Hey everyone – and welcome to another article on The Jurassic Park Podcast. Today is our SPOILER deep-dive into Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous Season 4. In this article we will explore some of the most interesting moments which I feel were present throughout this season.
We have a lot to delve into and talk about here – and we will reference things referenced throughout the entirety of Season 4, so click off now if you do not wish to be spoiled. Still here? Good – let’s dive in!
I wanted to start this article by getting the biggest sticking point for me out of the way – and that is the science and the technology which Mantah Corp are capable of utilizing in the fourth season of the show. The quadrupedal robot drones referred to as the ‘BRADs’ were pushing the boat out a little bit too far for me in terms of believable technology in the Jurassic universe, so the introduction of the BRAD-X units really pushed this over the edge for me. I understand that the intention here was to introduce Mantah as this genuine, technologically advanced threat, but the amount of futuristic technology here felt at odds with the more grounded nature we’ve come to expect from the Jurassic franchise. I appreciate that the writers were attempting to do new things here, but this feels tonally a lot more like Westworld than Jurassic Park.
With this initial surface level of extreme technology and goofy set pieces chipped away at, the rest of the story here is really strong in my opinion. The idea that rival biogenetics companies are scavenging animals from places like Isla Sorna and Isla Nublar makes a lot of sense, as I can imagine there would be a huge scramble when news broke that Jurassic World had fallen. This alone makes for a strong story – even if I wish we had seen more of Isla Sorna in this portion of the story. The other themes which are explored here are very eye-opening when we think about the current Jurassic universe. The idea of dinosaurs fighting each other for entertainment, and rich investors overseeing investment and acquisition of these animals is something which mimics the ending of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom very well. This gets me excited for the universe during Jurassic World Dominion, as this helps to paint a picture of some of the nefarious things which could be going on in this universe. We’ll go into more detail on another plot point later in this review, but it’s safe to say the story feels pretty strong here when you dig underneath the surface level moments.
I also think the Animals in this season were handled incredibly well – with some interesting new additions to the roster. The Kentrosaurus was a welcome new addition, with Pierce having some fun behaviors which showcased how differently Herbivores behave in different situations. The return of the Spinosaurus was very triumphant – with the animal behaving in the same aggressive way which we saw in Jurassic Park III. I really appreciated this as it made it feel consistent to the animal which we all know and love. The Saber-Toothed Tiger has an interesting introduction into the series, but it is killed off quite quickly and feels inconsequential when it comes to the overall storytelling here, although it does open the door to more animals being introduced in the future. The introduction of the Spinoceratops was a really cool idea in my opinion, as I think it makes sense that Mantah would want to create their own hybrid after seeing the Scorpios Rex during their reconnaissance on Isla Nublar. These animals were fun additions and make sense given that hybridization is unlikely to suddenly stop happening. Lastly, but by no means least, is the reveal of the Dilophosaurus – a dinosaur which we have wanted to see return for a long time. This was an awesome reveal and I love how aggressive and nimble these animals are depicted as within this show. It was a really cool reveal which made the final debut feel like it had some fantastic payoff.
There is a lot of character development in this season too – and I think a lot of this was handled incredibly well throughout the duration of Season 4. We get Kenji and Brooklynn entering a relationship and we can see this blossoming throughout the season – initially causing some tension with Darius before this is resolved. This development is overshadowed, in my opinion, by something which is far more pertinent – and that is characters like Yaz experiencing PTSD from the events which they experienced on Isla Nublar. I was really impressed that the writers of the show took the opportunity to explore mental health within this season given that this is not something which we often see touched on in the films. These events are incredibly traumatic, so seeing some time given to exploring the impact that events like these can have was a welcome change of pace and something which I really appreciated the writers including here. Doctor Mae Turner and Kash are also introduced with some decent development – helping to flesh out how Mantah Corp have a mixture of scientists and technicians hired to develop the groundbreaking technology we see them using in the show, although I would perhaps like to learn more about these characters in the future – something which I am hoping we get to explore in a fifth season of the show.
