YMMV / Monsters Resurrected

• Common Knowledge: Some have called this series “the most inaccurate paleo-documentary ever made”, claiming that it regularly throws scientific facts out the window in favor of sensationalist nonsense. That is true…but only for the Spinosaurus episode. The other episodes certainly have several examples of Artistic License – Paleontology (like the scaly Deinonychus) and the presentation, which focuses squarely on the predators slaughtering everything in sight, certainly carried over into the rest, but the actual science was usually fairly up to date (at least for its time). It’s just that the Spinosaurus was handled so atrociously, it colored people’s perception of the entire series. Other shows, like Jurassic Fight Club, are far more consistent with ignoring and/or twisting paleontological evidence from its time.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Over the top reconstruction aside, science hasn’t been kind with the Spinosaurus depicted in the program. With more modern discoveries showing the creature as a piscivorous animal with likely aquatic adaptations, the Hollywoodesque Prehistoric Monster depicted in the series looks more outlandish and improbable the more we get to know the real creature.
• Narm: Oh so much.
  • For starters, when the Acrocanthosaurus snaps the neck of its prey, it makes the most cheesy-sounding, over-the-top stock cartoon "squish" sound effect imaginable. The fact that the prey's face turns to a permanent Dull Surprise enhances the effect.
  • The way the subjects are described as monsters can be quite absurd and tacky. The crowner has to be when they're shown in the 21st century attacking people like in a bad Syfy Original Movie.
  • The Spinosaurus episode, naturally. The series is so hellbent on making it the ultimate killing machine it makes it come as an over-the-top movie monster than a believable creature. As such, its scenes range from reasonably nightmarish to just plain ridiculous, including one especially egregious moment where the Spinosaurus instantly kills an adult Carcharodontosaurus by bitchslapping it.
• Never Live It Down: Just about every time it's mentioned, expect it to be about their infamously bad depiction of Spinosaurus.
• Nightmare Fuel: All the ridiculous Gorn. The scene where the Spinosaurus kills the Sarcosuchus by violently tearing its skin with its claws deserves an special mention.
• Signature Scene: Inevitably, the episode of the Spinosaurus became one for the entire series due to its absurd portrayal of the aforementioned animal, to the point is the one episode viewers likely remind from the program.
• Vindicated by History: It's hardly acclaimed, but thirteen years and counting on, you'll find more and more people willing to point out the positives in it. If nothing else, paleontology enthusiasts will give it points for steering clear of familiar faces like T. rex, Smilodon, raptors, and megalodon and giving the spotlight to more obscure but equally fascinating prehistoric predators (including introducing Acrocanthosaurus to a wider audience). It does help that there are more infamous docs even less redeemable out there to attract ire away from it.

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