Underdogs isn’t here to glorify the lion. It’s here to explain why a manatee farts with purpose.
On Sunday, June 29 at 9:00 PM ET, National Geographic rolls out Underdogs: Total Grossout, a gleefully offbeat hour of animal behaviour narrated by Ryan Reynolds. This week’s focus? The survival tactics that make your stomach turn.
The episode kicks off with the aquatic equivalent of a whoopee cushion. Manatees, adorable and surprisingly strategic, use controlled gas release to adjust buoyancy. It’s not elegant, but it works. And Reynolds, in trademark deadpan, is there to walk you through the science with just enough side-eye.
The episode doesn’t stop at underwater emissions. From there, it slinks into the shadows with cave-dwelling fungus gnats. Their trick? Luring prey using glowing mucus threads powered by their own bioluminescent backsides. Nature, meet nightclub horror show.
Underdogs thrives in these corners of the animal kingdom—the overlooked, the unsung, the truly revolting. But it’s not shock for shock’s sake. There’s biology, function, and evolution behind every gross detail, and Reynolds’ narration keeps it sharp without ever dipping into condescension.
This is science with bite and bathroom humor. And it works. The format appeals to casual viewers, kids with strong stomachs, and adults who thought they’d seen it all on Planet Earth.
Underdogs: Total Grossout may not be beautiful, but it’s brutally effective. Nature isn’t always majestic. Sometimes, it’s sticky, smelly, and slightly unhinged. That’s the point.
