Netflix Is Shark-Attacking Discovery and Nat Geo This Summer

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Netflix, the great white shark of streaming, is wading into Discovery’s and Nat Geo’s waters.

Over the upcoming long weekend, National Geographic Channel introduces its 13th annual event, SharkFest, edging out Discovery Channel’s 37th Shark Week in the schedule. This summer, however, the redness in the water isn’t due to bait, but rather from a significant new contender: Netflix.

Netflix is king when it comes to television programming, so it’s no surprise that their new documentary, “Shark Whisperer,” which premiered on June 30th, has been making waves. This film follows Ocean Ramsey, a marine conservationist known for her unusual and sometimes contentious methods – like swimming with massive sharks for extended periods. The latest underwater documentary by James Reed, the Academy Award-winning director of “My Octopus Teacher,” has been keeping pace among Netflix’s top 10 films since its release.

Shark Whisperer isn’t just Netflix’s top shark show for the summer; in fact, it’s not their sole offering for this week either. There are other shark-themed programs airing on Netflix as well.

On the 4th of July, Netflix introduced a brand-new competitive series titled “All the Sharks“. Unlike Shark Week, it’s not the sharks competing directly; instead, the show features four groups of shark specialists trying to capture images of various shark species within a specified timeframe. The team that successfully photographs the most types wins $50,000 for their chosen marine charity.

As SharkFest approaches, there’s a chance America might be oversaturated with sharks. Exactly two weeks ago marked the 50-year anniversary of Jaws (on June 20, 1975) – since then, we’ve been inundated with an abundance of content related to the most iconic shark show ever. Can people handle any more? National Geographic is betting that the answer is “an additional 25 hours”.

The SharkFest event begins on July 5 with “Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory” and ends on July 13 with “Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator”. However, the main event of SharkFest 2025 is… none other than “Jaws”.

As a dedicated admirer, I must confess that “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story” truly lives up to its name. This captivating account is endorsed by none other than Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and offers exclusive archival footage and insights from esteemed Hollywood directors, top shark researchers, and conservationists, as declared by National Geographic. And if that’s not enough, the man who turned great white sharks into cinematic terrors for millions worldwide – apart from the brave Ocean Ramsey – is also part of this compelling narrative.

On July 10th, the special event “Jaws @ 50” delves into the backstage turmoil and reveals how the movie initiated the summer blockbuster trend, sparked a fresh generation of filmmakers, and contributed to ongoing shark preservation efforts. However, it’s worth noting that Ramsey might disagree with the notion that Jaws played a role in shark conservation. (Ramsey could argue against any suggestion that Jaws had a positive impact on shark conservation.)

So, it’s that and about 23 hours of shows about real sharks.

Being a devoted fan, I’ve watched so much of the iconic “Jaws” and shows inspired by it that it feels like I’ve seen enough to fill a Greenland shark’s entire lifespan (Just look it up if you don’t know!).

Ramsey expressed to THR her gratitude for working with Netflix instead of mainstream media, which often exaggerates and sensationalizes sharks due to movies like “Jaws.” She was pleased to collaborate with a more modern platform that can reach a global audience and delve into the true nature of sharks beyond research, offering insights into their behavior in the water.

The extensive global influence of Netflix is significant in this context. Although shark fin soup is predominantly enjoyed in China, it’s important to note that people across various nations are capturing (or more accurately, taking the lives of) sharks in their own coastal areas to satisfy this global appetite for shark fins.

At SharkFest 2025, there are scheduled a total of 21 hours of content, which is more than what you’ll find during Shark Week 2025. Last year, National Geographic reported that viewers watched a staggering amount of over 69 million hours of SharkFest content across Disney+ and Hulu streaming platforms.

SharkFest positions sharks as the main focus of each tale. In collaboration with top experts, we gather groundbreaking research, unique behaviors, and previously unheard viewpoints, all while integrating captivating visuals of the ocean’s splendor,” said Janet Han Vissering, svp of development and production, to THR for this article. “This creates an event-sized programming dedicated to the great white shark, driven by science rather than sensationalism, debunking old misconceptions, and revealing the truth about their essential role in ocean health. We illuminate these often misunderstood predators while delivering fresh excitement annually.

