Tonight nostalgia has descended upon me. Don't even really know why.

As I read many of these posts on all of the boards, I can't help but think back to the early days of Meerkat Manor. Season 1 began June 6, 2006; no long wait to Season 2 as with Seasons 3 & 4. It was shown September 2006.

OMG That wondrous magical feeling we *elders" felt. The tears and anger we voiced at the disappearance of our adored Shakespeare. When this beloved meerkat did not appear in Season 2, the lines were drawn in the sand. There has never truly been a resolution of the ever present question "Where is Shakespeare? The bumper sticker is still on my car.

Then there was Youssarian. Slightly befuddled, but always loveable Youssarian. Always wanted to grab him & plant a big smooch on the top of his head. Why do I think there was more going on behind those beautiful eyes than he was given credit for? Loveable & quite the rover; father of many of today's dominants with our Flower.

So in remembrance of those Good Ole Days and some light and maybe laughable reading...

There are names here we all know; there are names here that we have not seen since Oct 31, 2007 the night the great new Flash format went live, but here, they are heard once again, and still in memory, at least mine.

Not much has changed, we were diggers then, we are diggers now. And much of what you read here has come into existence.

*Uncle Youssy Lovers*

Isn't that all of us?????????????????
Here is some more information on Uncle Youssy & the Vivian mob from The Meerkat Database.

"Current mob: Whiskers
Native mob: Vivian
Gender: male
Date of birth: 9 December 1998
Mother: Vivian, Father: Phoenix
Littermates: Zaphod
Meerkat Manor character: Youssarian

From his mighty mother Vivian, Yossarian must have inherited his aptitude for dominance - but where did he get his knack for a little mischief from?

Yossarian was named after the hero of Catch 22, a war novel by Joseph Heller. Rumours go that he almost died when he was a pup: he escaped a raptor’s talons just in time - only the scar above his left eye stays to tell the tale… Yossarian joined Whiskers in June 2001 as part of a powerful rover gang, together with his brother Zaphod. And since then, he concentrated on the manly things in life: fighting for power and womanizing. Yossarian was Whiskers’ dominant male alongside Flower for more than a year, but he’s also one of the most active rovers in the reserve

yllohc
Senior Member

Registered: 10-04-06 Posted 01-02-07 07:52 AM

It took a while but I finally found that database. I hope that they get that up and really running soon.

You know if Yousarian was the dom male in 2001-2002 then it is possible that Tosca could have been his offspring. Wish we could find out what members are his

bellethekat
Senior Member

Registered: 12-09-06 Posted 01-02-07 08:57 AM

Thanks so much for posting this! It certainly answers a lot of questions, at least for this uncle youssy lover!

ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-02-07 12:32 PM

If the following is correct and I have no reason to think it is not, but of course no one ever will really know until the geneology study is complete, then ELLA (TOSCA)'s mother is called LADY DAY(FLOWER)

But who is Daddy...guess we will have to wait & see

From the Google search..."Ella the Meerkat"

"The 13 half hour Meerkat Manor films have been broadcast on Animal Planet and are due to be shown on BBC2 in 2006. A 50 minute Natural World film called Ella, A Meerkat's Tale based on the story of one of the members of the group we filmed was shown on BBC2 in December 2005. A second series of Meerkat Manor is currently in production."

"Yes, you saw a much condensed version of the 13 episodes that are repeatedly being shown on Animal planet.

In the Animal planet version that story was done over about 13 episodes and some of the meerkat names were changed (Tosca being called Ella on the BBC, etc). It was a great series and I didn't think twice about transferring in from my PVR's hard disk to DVD. "

There are many sites discussing this topic. And yes many names were changed and many meerkat characters were borrowed.

Remember this is just a TV show.....one I love dearly, but there is much to learn about the "real" meerkats. it is actually surpising to me that so many of the same characters returned in Season 2 since the meerkat is somewhat unpredictable, as we know in trying to understand what happened to Shakes. I wonder who we can look forward to returning in Season 3?

youssy
Senior Member

Registered: 10-24-06 Posted 01-02-07 01:15 PM

Yay!!!! Thanks for the Youssarian info!!!! I missed his birthday The link to the site does not work.
ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-02-07 01:41 PM

Try this one

I just copied/paste and it worked.

