POV you just turned on the History Channel for the first time in 15 years Lots of humor and lots of satire right here
reality tv shows have gotten a bit much, but America digs em.... we even had a Reality TV star president once
I lost interest pretty quickly. Somewhat ironically, I think one who was a fan of whatever show it is they're spoofing, would probably best enjoy this parody. While I guess this is beside the point, in the Humor forum, the History Channel did just have a good special set of documentaries, on Ancient Empires-- that is, on actual history. Really, the focus is on individual leaders Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra. I've only seen Caesar so far, which was both interesting & informative. The other two, I've taped. When they spoke of Caesar, after his year in Rome's highest office, as Counsel, needing to find a way to escape prosecution for his crimes committed while in office, it had a more familiar ring to it, than I'd expected.
Same idea: I'm not familiar enough with the style, to much appreciate the humor of what was, as far as I watched, a very subtle satire. So it was more like I was actually watching one of those sorts of shows-- which I don't watch.
I don't either. It's a joke what these channels have become and that seems to be what these are really about.
Finding Bigfoot went 12 seasons. Spoiler: They never found him. (I know, that was Animal Planet). Any day now, they'll hit the money pit at Oak Island. Season 11 airs in November. Skinwalker Ranch has Aliens. And cursed native spirits. And Portals. And mutilated Alpacas. And radioactive waste. You name it, they've got it.
One can only fairly attribute the content, to what is desired, by the audience. There apparently is not enough of a demand for a channel of nothing but straight history. Hence, my pointing out the good, historical docu-drama, currently on offer, by the History Channel. Also, in fairness to the channel, "history" is not confined to historical lesson recitals, and analysis. If, for example, the show "American Pickers" is on that channel (which I don't know, that it is-- this may be PBS), searching for Americana antiques, is still connected to "history." Additionally, though I know this type of show is dismissed by many, as silliness-- there is an historic angle to the program "Ancient Aliens," in which historical & prehistoric monuments and the like, are looked at from a different, theoretical vantage point. Whether or not one agrees with the interpretation, one still is exposed to elements of history; and aspects of it which, often, one is unlikely to hear about from standard sources, such as in school.
I think if they're not going to focus on history, they should change the channel name accordingly. Or scrap it entirely since streaming is taking over and making such channels redundant.
Your preference notwithstanding, I'm sure you are aware that we have no claim upon t.v. networks, to dictate what they call themselves. I doubt that the channel's name, however, is the source of too much confusion. Anyone who has turned once to that station, to see the reality show about, for instance, those searching for treasure on Oak Island, will realize that much of the programming has only some tie or other, to the broad topic of history; such as, for another example, a program's telling the story of a gold shipment that was seized by Confederate forces, which then follows the efforts of some people who have a theory, as to where they might, now, be able to find that gold. You can't say that this has nothing to do with history. Also, is it realistic, to expect the network to amend its name, to become "the History-Adjacent Channel?"
