Chimp Empire is the new documentary series by James Reed (My Octopus Teacher), narrated by Mahershala Ali. The series is divided into four episodes with an average runtime of 45-50 minutes each.
Who Narrated Chimp Empire?
Mahershala Ali narrates the documentary series Chimp Empire, through the course of four episodes. The Academy Award-winning actor (Moonlight, Green Book) lends his meticulous voiceover to the epic set of events that take place in the kingdom of Ngogo chimpanzees. Moreover, the visual backdrop of the series complements Ali’s heavy baritone, which creates surreal imagery of the chimp war.
What happened to Jackson and Abrams rivalry?
The two leading alphas of the show, Jackson and Abrams were fierce rivals right from the start of the series. At first, Jackson gets introduced as the leader of the largest chimpanzee group in Ngogo. Followed by his corrupt and power-induced traits, including the custom of not sharing a large chunk of food with the tribe members (Apart from his muscleman Miles and a handful of others).
The revolting attitude of Abrams did not fit well with the powerful corrupt leader, as he perceived him as a possible threat to his position. Moreover, even though Abrams was against Jackson’s rule of law, the young and steady chimp did not attack him in his prime. It is only towards the end of the third episode that Abrams joins forces with Wilson, to take down an injured Jackson.
The alpha male faces a strong fightback from the western tribe, which leaves him wounded (something that is considered a sign of weakness for an alpha). Furthermore, after the short yet fierce battle, Jackson faces another showdown in terms of internal retaliation.
The attack puts Jackson in his place and also leaves a layer of doubt over his succession. The entire tribe glares over the defeated and weak chimp, who ceases to be the strongest member of the group. Furthermore, this shameful encounter also leads Miles to withdraw his support to the alpha, which comes as another setback for Jackson.
However, with his political moves (and a supposed threat from the western tribe), Jackson is able to secure the support of Abrams towards the last episode. The alpha makes sure to forge an alliance with his internal enemy, in order to confront the external one (perhaps one of the smartest points in the show).
Eventually, as fate would have it, Jackson succumbs to his grave injuries at last. The alpha male rose to the top spot of the largest chimpanzee group and stayed as the foremost leader for six years. In the end, it was not his powerful stature that defined his legacy, but his eight (and a possible ninth) offsprings.
Notably, the series ends on this fulfilling note and doesn’t provide complete clarity of Abrams’s succession. And even though the odds remain in his favour, the politics of Ngogo chimpanzees might prevent him from replacing Jackson.
Also Read: Chimp Empire Review: Ruthless Politics of Ngogo’s Jungle