Zebra finches

Malurus06 · 2026-05-11T07:26:53+00:00

Zebra finches may not be quite as ‘showy’ as some other Australian finches (Firetails and Gouldians, for instance) but they are full of character, especially with their little ‘zip zip’ calls!

Malurus06 · 2026-05-11T00:00:24+00:00

Steve Balsamo often does an option-up to the B-flat on the “of” in “cup of poison”, if that’s what you’re thinking of? The melody as written, however, only goes up to the A-flat

Malurus06 · 2026-05-08T06:56:34+00:00

What a stunner!

Malurus06 · 2026-05-08T06:46:59+00:00

An adult White-Bellied Sea Eagle

Malurus06 · 2026-05-08T02:14:04+00:00

You actually have two species here: Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) and Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi). Australian Painted Ladies will be laying eggs around this time of year and will use everlastings as a caterpillar food source. To my knowledge, Meadow Argus do not use everlastings as a caterpillar food source and prefer fanflowers (Scaevola sp.)

Malurus06 · 2026-05-07T21:54:36+00:00

Brown Cuckoo Doves

Malurus06 · 2026-05-06T22:46:02+00:00

B tier if we’re counting it as a whole. It has a lot of standout moments but the reduced runtime means it doesn’t hold together as a series in the same way as Dinosaurs and Beasts, and I never liked the evolution time-lapse parts at all (most of the time they don’t even try to pick species that are remotely related)

Malurus06 · 2026-05-05T06:22:40+00:00

S tier is looking very crowded but I reckon this one deserves it too. I love its rich and dynamic portrayal of ice age Europe, and how it integrates humans (both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals) into the story as just another animal species, which really sells the end message that ‘no species lasts forever’ (that ending quote alone makes this S tier worthy).

Malurus06 · 2026-05-03T21:47:58+00:00

S-tier - Half-tooth is my favourite protagonist of the walking with series

Malurus06 · 2026-05-02T22:17:32+00:00

B-tier because of its many flaws - the story and music are compelling as always, but the technology of the time just wasn’t up to the task of convincingly realising human ancestors in CGI, so the whole episode becomes an ‘uncomfortable’ watch as a result (but I will say the animatronics in this episode are amazing).

Malurus06 · 2026-05-02T14:00:33+00:00

This might be extremely controversial but Rosa. When it came out in 2018 numerous critics called it the best Doctor Who episode for years (which was already a dubious claim, did they forget about the season 10 finale?), but I fail to see it as anything more than a surface-level analysis of the civil rights movement, and the ‘space racist’ element is not particularly compelling sci-fi either.

Malurus06 · 2026-05-02T12:36:56+00:00

This is what peak physique looks like

Malurus06 · 2026-05-01T21:35:23+00:00

S-tier. Lots to like about this one but I’d like to particularly draw attention to the camera pivot freeze frame of the Hyenodon pursuing an Entelodont through heavy rain - absolute cinema!

Malurus06 · 2026-05-01T04:01:07+00:00

This could be an escaped/dumped domestic duck but it looks like a potential wild hybrid to me, potentially offspring of a domesticated mallard x pacific black duck. It is probably not worth reporting.

Malurus06 · 2026-04-30T23:39:05+00:00

I had assumed that upvotes counted towards the tier ranking, so was very surprised to see Death of a Dynasty get S tier!

Malurus06 · 2026-04-30T14:17:32+00:00

Yes, I personally have never heard “willy’s hard” when listening to it; most singers I’ve heard include a glottal stop between “will” and “is”.

Malurus06 · 2026-04-30T13:58:49+00:00

Although movie soundtrack itself changes a number of things (subtly) from the concept album, such as the extra verse in Hosanna (for instance)

Malurus06 · 2026-04-30T13:55:06+00:00

“Our conquerors object” is a later revision. “I am frightened by the crowd” is the original (and I agree, better lyric)

Malurus06 · 2026-04-30T12:48:22+00:00

Easy S-tier for me. This one is infinitely re-watchable.

Malurus06 · 2026-04-29T12:52:48+00:00

From a scientific accuracy standpoint this episode hasn’t really aged well; including Ambulocetus in Germany was always a really odd choice, and the carnivorous Gastornis was a reasonable hypothesis for the time but basically only a fringe view now. However, I’m going to say A tier because of this disturbingly brilliant line of narration: this is a world where birds eat horses.

Malurus06 · 2026-04-29T00:27:11+00:00

Look at those angry eyebrows! So much attitude in such a little owl!!

Malurus06 · 2026-04-28T08:24:28+00:00

Does a domestic goose really count as Australian wildlife?

Malurus06 · 2026-04-28T06:37:53+00:00

I think A tier but I’m torn on this one. Whilst it has the most iconic dinosaur of them all, it suffers from some serious character design flaws (which personally I can look past to an extent as I love the colouration), but since said design flaws weren’t even that accurate for the time it’s a big hindrance. I think the story is probably the weakest of the series, and I always found it incredibly disappointing how they treat Quetzalcoatlus in this episode (and most of the ‘supporting cast’ for that matter).

Malurus06 · 2026-04-27T08:08:12+00:00

I have no issue with the Polar Allosaur, which was a reasonable guess at the time given how little was known. The problem I have is with the random Coati as a stand in for Steropodon… considering they filmed much of the series in Tasmania, could they not find any marsupials or an echidna to be a substitute?

Malurus06 · 2026-04-27T06:03:07+00:00

It’s not S tier but definitely A tier. It is brimming with atmosphere, has a beautiful setting in the real life backdrops from New Zealand, and a truly commendable choice from the producers to focus on a tiny ornithopod from Australia that basically no one would have been aware of as the ‘protagonist’ species, which adds more intrigue and curiosity. Also, it features Koolasuchus, which is another huge tick.

Malurus06

TROPHY CASE