History Channel Gone Wrong

[Shangas]

V. Brunswick, you watch your mouth, or your prophecy shall become truth. And damned we all will be.

In defense of the H.S., they do have some interesting shows. Pawnstars and the various auction/bargain-hunting shows are quite enjoyable (although here in Australialand, such programs are broadcast on A&E instead of History).

But I do agree, other shows on History seem to have NO link to history whatsoever, and it's of great confusion to me as to why they exist at all.

Here in Australia, June 2013 is being touted as "Medieval Month" on the History Channel, which should be interesting.

 

[rjb1]

Here in Nashville this week the Country Music Awards are being held, and all sorts of musicians and other sort-of celebrities are in town, one of whom is "Larry the Cable Guy". In an interview on local TV he mentioned his show on the History Channel.
I have not had cable for years, so did not know that "Larry the Cable Guy" (!) has a show on the History Channel. If anyone needed further proof that the History Channel is intellectually defunct, that would be it.

 

[Shangas]

It's called "Only in America, With Larry the Cable Guy".

It's mildly interesting, but again, I fail to see how it belongs on the History Channel.

 

[Zombie_61]

...In defense of the H.S., they do have some interesting shows. Pawnstars and the various auction/bargain-hunting shows are quite enjoyable (although here in Australialand, such programs are broadcast on A&E instead of History).

But I do agree, other shows on History seem to have NO link to history whatsoever, and it's of great confusion to me as to why they exist at all...

Technically speaking, every television show ever produced could be considered a form of historical documentation since they all, regardless of genre, represent the culture and social climate of the era and country in which they were produced. So, in that regard, by airing shows like Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy and Ice Road Truckers the History Channel is broadcasting history; they're just doing it as it's happening.

 

[Shangas]

I suppose so, but it goes against the grain of what people would commonly expect from the H.S.

I mean, between a documentary about truckers driving over frozen lakebeds and ice-roads, and a documentary about the Sino-Japanese War of 1937, which one would you *expect* to see on the History Channel?

 

[Zombie_61]

Valid point. But then, I've been largely disappointed by what I've seen on television most of my life, so the History Channel's programming is nothing new.

Besides, I like Ice Road Truckers.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

[video=youtube;ajACU-lsnFc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajACU-lsnFc[/video]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Technically speaking, every television show ever produced could be considered a form of historical documentation since they all, regardless of genre, represent the culture and social climate of the era and country in which they were produced. So, in that regard, by airing shows like Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy and Ice Road Truckers the History Channel is broadcasting history; they're just doing it as it's happening.

"We shall sell no wine before its time."
...Paul Masson

 

[AmateisGal]

I find it interesting that Pawn Stars, American Restoration, and Counting Cars are all set in Las Vegas and that these guys all know each other. Can you say cheap? Because really, they can film all of these shows in one location.

The History Channel is saving a ton of money and MAKING a ton of money with these reality shows. After all, it's a lot cheaper just to film people doing stuff instead of reenactments and paying historians to research. :eusa_doh:

 

[AmateisGal]

There was a very large mob of angry History Channel viewers yesterday who descended on the History Channel's Facebook page, chastising them and complaining for failing to air anything pertaining to D-Day. It may be anecdotal evidence, but this shows me that their audience isn't happy with their programming.

 

[W4ASZ]

"We shall sell no wine before its time."
...Paul Masson

"We shall sell no wine before its time."

"I have a dollar."

"It's time !"

 

[Zombie_61]

...The History Channel is saving a ton of money and MAKING a ton of money with these ALLEGED reality shows...

Fixed that for ya'.

 

[Stearmen]

There was a very large mob of angry History Channel viewers yesterday who descended on the History Channel's Facebook page, chastising them and complaining for failing to air anything pertaining to D-Day. It may be anecdotal evidence, but this shows me that their audience isn't happy with their programming.

That is some good news!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

 

[AmateisGal]

Fixed that for ya'.

Haha! That's true! I'm pretty sure a lot of them are staged.

 

[Zombie_61]

Haha! That's true! I'm pretty sure a lot of them are staged.

Either staged, or merely edited in such a way to tell a story (or stories) that didn't actually happen.

 

[Stearmen]

Even The Weather Channel has gone reality! At lest, they are starting a series on how weather changed history. The first is the Hindenburg and the second is the 1814 Washington DC storm that every American should know about, but few do.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

 

[Stearmen]

ound:

 

[Fading Fast]

Let me admit upfront that I have not gone back and read this full thread so, perhaps, what I am going to write has already been written. That said, it seems to me that the original History Channel has simply moved to H2 - as H2 still runs mostly documentaries and specials on history. While a lot of its material is old, it does have new specials that (other than the abysmal, out-of-place and hosted by the most annoying host on H2 ever show "All You Can Eat") are history oriented. And I look at the original History Channel as an oddity that has these "reality" TV shows that are silly, but have some great, some fun and some quirky historical artifacts. I ignore the fake-reality, and enjoy seeing some of the items that come into the pawn shop on "Pawn Stars," just as I like seeing some of the items that get restored on "Rick's Restoration," or get dug out on "American Pickers." I know the reality is fake, but the items and history are interesting. And there is also the "Military Channel" for traditional documentaries and some well-done new shows such as "America: Fact versus Fiction."