Do we know if Ella A Meerkat's Tale will be shown on AP in the USA. I know it was shown in Germany the beginning of Dec. or did I miss it?


ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-02-07 06:20 PM

I have been thinking about how Zaphod was able to take over from Youssarian as dominant male with Flower. After reading the description of Uncle Youssy as being "...one of the most active rovers in the reserve." "...a womanizer" I think I have the answer...well it is a thought.

We know he continues to rove now as one of the Three Amigos, Youssy, Big Will & Mitch, so I bet he roved back then when he was Flowers alpha male. Flower had too much pride to put up with that for long.

I have come to the conclusion that Flower had enough of her roving mate and kicked him out of her burrow!
Then she turned to true blue always faithful Zaphod, who has never left her side...

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-02-07 08:23 PM Yo

Can I throw a meerkat wrench in?

There's a litter born in 03 that was not fathered by Zaphod or Youssarian.

So Flower can give as good as she gets. If her two hunky brothers went roving for a bit then she found herself a new rover.

Well, it does keep the gene pool interesting.

I'm not sure about that old Kalahari database, they may have given up on it. And with all the confusion, filming, shinnagins and roving who could blame them.

Also there is an Ella Whiskers born Aug 05. I believe her name was changed for MM. She may be Mango or Chutney.

Pronker


ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-02-07 08:51 PM Good for Flower. Maybe that was between brothers or Zaphod spent far too much time scent marking the perimeter of their territory. What do you expect a lady to do in times of need? Which of the pups came from this uh union?

It is so convoluted with all the different names between Meerkat Manor, the researchers names and the different names from different counties. Boy anybody here see it in Asia or Australia?

Must keep somebody busy nite & day....Go Youssy!

How many Ellas are there?

This is from International Catalgue on the Ella who is Meerkat Manor's Tosca(maybe). It is the "Redemption" part that interests me. I have never seen it.

"Ella is a young meerkat, the eldest daughter of Lady Day; the tyrannical leader of their group. Ella has an idyllic life within the security of her family until she breaks the golden rule of meerkat life and falls pregnant. The birth of her three sons, Django, Max and Charlie, brings her into conflict with her mother and sets in motion a chain of events which could have fatal consequences for her and her pups. The story covers her struggle to keep herself, and her sons, alive. The film follows the dramatic twists of her life; a den move results in the death of little Charlie, Django is attacked by one of Lady Day's pups, a huge pitched battle with their rival family threatens the whole group, she is evicted from the group and, when all seems lost, she finds a final redemption. "

zaphodstheman
Senior Member

Registered: 10-04-06 Posted 01-02-07 09:05 PM I agree Ccatz. The "Final Redemption" part is most interesting. It gives some hope that Tosca made it through the winter. That's what we are all hoping for.

Animal Planet....we want this program!!!!!!


shakespearmotzartlover101
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-02-07 09:41 PM wasn't Izit their littermate too?

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-02-07 10:15 PM Yo 101

Izit is not a littermate of Youssarian and Zaphod but he is a brother, just not in the same litter.

Now if Charlie, Django and Max are Yogu, MaryPat and McMurphy, then one of them is dead, according to that story. And I have all of Tosca's pups from her second litter alive. Do you think MaryPat could have been Charlie? Your guess is as good as mine. We haven't seen much of her.

ccatz, I think Jeanette may have seen this show. I know Mel did not get to see it, then again the German version may have more different names. Oh, sigh...

Pronker

atillahon
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-03-07 05:12 AM

Crikey-Between this post and the one on litter mates I have to wonder if maybe they shouldn't have just given them numbers!

zaphodstheman
Senior Member

Registered: 10-04-06 Posted 01-03-07 08:38 AM

Atillahon,

That might have been easier in some ways, but think of all the interesting posts we would miss out on.

Besides, if they all had numbers this board might resemble more of a math class than anything else, and I don't know about any of you, but there is no way I am rolling out of bed and having my first cup of coffee of the day, and then going on line to this website just to do long division or algebra.
Ignored post by zaphodstheman posted 01-03-07 08:38 AM Show Post

pancakeluvr
Senior Member

Registered: 10-12-06 Posted 01-03-07 08:44 AM Then I wouldn't be pancakeluvr. It wouldn't have the same panache!

