quote:"Once upon a time" I was an avid History Channel viewer; that was when they explored historical events to the same depth and with the same decorum found on PBS's American Experience. But I guess in the quest for ratings, they lost sight and so today, they are airing tripe such as Ice Road Truckers. The station's content today more resembles a reality show than it does an educational resource. [/QB]
I wish they would run "Hitler's Bodyguards" more often -- I do not feel 4 showings a day is enough...OK, I am being a tad facetious, Mr. Norman!
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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The History Channel is simply following the money. Otherwise why would it disgorge repeated shows on Area 51, UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle and the Knights Templar?
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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There are very few cable channels that are living up to their original purpose. But I have enjoyed Extreme Trains and Modern Marvels.
For a long time people referred to the History Channel as the WWII Channel, because that's about all they covered. I think WWII wore out its welcome after we got back into a shootin' war for real.
Give 'em credit for covering our favorite topic, because nobody else is.
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Well, I watched the first episode tonight (recorded earlier in the week), coal trains over the Alleghenies. Interesting viewing, even the wife stopped for a bit to watch. Same excitable presenter speaking the to-camera shots but the voiceovers had been dubbed into English. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, especially as she still used American terminology! I'll have to find some Youtube clips to see whether any wording had been changed.
Regarding the History channel, I do find it odd that it shows current things - and I believe it has even aired "pie in the sky" engineering possibilities in the future. Hardly history!
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Another interesting program was on the History channel last week. The series is called Wild West Tech, and this episode was on trains. Lot of focus on things like wrecks and trestle collapses, but still interesting for me.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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I didn't remember when this series aired. In any case when I saw the episode about Acela I wanted to ride it to Boston just to experience the train at its highest speed. I took a trip up there from New Haven a couple of weekends ago. It was a nice ride. I should have thought to ask a conductor was it hitting speeds of 150 between Providence and Boston. Sure felt faster than it had on my previous Acela rides.
Back Bay station in Boston was a new experience for me. Almost like just catching a subway. Pigeons were flying into the waiting area. It was very convenient to the Copley Plaza area though.
Posts: 17 | From: CT | Registered: Mar 2007
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