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History Channel more annoying?

5K views 24 replies 17 participants last post by  doglips 
#1 ·
Is it my imagination, or is the History Channel becoming more annoying lately, with loud commercials, ads for other shows at the bottom of the screen and stupid commercials (even before we get to Bill Shatner)?
 
#6 ·
I don't see much difference in the shows listed for the History Channel compared to what is availble on the Canadian version. I know they had WW II in HD earlier on the US channel, but I'm enjoying it now along with Nazi Hunters on History Television.

http://www.history.com/shows

http://www.history.ca/shows/default.aspx

They both have a number of shows that have little to do with actual history.
 
#11 ·
Greatest Tank Battles

I've been interested in tanks ever since I saw "They Were Not Divided" (1950) when I was a kid growing up in Victoria. I remember the German tanks had very long barrels compared to the allied tanks. According to www.imdb.com, the movie was one of the few which used authentic German equipment in making the film unlike "The Battle of the Bulge"(1965) which used U.S. M47 Pattons to represent King Tigers.
In "Saving Private Ryan" and HBO's "Band of Brothers", Steven Spielberg commissioned a British company to modify old Russian T34's to appear as German Panthers and Tigers. He's not afraid to spend a few extra bucks to get the right look to his films.
In "Greatest Tank Battles", several Canadian and British tankers said that it was virtually impossible to knock out a Tiger or Panther with a frontal shot from the 75 mm low velocity, short barreled gun they had on the Sherman at the time. The only chance they had to destroy them was a hit from the side where the Panzers' armour was much thinner.
I like the Canadian produced show but I would like it much more if they didn't show so many repeats.
 
#15 ·
I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure BBC world spins them off like Tim Horton franchises, I know there is an Aussie version as well. I doubt Speedtv would have been interested as some of the Cars they look at ''aint even merican".


I like both versions of the show and particularly the American hosts not insisting that everything is crap, though the Brits are very funny, eighty plus show in the smug snobbishness can get a little tired.
 
#16 ·
I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure BBC world spins them off like Tim Horton franchises, I know there is an Aussie version as well. I doubt Speedtv would have been interested as some of the Cars they look at ''aint even merican".
There is another discussion about Top Gear USA, so I am surprised these messages have not been moved over.

In that discussion, I point out that is several TGUS episodes, ALL the music was from the UK! They were celebrating US cars with non-US music.

Ironic, or just dumb? Who knows! ;)

TGUS was almost fatally boring after the original. They took everything as if it were serious. At least the UK crew knew they were doing things for a laugh, and played it as entertainment.
 
#17 ·
Top Gear US (TGUS), AFAIK, is made by/for BBC America; a channel not available in Canada. I do not know who owns BBC America.

Now, the funny thing is, I think, that BBC Canada and History, are both owned by Shaw Media. My guess is TGUS cost them some coin, and the only way they would recover it is by putting it on a channel most people already get, rather than a class 2 channel with less of a penetration, and likely saturated with non Cancon.
 
#18 ·
The US version certainly seems to be earnest in it attempt to mirror the Brit version of the show with a tilt toward American car mythology. though both shows tend to agree that Japan is where the value for money is.

As far as the music goes the Brit version using the Allman Brothers Jessica seemingly from it's beginning would indicate a certain lack of nationalist editorializing on the other side of the pond as well. Perhaps they just chose good driving songs with cheap rights?
 
#19 ·
The big pet peeve of mine is that the US version is taking themselves too seriously and when they're not they're trying too hard to be funny. Seemingly like they're playing a character instead of playing themselves. It just feels so unnatural.

I've seen TG Aussie and they're as much fun as the UK.

In terms what is a great car vs bad car... I already tuned that out a long time ago :D :D :D

However, going back on topic. Is it me or it is really that History have been re-airing the same shows more often than, say, 4 months ago?
 
#20 ·
Top Gear US is on the History Channel in Canada because it is on the History Channel in the US.

Frankly I find this quite symptomatic of what is wrong with the History Channel overall. I want History from the History Channel and what do I get? Pawn Stars, Ice Road Truckers, American Pickers, Canadian Pickers, Ice Pilots, Urban Legends, Ancient Aliens and a host of other shows that really don't belong on a network purporting to be about history.

I blame media consolidation for this whole mess. It's not strictly speaking the fault of Shaw Media (shocking I know). The rot - as I see it - began when Canwest bought the Alliance-Atlantis stations. Shaw is doing nothing beyond continuing what Canwest started. We need more companies controlling the media in Canada not fewer.
 
#21 ·
well, Ancient Aliens kinds (although quite a stretch) have something to do with "history". But the rest, IRT, *** Pickers, *** Pilots, Pawn Star and Top Gear really should not be there at all. What's the purpose of having specialty channels when the show have nothing to do with the name of the channel itself. It just confuses people who are trying to locate a certain show by logic.
 
#22 ·
Actually I can see some "history" in all those shows you've mentioned. Does no one realize the veritable gold mine Truckers, Ice Pilots, maybe even Pickers will be some day to future historians, sociologists, anthropologists etc.? Each show captures a piece of life in the early 21st century. How we lived, acted and thought. These programs are all primary sources that historians would kill to have about previous centuries.

However, I do draw the line on Ancient Aliens. Last night's program suggesting that some high ranking Nazis may have escaped prosecution after the WWII by migrating to other dimensions and planets was ridiculous. The "experts" espousing these theories need to be locked up for their own safety. History Television should be embarassed for ever showing it.
 
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