But I certainly understand why atillahon said it.


ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-03-07 06:06 PM Pancakeluvr, I think maybe you should sit down. I do not know how to break this to you gently.

There is no meerkat by the name of Pancake on the Lazuli family tree. As per Jeanette she and her pups are but a number. I guess this is another instance of Meerkat Manor deciding on a name.

I think she should keep it forever. Someone just has to write it down in the Big Book.
Ignored post by ccatz posted 01-03-07 06:06 PM Show Post

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-03-07 06:58 PM Yo

But have no fear, all the meerkats do have numbers, so Pancake would be something like

LSF016

The researchers would know which Lazuli female had pups by Youssarian or WSM018.

It's just easier for the viewer to identify her as Pancake. I'm sure she has another name, quite a few of them do.

It's so confusing and I can see no good reason for it when the kats already had names and numbers. Sigh...

Pronker

eruth66
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-03-07 09:23 PM You are right Pronker this is confusing. I'm not sure I know who is who now.
I sure hope when and if they get that web site with the Whiskers family tree that is clear and not confusing.

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-03-07 09:35 PM Yo eruth

It isn't clear at all. Trying to make a family tree out of this would take a forest just for the Whiskers.

I think that is why it is taking so long.

I do wish they would update and add to that Kalahari meerkat data base. It's a nice design although it does not really show relationships and pups etc. We do need a family tree chart.

Perhaps ccatz is right when she mentioned a confidentiality agreement and so the researchers cannot respond by showing a family tree.

Pronker

pancakeluvr
Senior Member

Registered: 10-12-06 Posted 01-04-07 06:51 AM I know there is a Pancake and her pups, at least on Meerkat Manor.

As a matter of fact the entire world knows there is a Pancake unless from what I have been reading in these posts, she is called something else in other countries


Pancake, Pancake Pancake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-04-07 06:04 PM pronker, do we have the names of the pups Flower had with the "rover"?

Do we know the "Rover"? Was it Carlos, maybe Sondheim? An unknown meerkat?

shakespearmotzartlover101
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-04-07 06:18 PM Maybe Magnus. he did try to catch he eye in one episode

atillahon
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-05-07 05:19 AM My Flower????!!!!...of course Youssarian was probably off to seek his fortune with other ladies. He is not a one woman guy. So until Zaphod asked for her paw....here comes this meerkat hunk and the rest is history.

But Flower, being the sensible woman she is, knows Zaphod is the right man for her and doesn't even give Youssarian a lingering look; however, this does not bode well for Pancake and Youssy to spend eternity together! Poor Pancake.
ccatz
Senior Member

Registered: 10-03-06 Posted 01-20-07 07:34 PM Speaking of "the now defunct meerkat database" do we know anymore about when it will go live?

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-20-07 10:14 PM Yo ccatz

Nope. No "live" date. The Whiskers info is just a small part of the site (as you can imagine) and just inputting that data would take a while.

My guess is there are bugs and more bugs to work out.

Pronker

atillahon
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-22-07 04:47 AM Well, then, give us the Whiskers, or can't they make heads or tails of that either? It is a puzzlement!

pronker
Senior Member

Registered: 09-30-06 Posted 01-22-07 10:09 PM Yo atillahon

I think the problem is there are too many heads and tails that AP has renamed. I don't think the project wants AP to look bad so its a touchy situation.

The website is afterall for the researchers mostly. The public side of it was going to have info on the Whiskers mob, sort of a fan page for them, and general info on meerkats, a FAQ questions and answers.

And a place to ask a researcher a question about meerkats. I hope they keep that because it would be a great resource for all of us.

I don't think the database was meant for public viewing and most of the site will be password protected.

Sigh. I was told not to reveal things so I can't folks. It's as simple as that. We just have to hope that MM has such an impact that they will want to expand the Whiskers fan section.

I'm as anxious as all of you to see and learn more.