(And I thought I made too many shark puns in this story.)

Shark Week continues to be a significant cultural touchpoint, largely due to its powerful brand identity and a 24-year lead in the market. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the most recent Shark Week attracted a total of 25 million viewers across Discovery Channel, Discovery+, and Max. In the demographic of adults aged 25 to 54, Shark Week 2024 occupied seven out of the top ten spots in Nielsen’s weekly rankings for ad-supported cable, excluding news and sports broadcasts.

The secret behind Shark Week’s long-lasting appeal and fame is its playful approach to the largest, most fearsome sea creatures. To put it another way, consider SharkFest as similar to Marine Biology (making Shark Whisperer feel like an AP Marine Bio course), while Shark Week feels more like having a substitute teacher in gym class.

During my assessment, it appears that Shark Week leans towards sensationalism, a point of contention for Ramsey. She mentions that the public might find it difficult to distinguish quality shark programming from the sensational ones. A significant portion of the popular content capitalizes on the unusual conflicts between humans and sharks. It’s important to note that this observation is hers, and it holds truth. Ramsey has shared that she was invited to participate in some of these shows but chose to withdraw when her concerns about the show’s message were disregarded.

Ramsey did not single out a network or program by name; she didn’t want to.

She expressed her desire to be part of a team, mentioning that she is highly cooperative. She also shared her intention to foster an environment where everyone works together to tackle conservation challenges, while remaining mindful of the nuances and maintaining a considerate approach.

Like, you know, Shark Whisperer.

Let’s delve further, though not quite as far as Ramsey who can stay underwater for 6.5 minutes, into the upcoming weeks’ schedule of basic cable shows featuring sharks instead.

In 2025, Shark Week gets underway by debuting “Dancing With Sharks” at 8 p.m. (Eastern and Pacific Time), with Tom Bergeron, a former host of “Dancing With the Stars,” as the host. This unique competition show features five divers who are trying to create an outstanding underwater performance involving sharks.

Or, more casually:

Shark Week kicks off in 2025 by premiering “Dancing With Sharks” at 8 p.m. on both the East and West Coasts, with Tom Bergeron of “Dancing With the Stars” fame hosting the event. This show is all about five brave divers attempting to choreograph a captivating underwater dance routine, you guessed it, with sharks!

In ‘Dancing with Sharks’, each unique shark displays its own special dance routines, from hammerheads to tigers and nurse sharks. If all contestants manage to reach the end, a champion will be chosen at the finale.

Over the coming week, you’ll find yourself immersed in a marathon of shark-themed programming spanning a total of 21 hours. Some intriguing moments to look forward to include the rather enigmatically titled “Great White Sex Battle” on July 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, which might not be as thrilling or unusual as its name suggests upon first glance.

For the very first time during Shark Week, great white sharks, both males and females, take part in a set of contests to find out which sex is the top predator in the seas near New Zealand’s coastline,” as stated in the news announcement.

Well, I guess it could’ve been called “The Great White Battle of the Genders” instead of its current title. Just saying!

And then there is my personal favorite, Jaws vs Mega Croc (9 p.m. ET/PT).

In recently conducted experiments, researchers Tristan Guttridge, Rosie Moore, and Dr. Sora Kim create a computer-generated imagery (CGI) depiction of a fierce battle between two powerful water-dwelling predators: the Great White Shark and the Nile Crocodile.

I say: Hell yes.

As a gamer, I’ve got my eye on the upcoming match-up based on the title and logline provided by THR. The oddsmakers at BetOnline have declared the shark as the clear favorite (-500), but they’re also warning us that water depth could shift those odds. Despite their hesitation, I’d jump at the chance to bet on the underdog – the Nile Crocodile – if they’d even post those longshot (+350) odds.

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2025-07-04 16:55