[1] The series is written by Benedito Ruy Barbosa and directed by Jayme Monjardim, Carlos Magalhães, Marcelo de Barreto, and Roberto Naar.

After Joventino disappeared in the Pantanal while hunting for oxen in the fields, Zé carries on his father's dream and becomes one of the main farmers in the country.

The differences are aggravated when Jove falls in love with Juma Marruá, a wild and sensual young woman raised as a savage by her mother until her death, killed in revenge in a dispute between land squatters and victims of hoarding.

Feeling rejected by his father, who thinks his son is effeminate, and ridiculed by the peasants for his city boy ways, Jove decides to return to Rio de Janeiro and takes Juma with him.

The unexpected success of Pantanal put Rede Manchete on the roll of top telenovela producers in Latin America.

[7] Because of its success, Pantanal's footage is shown on the Simon Hartog documentary Beyond Citizen Kane, aired on United Kingdom's Channel 4.