About This Show
Prehistoric is a news/current affairs series airing on UK television.
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PrehistoricWashington DC is a programme presented as a single episode that takes viewers back to a time when the capital’s present‑day streets were anything but urban. The format is straightforward, focusing on a particular slice of natural history rather than following a narrative arc or featuring recurring characters. The episode highlights that, long before any monuments were erected, the land now occupied by Washington DC was once home to colossal dinosaurs weighing around 36 tons. These massive reptiles roamed the region, shaping the landscape long before humans set foot there. Their sheer size is underscored by the striking figure of thirty‑six tonnes, giving a clear sense of the scale involved. Equally impressive is the episode’s coverage of the ancient seas that once covered the area. It notes that about thirty different shark species inhabited those waters, among them the formidable megalodon. By naming the megalodon alongside the broader diversity of sharks, the programme conveys just how varied and powerful the marine life was in those prehistoric oceans. In sum, the episode juxtaposes the gigantic land‑dwelling dinosaurs with the equally massive marine predators, painting a picture of a region that was once dominated by both towering reptiles and fearsome sharks. It offers a concise yet vivid snapshot of the prehistoric world that once lay beneath what is now the nation’s capital.
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The programme uncovers that, around 13,000 years ago, the area now known as Chicago – famed for inventing the skyscraper – was once inhabited by massive prehistoric creatures. Their skeletal remains are still scattered throughout the city’s parks, offering tangible evidence of this ancient wildlife. The film walks viewers through several green spaces, pointing out fossilised fragments that have survived centuries of urban development. It highlights how these discoveries connect present‑day residents with a deep geological history that predates any human settlement. By exploring these sites, the documentary shows how the modern metropolis sits atop a landscape that once supported these enormous beasts, linking the city’s contemporary skyline to a far‑removed natural past.
The episode looks back to a time when the land that now hosts Washington DC was trampled by gigantic dinosaurs, some tipping the scales at about 36 tons. These massive reptiles roamed the region’s plains and forests, turning what’s today a bustling capital into a prehistoric wilderness. Their sheer size and presence reshaped the landscape, leaving traces that modern archaeology still seeks to understand. Below the surface, the surrounding waters were teeming with roughly thirty different shark species, the most fearsome being the colossal megalodon. This apex predator, alongside a diverse array of lesser‑known sharks, dominated the ancient seas, offering a vivid picture of a marine world far removed from today’s calm Potomac.