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View Full Version : History Channel' Universe Series -- What went wrong?

earamsey
Oct27-09, 09:25 PM
I loved watching History Channels Universe Series but as of late it appears to be on the level of a moron. Why they dumb it down to this extreme? I'm insulted and stopped watching it. Can you guys help me complain send them email so they talk about more math and equations and stop simplifying to the point it is incorrect or makes no damn sense!!!

Currently, it's more about pretty colorized b&w telescope pictures and science fiction explanations.
DavidSnider
Oct27-09, 09:36 PM
This is the same channel that has:

UFO Hunters
MysteryQuest
MonsterQuest
Nostradamus Effect
earamsey
Oct27-09, 09:48 PM
Oh it is? I didn't know it had degraded so far down. I don't watch much tv and when I do I seek out science programs. Nova is what I usually watch but in my area it's switched to HD format and I don't have HD TV because it's too expensive just to watch a few shows.
Nabeshin
Oct27-09, 09:52 PM
I don't understand your complaint here.

If you want to learn more about the math and equations behind the science, turn off the TV and open a book. That's not what this program is for.
DaveC426913
Oct27-09, 09:53 PM
Watch Family Guy's "Cosmos for Red-Necks"

Hello, I am Carl Sagan. Scientists have determined that the universe is [... hundreds and hundreds...] of years old and that dinosaur bones have been buried in the ground by [...Jesus...]
Phrak
Oct27-09, 09:54 PM
Someday when there are 10,000 channels, there might even be one devoted to, not so pop, physics and cosmology (and even *gasp*, mathematics) .........
Nabeshin
Oct27-09, 10:00 PM
Watch Family Guy's "Cosmos for Red-Necks"

Hello, I am Carl Sagan. Scientists have determined that the universe is [... hundreds and hundreds...] of years old and that dinosaur bones have been buried in the ground by [...Jesus...]

Hahaha! Oh man that is great! I'd never seen/heard that before, but I can imagine it perfectly
DavidSnider
Oct27-09, 10:11 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16562ZGNuoM

It's great
russ_watters
Oct27-09, 10:39 PM
Awesome.
Phrak
Oct27-09, 11:11 PM
Hahaha! Oh man that is great! I'd never seen/heard that before, but I can imagine it perfectly

I don't get it. Could you explain?
earamsey
Oct28-09, 05:39 AM
I don't understand your complaint here.

If you want to learn more about the math and equations behind the science, turn off the TV and open a book. That's not what this program is for.

Like Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, who said I don't read? Just that I use to enjoy the series ..
Chi Meson
Oct28-09, 06:37 AM
This is the same channel that has:

UFO Hunters
MysteryQuest
MonsterQuest


And MapQuest. Don't forget MapQuest.

Seriously,
History channel is second only to the travel channel for shows made of utter garbage. It's doing more than dumbing-down; it's building this immense scaffolding of wrongness that will mutate the thinking capabilities of its viewers. Where dumbing-down is only "taking away" facts and logic, this crap is "putting in replacements" for facts and logic that cause people to go around being authoritatively stupid.
DaveC426913
Oct28-09, 09:35 AM
Seriously,
History channel is second only to the travel channel for shows made of utter garbage. It's doing more than dumbing-down; it's building this immense scaffolding of wrongness that will mutate the thinking capabilities of its viewers. Where dumbing-down is only "taking away" facts and logic, this crap is "putting in replacements" for facts and logic that cause people to go around being authoritatively stupid.

The real scary thing is that it is not they who are driving the content; it is the viewing public that's driving the content. TV stations show what people will watch or they die.
leroyjenkens
Oct28-09, 10:07 AM
Can you guys help me complain send them email so they talk about more math and equations and stop simplifying to the point it is incorrect or makes no damn sense!!!
They want to cater to the average viewer, and nothing alienates the average viewer faster than math equations.
Pattonias
Oct28-09, 10:26 AM
I despise any show that recaps the entire show up to the point you are watching after every commercial break.

"Lets take 25 minutes worth of info and spread it out over an hour."

Its like punishing the people who took the time to actually watch the entire show.
DaveC426913
Oct28-09, 12:02 PM
I despise any show that recaps the entire show up to the point you are watching after every commercial break.

"Lets take 25 minutes worth of info and spread it out over an hour."

Its like punishing the people who took the time to actually watch the entire show.

I have been toying with the idea of taking a few sample shows and charting exactly how much real footage it contains versus "recap". It used to be that a half hour show was only 22 minutes after commercials but I think it's down to, like, 6 minutes.
Pattonias
Oct28-09, 12:17 PM
How many people here can spend several hours happily watching "How it's made" episodes?

"Oh, thats how shoelaces are made."

"Oh, thats how industrial cable is made."

You feel like such a loser at the end of the marathon. Don't even get me started on Modern Marvels and Extreme Engineering.

I also really like Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe is probably one of my favorite people on television.
DaveC426913
Oct28-09, 12:30 PM
How many people here can spend several hours happily watching "How it's made" episodes?

Well, maybe not several hours but I do enjoy the show. Seen most of the eps.
DavidSnider
Oct28-09, 01:20 PM
I have been toying with the idea of taking a few sample shows and charting exactly how much real footage it contains versus "recap". It used to be that a half hour show was only 22 minutes after commercials but I think it's down to, like, 6 minutes.

MythBusters is the worst offender in this category. Instead of doing recaps, how about once and a while saying how you could have busted the myth on the back of an envelope?
DaveC426913
Oct28-09, 01:40 PM
MythBusters is the worst offender in this category. Instead of doing recaps,
True but...


how about once and a while saying how you could have busted the myth on the back of an envelope?[/QUOTE]
Well, the whole point of the show is to see it busted, manifestly. It is the answer to the problem of: "Look, I proved it on paper. Now just trust me."
DavidSnider
Oct28-09, 01:44 PM
True but...


how about once and a while saying how you could have busted the myth on the back of an envelope?
Well, the whole point of the show is to see it busted, manifestly. It is the answer to the problem of: "Look, I proved it on paper. Now just trust me."

Oh, I totally agree. I'm just saying that there is a lot of content that could be used as a supplement to the physical experiment that would be better than filling up time with recaps. It's also a good opportunity to show why theory and practice don't always line up.

One of the shows that I think gets it right is "Good Eats".
Chi Meson
Oct28-09, 02:01 PM
Oh, I totally agree. I'm just saying that there is a lot of content that could be used as a supplement to the physical experiment that would be better than filling up time with recaps. It's also a good opportunity to show why theory and practice don't always line up.

One of the shows that I think gets it right is "Good Eats".

Mythbusters is one of the truest shows on TV, but sometimes they do need some filler. ANd has been stated, they have the capability to "do the math," but they would lose 80% of their audience as soon as the pen came out. I have some students in a class that are the lowest of the low in terms of capabilities and motivation. They pay attention to the Mythbusters, and I can actually use some episodes to actually teach them some stuff.

Give them love, bro.


EDIT:
no I never say that.