On the subject of characters, we have to talk about one character who is revealed during the fourth season of the show – and that is Kenji’s Dad. The final episode reveals that Kenji’s Dad is actually in charge of Mantah Corp – perhaps explaining why his dad spent so much time on Isla Nublar. It would seem as though all of his trips to the island alongside Simon Masrani were perhaps a secret intelligence gathering exercise, allowing him to learn more about the assets which InGen had created and steal research. This would explain why Kenji had seen the tunnels on Isla Nublar – as it is likely that his Dad was using them for a less than above-board reason. I thought this development was interesting, and I am excited to see what it means in. the future. We need to keep in mind that Kenji’s Dad likely thought he had died on Nublar but was still willing to exploit the island afterwards for his own gain – showing that this character is unlikely to be a positive influence in the show. Just how evil he may be remains to be seen, but we are excited to get to see more of his character when we get a fifth season of the show. We are also interested to see whether he is truly the man in charge of Mantah Corp – or if there is someone above him pulling the strings behind the scenes, too.
I think after touching on Kenji’s Dad, it is worth us touching on Mantah Corp as a whole – as this organization get some really interesting development throughout this season. It is stated that some of the assets which Mantah have on this island are stolen directly from Isla Sorna – which poses an interesting question given the fact that we know Sorna will be referenced within Jurassic World Dominion. Is it possible that Mantah Corp are working with Biosyn in the upcoming film? Or is it possible that Mantah are going to be an entirely separate part of the new film all together? Whichever it may be, it is interesting to see another large organization with multiple assets and advanced technology working to create and contain these dinosaurs. As InGen continues to crumble in the wake of the Jurassic World incident, it is interesting to think about where these additional organizations may factor in as they fight to fill the power vacum which is left by InGen. We’re hopeful that Mantah isn’t a purely Camp Cretaceous creation, as it would be awesome to see them pop up in other extended media in the future to see where they fit into the overarching universe which seems to be being built currently.
One of the more interesting things we see Mantah Corp participating in during this season is research into the Behaviour and Emotions of the Dinosaurs – something which feels right at home when compared to the IBRIS programme in the Jurassic World film, and also the work which is being undertaken in Jurassic World: The Live Tour. This is a really interesting connection to be able to make in my opinion, as it suggests that some of the work and research which InGen were doing may have been stolen by Mantah Corp as a basis for their own work, too. This poses a really interesting question in my opinion as it could suggest that Doctor Turner had worked with InGen at some point in the past – something which would add some cool depth to her character. It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that scientists and staff involved in the Jurassic World park would go and work for other organizations and companies in the wake of the Jurassic World incident, so I think that there is the potential for some kind of connection to be explored here in the future. Who knows what the future may hold for this new character!
The last thing I wanted to touch on is the fact that at one point during this Season, Darius is able to get a telephone call out to his brother – letting him know that he is still alive. He doesn’t get enough time to tell him where he is, but we can see that his brother now knows that he is alive, and he uses this as an opportunity to prepare to head out and rescue Darius from wherever he may be. This reinforces the idea that we will be returning to Isla Nublar in the fifth season as this is the last place where Darius’s family knew he was – so they will, presumably, assume that the call came from the island. This sets up for a potentially fun split-narrative in the fifth season, with Darius’s Brother piecing together the clues about what happened to the kids on Nublar whilst the story on the Mantah Corp Island continues simultaneously. This possibility has me excited as I am curious as to whether we could see Dave and Roxy return in the fifth season to help with a rescue mission on Isla Nublar. Only time will tell for certain, but this season opens some interesting doors for future potential storytelling which we can’t wait to explore.
To conclude – Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 4 explores some interesting themes and ideas which I think will be all the more relevant as we approach the release of Jurassic World Dominion. There are some interesting potential connections to other pieces of lore which we know and love, but the show never really solidifies these connections – with even the two Tyrannosaurus Rexes present from Isla Sorna never being fully explained. This series feels like it wants to connect a lot to the things we loved beforehand, but it struggles to stick the landing.
What saves it, in my opinion, is a fantastic focus on story which could have real ramifications for the modern-day Jurassic universe. Watch this series in the context of what could be going on now dinosaurs are in the wild and I think you’ll get some enjoyment out of it. I know I am very excited to see how this cliffhanger is resolved in a fifth season of the show. Let us know your thoughts on the fourth season in the comments below, and stay tuned for more news, reviews and much more on all things Jurassic in the near future!
Written by:
Tom Jurassic