Prehistoric

The series delves into the prehistoric world that existed beneath the modern streets of New York City, tracing the ancient environment that once covered the area now occupied by the metropolis. It reveals that mammoths, sea scorpions and dinosaurs once roamed this landscape, populating the region long before human settlement.

New York is a television programme presented as a single episode. As part of a broader series, this instalment zeroes in on a specific place – the modern metropolis of New York City – and aims to give the audience a sense of its deep‑time background. It adopts a straightforward style, presenting facts without dramatisation, and keeps the focus on the land itself. The episode turns its lens on the prehistoric era that once covered the ground now occupied by the city. It reveals that massive mammals such as mammoths, ancient marine arthropods often called sea scorpions, and a variety of dinosaurs all once roamed what is today the urban landscape. Viewers are shown how these animals moved across plains, coastlines and river valleys that later shaped the city's geography. By charting these ancient inhabitants, the programme paints a picture of a vastly different environment, where towering beasts and strange sea creatures shared the terrain that would eventually become one of the world’s most famous urban centres. The segment also hints at the climatic conditions that would have supported such a diverse assemblage of life. The narrative stays focused on illustrating how these prehistoric species populated the area, offering viewers a glimpse of the natural world that existed long before skyscrapers rose, and reminding us that today’s city rests upon layers of ancient life. In doing so, it connects the ancient ecosystems to the modern metropolis, underscoring the deep continuity beneath the city's streets.