Fall TV: 'Blood Dolphins'

Years ago when I created my "Bucket List," I wrote down "Swim with Dolphins."

Then I saw the Academy Award winning documentary "The Cove."

The film follows a crew who are documenting the capture and slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan.

Some dolphins are captured and sold to theme parks and most others are herded into a cove and outright killed.

The end of the film saw the crew document (for the first time ever) what exactly was going on in that cove and the horrors inside. The documentary becomes almost unbearable to watch as the fisherman use many methods to kill the dolphins and turn the beautiful water of the cove into a horrific mass of blood red water.

The new Animal Planet mini-series "Blood Dolphins" is a sequel of sorts to "The Cove."

Viewers are reintroduced to the man responsible to trying to save the dolphins, Ric O'Barry, as he comes back to Taiji with international press and publicity for "The Cove" on his side.

You see, O'Barry is a deeply troubled man. He personally feels 100 percent responsible for what is going on.

Back in the '60s O'Barry personally captured and trained the dolphins that would become the television sensation "Flipper."

Due to the popularity of "Flipper" more and more parks wanted trained dolphins to perform at their parks because popularity equals tons of cash.

Years later O'Barry was called to come care for one of the ailing dolphins who portrayed Flipper. He looked into the dolphins eyes, held her for a bit and watched her die (from suicide he says).

That moment changed him forever... and haunted him as well.

He spent every working moment of his life from then on to save dolphins around the world.

Along with his son, Lincoln, they find that things seem to have improved in Taiji... at first. The press coverage seems to be working as the hunt doesn't start when it's supposed to

When the fishermen think the O'Barrys have left they resume the hunting and killing. There is a lot of money to be made from dolphin meat, even though it contains dangerous levels of mercury.

This brings an emotional suckerpunch during the show when both father and son sneak back and video tape this happening. Ric has seen this before, but it's not like that makes a difference. It's Lincoln who is personally seeing this for the first time.

The look of horror and disgust on his face is almost as tough to watch as the bleeding dolphins being dragged by a boat through the water.

Children should not watch this mini-series. Even some teenagers will be disturbed by it.

Like I said before it is an emotional suckerpunch. Even someone without a heart like me is deeply affected by this. No matter what you think it's wrong. These animals should be free, not caged and forced to perform for the enjoyment of others.

And certainly not made into dolphin steaks.

The next few episodes follow the O'Barrys as they travel to the Solomon Islands where the exact same business as in Taiji is occurring.

You can see clips and learn more about "Blood Dolphins" here.

And yes I immediately took "Swim with Dolphins" off my list.