History of us.

[jburd641]

I was just on a History Channel message board (hugely difficult site to navigate) and I was reading posts about the TV show, "History of Us", which are for the most part, negative. I agree with many of these comments, things left out, celebrities commenting, and things like that, but, I must say, I'm happy to see such a show. The one thing this show is good for is curiosity. It helps to generate an interest in history no matter how cheesey it is. I mean seriously, do you remember how YOU got interested in history? I started out reading biographies in 4th grade. Yeah, they were basically perpetuations of myths, but I was in. I just wonder why people expect a grad level TELEVISION program from the History Channel. It's a great show to get people interested in history.
Just curious, what got people interested in history and maybe an opinion on this show if any watched it.

 

[MarkBNJ]

I don't even call it the History channel anymore. I think Mystory Channel would be a better name. Pretty much anytime I tune it in (extremely rarely anymore) it seems the current show is another "Did Nostradamus predict the Gulf oil spill?" idiot-fest. Which is proof that the average person doesn't really care much about actual history, not that my daughter's reactions to the historical anecdotes I present at the dinner table weren't evidence enough .

 

[jburd641]

I do agree, it can be a serious idiot-fest but it seems like they actually made an effort to present some history. It's not American Experience or some of the Military Channel's efforts but it does seem to be a decent outline of American history. Historic anectidotes might as well be told in Mandarin Chinese to the young these days.

 

[Dusty]

I've seen that show, and I was a little confused when the brought out John Legend to comment on the construction of the transcontinental railroad. But I found the show interesting overall, and it definitely reminded me of my AP US history course in high school.

 

[jburd641]

I guess they used them to attract people who would usually be watching Jersey Shore.

 

[46er]

You have to wonder about history. It is only as accurate as what a person back in the time reported and those reports can be slanted just as todays reports are at times. Unless there is some physical evidence, I think very few are entirely accurate.

 

[Boyd]

I don't watch the History Channel. In fact, I don't watch any cable or broadcast TV. When I moved out to the woods 4 years ago I found that cable was not available and I didn't want to get a dish. Much to my surprise, I don't miss it in the least. Previously, I watched 3 or 4 hours of mindless TV every day just because it was there...