Pronker

atillahon
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-23-07 05:09 AM pronker have you been to the spoiler section? There is a post, by one of our great "diggers", attributed to one of the prominant researches, who is named, that he does not know anything about a family tree database being setup

Huh??????????????????????

eruth66
Senior Member

Registered: 10-27-06 Posted 01-23-07 10:32 AM I wish they would open up all the information for us. I don't see what the big secret is. Unless they plan to tell us on Meerkat Manor and want to surprise us.
I think Tom Flower might know more than Alex Thorton does about the show. Alex Thorton told me he doesn't have anything to do with the show, he just a researcher.

meerkatking
Member

Registered: 01-22-07 Posted 01-23-07 04:13 PM Hey Eruth66,

I found a very useful website. It is called http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting=%7B0B9FE8C1-1A5D-4F69-8100-168366FE9600%7D

COPY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meerkatking,

Did anyone really make it this far?

Congratulations!

Ccatz,
It's nice to see posts by people like Pancakeluver, Attilahon, and Zaphodstheman again. I miss them and wish they would come back here!
As one of the few regular posters here longer than a year, I'm starting to feel like one of the elders now.

I think we lost a lot of burrow mates when we wanted to celebrate the anniversary of Flower's passing and a certain burrow mate went absolutely ballistic. To all those that we have lost, please, please come back!

Ccatz,

Thanks for the glipmse into a period before I joined the forum. It was very entertaining. I often regret that I did not "discover" Meerkat Manor until Season 3.

Perhaps Season 4 and the Meerkat Manor movie will encourage some past contributors to return.

I remember the "good old days" when every week I would hope they'd focus on Youssarian. (I guess you can tell from my name he's my all-time favorite). It was always exciting wondering what he'd be up to next. I miss him. I keep hoping he'll show up again someday.

so thats what it was like i joined not to long ago and i may only be a child but i'm here and i'm staying until as long as i can it's becoming harder and harder my parent are very close to a divorse but thats anthor story and i don't want to talk about it and i may hang out with noodles and watchy and hannah and the rest of those but at least you can know there is a whole new generration after you just can't come on anymore but me and my friends are the next generation here remember that and i wish youssarian would come back with his own group and be studied and all the meerkats who left i wish would come back with a big group

So sorry about everything Wilson, but you know what, being an *elder* is not a matter of age or the next generation.

Some of the *Elders* are pups just like you, think of Youssy. It just means we have been here since June 2006 & on. After Season 4 you will be an *elder* to pup& adults who are new to Meerkat Manor.

I think we will all be together as long as there is a Meerkat Manor.

And boy, no one wants Uncle Youssy to come back more than I do. As a matter of fact we all do.

Yes, SG, we do miss them. ZTM does drop by every now & them so he is not totally lost to the chat.

A toast to their meerkat spirits....

A lot of people are in other forums (they are so many...) discussing the meerkats. They are still interested. They visit this forum from time to time.

Hey Wilson, I raised two kids AD (after divorce) and they survived. You will as well.

Wilson, an afterthought. Please, please, please seek counseling if you feel you need it.

Ccatz,
Thank you fr sharing those emails...I love nostalgia, and wish I knew of this forum back in '06. I have been watching the show from the beginning but never knew this forum existed. As far as the internet, I was behind the times. None of my friends or family took an interest in the show like I did, so I would watch and wonder (all by myself) what was going to happen next. It wasn't until Flower died and I was all alone in my grief that I started searching AP so I could write in and express my sorrow; I think that was the case for a lot of us. I am so grateful for the invention of the internet, what would we do now w/o it?
Alyse

I think like you say alyse928 that IS true of most of us.

When Shakespeare was bitten by the puff adder, not knowing whether he would live or die, then at Season 1's end, when we thought he was killed in the burrow, AP promised us news of Shakes in Season 2, but our CL Shakes didn't show up in Season 2. It was then I went searching for a place to express both grief & anger at AP. I arrived here via the Internet.

You have found burrow mates that understand & feel the same way... a meerkat homecoming!

