An episode that head-on addresses the big taboo of putting dinosaurs and cavemen together in the same show, The Discovery is a metaphor for 1492 and colonization. In the process, the cavemen become the stand-ins for Native Americans, which gets into potential politically and socially dicey territory. The TV show Cavemen (of Geico genesis) derogatorily equated cavemen with black people. Yet The Discovery doesn't get that offensive; to the extent that the cavemen are referred to as savages in this episode, it's mainly by bigoted dinosaurs who don't understand the depth of the humans' civilization. As well, it should be noted that humans, as a whole species, are indeed a savage animal.
The plot follows Earl as he hits a golf ball over the trees and discovers a completely new territory. Wesayso and the ruthless Mr. Richfield intend to develop it, on the understanding Earl gets to name everything after himself. The episode becomes a parable about egotism and wanting to be remembered, and of course Christopher Columbus had a lot of territory named after himself.
We all remember Columbus too, often with scorn now. That becomes the opposite side of the coin. The episode gives its take on the colonization in a neat little package, with plenty of laughs. And shock, in this episode the cavemen actually speak. The ending gets a little convenient but then wraps up on some sly references.
The plot follows Earl as he hits a golf ball over the trees and discovers a completely new territory. Wesayso and the ruthless Mr. Richfield intend to develop it, on the understanding Earl gets to name everything after himself. The episode becomes a parable about egotism and wanting to be remembered, and of course Christopher Columbus had a lot of territory named after himself.
We all remember Columbus too, often with scorn now. That becomes the opposite side of the coin. The episode gives its take on the colonization in a neat little package, with plenty of laughs. And shock, in this episode the cavemen actually speak. The ending gets a little convenient but then wraps up on some sly references.
