noticed that Rocket Dog was a kind meerkat, only evicting females when she really had to, only now she and her pups paid the price. But there is hope with Juno and the rest of Sophie's pups. Sophie was my 3rd favorite next to Mitch and RD, she's such a loyal and kind meerkat.

It was great that Rocket Dog made it! But awful that Zorro died. So many deaths during the last 2 episodes, I almost couldn't take it. :( :-)

Season 4 had been an amazing season. I loved it.

[tdevi]

These episodes were great.
What happened to Wiley Kat?
I was full of tears right when I saw the snake slither into the burrow. A snake always means bad news. But I still cried tears of joy for RocketDog's resilience. Brilliant, RocketDog! (Did she really die in April?)

Please don't let this be the end of the best show on television. Puh-puh-puhlease!

[Brandi]

Great end to the season. I was on needles waiting to see if Rocketdog truly followed in Flower's footsteps. Don't keep the suspense, how did Zorro die? Please keep the series going. This is my favorite show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!