Hello Everyone,

Sorry about the disappearing act again. I normally don't do a lot of anything extra in the area of recreation between Ash Wednesday and a few weeks after Easter. That's my really hectic time of year, which was complicated by a confirmation retreat, putting on a Christian Seder Meal (which was fun), and being sick for almost two months. (What a winter)

So that's been my life for the past few months. Thanks for keeping me in mind. And thanks for the walk down memory lane Ccatz, I wish everyone who posted on the Uncle Youssie (I personally prefer the IE ending to the Y, no offense) could and would post again. Sometimes that doesn't always happen though, which is sad.

Now, seeing as I was out of the loop for so long, I NEED TO KNOW...who went ballistic over commemorating Flower's passing and where can I go to find those threads, or were they deleated? I need to know Bischonmom.

Hang in there Wilson...very close to divorce is not divorced. If it does happen, be strong and don't get pulled into the middle of it. Also remember, the problem is not you, so you can't be the solution either. Your parents need to work things out for themselves. Just a few words of advice from one who has had to try to help way too many families avoid that outcome.

And one last thought...am I an "Elder"? I'm way too young at heart for that...

Cheers,
ZTM

Welcome back ZTM.
I still have a cold (but not so nasty to stop me from posting).

Yes ZTM, it is nice to see some of the older posters. I always miss your posts, you had a real way of making zaphod and company really vivid.

Remember the zaphod VS series?

ZTM, so sorry to hear you've been sick. So many of my meer friends have been struck down, and it is a long difficult recovery.

If any one wants to know what it was like in the old days, go to page 1 of the Spoiler, and read your way forward. Then go to page 1 of Talk About Meerkat Manor and read your way forward.

Let's see, Elders = time on forum.

ccatz 10/3/06, ZTM 10/4/06 hmmmmm! You are the "younger" Elder.

Welcome back ZTM..... .

Hey ZTM and I joined on the same day.

Welcome back ZTM. Wow you have been out of the loop a long time if you missed the Flower memorial postings.

Hi Zaph,
Glad to hear from you. Sorry you were ill for so what a bummer! Hope nothing serious.

Can't say as to who went ballistic, but check on the Spoiler for references to Flower's anniversary celebration.

Hope all is well now

Thanks for the warm welcome back everyone.

I was sick with cold/flu off and on most of the winter. I visit a number of people who live in nursing homes and that's where the really nasty viruses are. So I got feeling better, would go visit someone, and get sick again. But am feeling much better now.

Bischonmom, I did a little digging but couldn't find anything. Too bad, it can be fun to read a good hissy fit over a cup of coffee, provided you don't laugh at the wrong time and spray the screen, which is a waste of fine coffee.

It is fun every now and then to go back and look at posts from '06. A lot of things have changed and people left (Some of us have to go off roving from time to time.) but I am always grateful for the new posters who breath new life into the forum with their points of view. The nice thing is it doesn't seem to take long for new posters to become "elder" posters and part of the burrow. That's what makes this place special.

Yllohc- Isn't it nice to know that no matter how "elderly" we may feel on a given day, Ccatz is always one day older!?

Time to go looking for a hissy fit again. If i can't find one maybe I will pitch one in the near future. Let's see.... "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE ARE 87 DIFFERENT MEERKATS WHO PLAY MITCH?????? THERE'S ONLY ONE TRUE MITCH YOU KNOW!!!!!! " Aaaahhhhh, that's better! A nice warm up to a true internet meltdown...

Originally posted by zaphodstheman

[quote]Yllohc- Isn't it nice to know that no matter how "elderly" we may feel on a given day, Ccatz is always one day older!?[/quote]

Good One zaphodstheman! Lol


Eruth

Ccatz,
Thank you; I really do feel like I have friends here at this forum. I do not know anyone around me who loves this show or meerkats in general the way I do, so when I am thinking a/b these beloved beings, I log on to the MM site and read what you all have to say, and share my feelings and emotions as well. It is such a blessing that this forum is here. We all share this connection, this bond for these beautiful creatures. I had never gone on or been part of a chat site until MM, and now I get why people belong them; they can heal a broken heart and bring a little joy to your day; you can have a safe place to share your common feelings. I just wish these little guys would live longer. God bless Zaphod, he is the anchor for me now.
I think I will go back and read some of the old posts!