the history channel

[CaitSith]

Here here! I agree completly. I miss the real history, they probably changed it to keep people intrested. not many people are probably intrested in that stuff like us.

Yeah we're a special breed of nerd. I just gotta say I've always enjoyed BBC more than HC. Thats not to say I don't enjoy some of the History Channels programs though, Monster Quest and all the shows about mystism, well that just my bag. Anyone else in here who used to read their history book you got at orientation cover to cover before the school year started?

[Hamlyn]

Here here! I agree completly. I miss the real history, they probably changed it to keep people intrested. not many people are probably intrested in that stuff like us.

That MAY be true... but I suspect they are putting on "reality" shows for the same reason all the channels are. Namely, it's cheap and easy. Don't have to pay writers and actors or make sets or pay overhead for a soundstage. Maybe some CGI illustrations here and there.

I think it's more difficult, risky, and costly to make those Ken Burns-style historical documentaries.

[Hamlyn]

Oh, and research and fact-checking are a costly, time-consuming pain in the butt also.

Much easier to follow some guys around with cameras and cut the footage together.

[saoc]

I'll jump on the gripe bandwagon too.

*rolls eyes @ syfy original movies

Could syfy original movies be any more hokey? One of their movie titles manages to make me laugh, feel grossed out and creeped out all at the same time - "Mansquito".

Anyhoo, back to The History Channel. I agree with most posters here. I don't think Ice Road Truckers, Axe Men, Swamp Loggers and Pawn Stars have anything at all to do with history. I also think they're boring. I guess they're hard up for ratings and money.

[sinewave]

The History Channel and most of the Discovery Network for that matter have slipped into lowest-common-denominator land. I posted this in the Cryptozoology section but is fits better here. The thread mentioned Monster Quest:

Yeah, Monster Quest. You can sum up nearly every episode thusly. Introduce legend and sighting stories, introduce local "expert" hellbent on making a discovery, introduce confused testimony from locals (missing teeth a bonus), hyper-focus on confused testimony, hyper-focus some more this time with reenactments, introduce the History Channel provided expert with khaki jacket, the two experts formulate a plan to identify the mystery creature, experts install automatic night vision cameras in seemingly strategic locations, a local inexplicably produces hair, bones, scat, passport, whatever samples, samples sent to laboratory for analysis, experts return to collect cameras and review pictures, lots of nice shots of deer, bear, raccoons, squirrels, birds, other indigenous wildlife, no shots of illusive creature, results come back from lab inconclusive or indicative of some other animal common to the area, show ends having revealed nothing new and provided NO useful information. Yet people still watch it!

[Hamlyn]

I'm one of those who still watches MQ. It has had a few very interesting episodes lately.

And sometimes they cover subjects that aren't strictly crypto, which is interesting.

And even no finding is a finding.

[sinewave]

I'm one of those who still watches MQ. It has had a few very interesting episodes lately.

And sometimes they cover subjects that aren't strictly crypto, which is interesting.

And even no finding is a finding.

Yes, I suppose it is. You are always so reasonable.

But do they have to take up an hour to tell us that? I am sure the advertisers think so. I use my DVR so I can at least avoid the commercials.

[Hamlyn]

The DVR is a must. TV is virtually unwatchable without it.

Whenever the MQ voiceover offers some teaser before a commercial, like "will these camera traps provide the definitive evidence that has eluded investigators," I tend to yell "NO."

[sinewave]

The DVR is a must. TV is virtually unwatchable without it.

Whenever the MQ voiceover offers some teaser before a commercial, like "will these camera traps provide the definitive evidence that has eluded investigators," I tend to yell "NO."

Yup, me too!

[cheo_vl]

i know its not on the HC but what about destination truth? why is it called destination TRUTH if they NEVER discover ANYTHING?

[sinewave]

i know its not on the HC but what about destination truth? why is it called destination TRUTH if they NEVER discover ANYTHING?

Bad programming is not the sole province of the History Channel or even the Discovery Network. There are other heavyweights like A&E, god love 'em, who spew out the same kind of mindless garbage.

[Wookietim]

i used to watch it a lot and there were some pretty awesome shows on the HC about world war 2, then about modern marvels and crap like that, but then i kept watching and now there's barely any history in it, ice road truckers? axe men? where's the history in that, and yes i know technically you can say that cutting down trees has a history and i guess driving trucks on ice sort of does too but it's not the kind of stuff i'd expect to see on the history channel, i want to see ancient civilizations, great wars, great inventions of mankind, people that changed the world and that sort of thing, i guess they're desperate for ratings, it's exactly the same thing that happened to MTV, does anyone else feel this way?

The overall movement of any network is away from what makes it unique. MTV moved away from music, the cartoon Network is moving away from cartoons and the Sci Fi channel (Or "SyFy") seems to be doggedly moving away from Science Fiction... It's like a basic law of physics - uniqueness repels executives.

[SurfinTiki39]

Anyone like Warriors, or am I along on that one. It is a little corny at some points but for the most part I think it's very informative, and entertaining. It's definitely one of the typical shows I would expect to see on the History Channel. Whatever, just wanted to hear what others thought of it.

[cheo_vl]

Anyone like Warriors, or am I along on that one. It is a little corny at some points but for the most part I think it's very informative, and entertaining. It's definitely one of the typical shows I would expect to see on the History Channel. Whatever, just wanted to hear what others thought of it.

yea i like warriors, but then again, its one of those shows that they never show, all day today they were showing modern marvels, not a bad show, very informative sometimes, but sometimes very trivial

[Mattshark]

Yup, me too!

Have you seen the Florida sea monster one?

I sat there shouting "it's a ******* manatee" at the screen a lot!

BBC by a mile still have best natural history, science and history.

David Attenborough FTW!

[sinewave]

Have you seen the Florida sea monster one?

I sat there shouting "it's a ******* manatee" at the screen a lot!

BBC by a mile still have best natural history, science and history.

David Attenborough FTW!

I did the same thing! Anyone who as ever spent any time along the Florida coast could have identified those creatures as manatees.