History Channel Ticking Me Off!!!

[Robert_Hall]

I could not agree more, Sarushka. I have given up, over the years, of telling people that no one is flawless and just get over it! And, it is not just young people who overreact to such minutiae,  there are plenty of adults  who think they are "experts" at correcting the tiniest of details.

[Robert_Hall]

The "history channel"? what a joke. Even worse is "History International". I cannot deal with either of them, rather watch Ru Paul's Drag Race. The British  used to be almost as bad- I have re lived WW2 so many times watching  documentaries of that period, now even colourized, that I think I could re create each scenario in my dreams. And I was not even born  yet!

[Alixz]

Oh, I agree with Sarushka that we are all overly critical of documentaries on the Romanovs.  I like the comparison to Applebees.

What I was complaining about was their new "history in the making" shows that (as I mentioned before) are Ax Men, Ice Road Truckers, American Pickers and the one that I hate the most Pawn Stars.

I took an upper level of cable programs (and cost) to get History and I am not getting history, I am getting crap.  That is what my complaint is about.

[blessOTMA]

What I was complaining about was their new "history in the making" shows that (as I mentioned before) are Ax Men, Ice Road Truckers, American Pickers and the one that I hate the most Pawn Stars.

Exactly....I believe the "history"  part of American Pickers is perhaps the stuff they pick over? ...but Ax men?...perhaps because they might become "history"  if a tree fell on them? .....it's a stretch.

[Alixz]

I do think that American Pickers has some humor and some interesting facts about the stuff they "pick over", but the more I watch it, the more I keep asking, "Do those they pick from live in a cave?  Don't they see the camera men hovering around the two pickers?  Don't they know that this stuff is going to be sold at a great increase in price to collectors by these guys?

It is sort of like those shows where the chamber is opened for the first time and no one has been inside for thousands of years, but the camera angle is from within the chamber.  Duh, I guess the camera men got in there first, guys.  Or did you think that they were mummies or ghosts?

I love it when the host says how dangerous it will be for him/her to go into this previously unexplored or unopened room/cave/chamber, but the lights are on and someone is already home or we wouldn't be able to see these courageous hosts as they worm their way through the small opening!  

This happens on Ghost Hunters all the time.  The ghost hunters cry out in fright that someone just ran by or some strange finger just touched my neck.  Could it be?  Yes, it is!  Its the camera man, you dope!  Interesting how the ghost hunters are always frightened but the camera men/women never tremble or miss the shot.

Here's to the unsung camera men and women, the true explorers on the History Channel.

[TimM]

Ax Men - Ice Road Truckers - Pawn Stars (this one really ticks me off) - American Pickers

This nonsense is also on the Canadian History Channel.  What do ANY of these shows have to do with History? 

A lot of formerly good channels have declined in recent years.  Look at A&E for example, remember when it showed quality shows like Biography.  Now we get brain dead shows like Dog The Bounty Hunter.  Who wants to watch some fat middle aged hippi waddle down the streets?

Bring back the old History and A&E please!

[Alixz]

Tim - You are so right!  We have Dog and his "old lady", too!

You are more direct than I.  My original post about Pawn Stars was that I didn't want to watch three old fat men and their younger, fat, somewhat dumb assistant take those who want to sell their (hopefully) valuable treasures for the ride of their lives.  But I changed it because I was trying to be politically correct and not look like I was judging them on their size.  But, dang it! That's how I feel!

However, in defence of those who are the regulars on these shows, those who come into the store or let the picker's pick come onto these shows willingly.  I guess if they get "taken" or end up looking like fools, then it is on them, not the producers of the show or the "hosts/stars".

The customers and those who sell to the pickers are looking for their 15 minutes of fame.

[TimM]

You are right, Alixz.

Shows like Pawn Stars and Dog would be more at home on Spike TV.  That channel caters to the kind of audience that watches these shows.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

IMO, our sniping at the History Channel's Romanov documentaries is kind of like sending a party of 5-star chefs to Applebee's for dinner and expecting them to enjoy the experience. Come on. We've spent YEARS poring over this information, but the History Channel is probably pulling together a 1-hour overview in a couple months. Of course we're going to find mistakes.

Devil's Advocate:
The mythology of the Romanovs is so well entrenched in the literature that a person could do a lot of well-intentioned research and still pick up a hefty load of crap.

A good reason why they should hire a Romanov expert like you or some of the other very knowledgeable people on this forum to get their facts straight and updated!

[Sarushka]

IMO, our sniping at the History Channel's Romanov documentaries is kind of like sending a party of 5-star chefs to Applebee's for dinner and expecting them to enjoy the experience. Come on. We've spent YEARS poring over this information, but the History Channel is probably pulling together a 1-hour overview in a couple months. Of course we're going to find mistakes.

Devil's Advocate:
The mythology of the Romanovs is so well entrenched in the literature that a person could do a lot of well-intentioned research and still pick up a hefty load of crap.

A good reason why they should hire a Romanov expert like you or some of the other very knowledgeable people on this forum to get their facts straight and updated!

Well. Who can resist that kind of flattery? ;^)

[TimM]

If it gets garbage like Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars off that channel, I agree. 

[Sarushka]

Confession:
I love Pawn Stars.

[TimM]

Well, Sarah, you have to agree that this show has no place on the History Channel.  It would be more at home on Spike.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

Lol, those Pawn Stars must be the Alyona and Lizaveta Ivanovna of Las Vegas and the History channel their Dostoyevsky! Wonder who will become their Raskolnikov...

[Sarushka]

Well, Sarah, you have to agree that this show has no place on the History Channel.  It would be more at home on Spike.

On the contrary, they seem to deal with a lot of historical items on the episodes I've seen. One was a lottery ticket signed by George Washington.

I don't get Spike, so I have no idea what would be suited to that channel.