Are you prepared for Wrath of the Lich King? WoW Insider has you covered!
AOL Television

Posts with tag history channel

History stacks deck with 9/11, WWII stories

102 minutes that changed the worldThe cable network History -- formerly known as the History Channel (it'll always be the History Channel to me) -- has a couple of projects in the works, one of which will likely fuel both sides of the political debate as election time nears.

"102 Minutes That Changed the World" is a piece on 9/11, culling footage from pros and amateurs, including two terrified New York University seniors in a high-rise dorm just blocks from the World Trade Center. They started shooting the smoking North Tower after it was hit by the first plane, then captured the second plane hitting the South Tower.

The 102-minute piece will premiere without commercials at 9 p.m. on Sept. 11. Done in "real time" format, it'll feature footage from more than 100 sources, pieced together in chronological order, without narration, to provide what History is calling a "seamless historical record of that day."

Continue reading History stacks deck with 9/11, WWII stories

Nielsen cable ratings for the week ending January 27

MinutemenHere are the weekly cable ratings, by number of viewers.

I think I speak for most readers here when I ask...what the hell is Minutemen? Did Disney make some historical movie? Actually, checking online I see that it's a "adventure-comedy-sci-fi" movie. It got the number one slot this week, as well as the number ten slot. Zoey 101 got the second and third slots, probably because people were tuning in to see "hey, is she pregnant yet??"

1. Minutemen (Disney)

Continue reading Nielsen cable ratings for the week ending January 27

History Channel keeps on Ice Road Truckin'

ice road truckers mapOne of my favorite series this summer has been Ice Road Truckers on the History Channel. If you haven't seen it, a quick synopsis: truck drivers in northern Canada haul critical supplies hundreds of miles across frozen lakes to diamond mines owned by DeBeers and other corporations.

Ice Road Truckers is the kind of reality show I can dig, because it features real people with an extraordinary occupation. There's some drama, but it's never contrived or played up for the cameras. I stopped watching Dog the Bounty Hunter because I got sick of egregious musical cues dictating when I was supposed to feel something, and Ice Road Truckers is mercifully void of such manipulation. The fact that these men are driving heavy rigs with only a few inches of ice between themselves and the water is dramatic enough.

Continue reading History Channel keeps on Ice Road Truckin'

Human Weapon kicks off July 20

human weaponI mentioned Human Weapon briefly back in March. The new series for the History Channel follows Professional fighter and martial expert Jason Chambers and former football player and wrestler Bill Duff as they travel the world to find martial arts experts and fight them. I assume it's a planned fight, I don't think Chambers and Duff will suddenly stop in mid-interview and start punching people, though that would be fun to watch.

Continue reading Human Weapon kicks off July 20

History Channel does Star Wars

star warsBig thanks to my pal Wild Bill for smacking me upside the ol' noggin' about this documentary.

Star Wars was the first movie I remember seeing in the theater, even though I was only seven months old when it was released (I saw it in 1980 when it was re-released to coincide with the release of The Empire Strikes Back).

I'm sure Star Wars fans have know about the History Channel's upcoming Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed for some time now, but if not, here's your heads up: the special airs May 28 at 9:00 p.m., then repeats at one in the morning.

What the hell does Star Wars have to do with history. you ask? Well, that's what this documentary is all about. It will delve into some of the subtle and not-so-subtle mythological and historical parallels that run throughout the original trilogy, including Napoleon, Hitler, King Arthur and Greek legends.

Family Guy: Boys Do Cry

family guy(S05E15) After better than a month off, finally a new episode of Family Guy. I'm not sure I understand the thinking behind the scheduling of the show this year, but the list of behaviors from the networks that I don't understand is a long one. So, we'll take what we can get. Whatever the reasoning, it was nice to have the Griffins back with a fresh adventure.

I think I probably came into this one with my expectations set a little high. Those previews that revealed the family packing up and taking a trip put the thought in the back of my mind that this could be one of those classic episodes. It called to mind the season three episode "To Love and Die in Dixie." Unfortunately, now having seen it, it wasn't a classic.

Continue reading Family Guy: Boys Do Cry

Truckers, dinosaurs and the universe on the History Channel in '07 and '08

jason chambersThe History Channel has five new weekly series currently in development and set to premiere in 2007 and 2008.

The first series, Ice Road Truckers, is a documentary series focusing on long haul truck drivers in northern North America who drive their rigs across frozen lakes and risk falling through the ice, therefore having to keep one hand on the door at all times in case they need to bail out. The series will focus both on the truckers and on the miners who rely on them. If you're into shows like Deadliest Catch on the Discovery, this show may also be right up your alley.

Continue reading Truckers, dinosaurs and the universe on the History Channel in '07 and '08

Leonard Nimoy hosts History Channel special about Star Trek

leonard Nimoy SpockOn February 19 at 9:00 p.m., Leonard Nimoy will host Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier on the History Channel. The documentary will look back on the franchise's forty-year history and feature interviews with several actors from various Star Trek series including Avery Brooks (Deep Space Nine), Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek Voyager) and Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation).

The special will also feature footage from Christie's auction of Star Trek memorabilia, costumes, props and set pieces from last October that took in over seven million dollars.

Unfortunately, our resident Star Trek insider Wil Wheaton won't be part of the documentary. No matter, at least here you can read his Star Trek: The Next Generation reviews, which are probably funnier than anything you'll see in this new special. What's equally as upsetting as Wil getting the shaft is that I also wasn't asked to participate in the documentary, despite being Nichelle Nichols' stunt double* on the original Star Trek.

*I was never Nichelle Nichols' stunt double.

You can all go to Hell

michaelangeloMore precisely, you can learn about Hell on the History Channel tonight at 8pm by watching Hell: The Devil's Domain. Forgive my morbidity, but I'm endlessly fascinated by the idea of Hell in all its various forms: from the Biblical version to Dante's Inferno to the Greek myth of Hades. All those demons and damned souls always put an extra little spring in my step. I'm sick and I need help, I know.

Continue reading You can all go to Hell

Networks compete for UK's Who Do You Think You Are?

Julia SawalhaMajor U.S. networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, along with Discovery, History and National Geographic channels, have all shown interest in acquiring the rights to the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?

The popular UK series focuses on the subject of genealogy. The potential U.S. version, much like the UK one, would follow a different celebrity guest each week as he or she uncovered his or her family history. (That's Julia Sawalha of Ab Fab and Press Gang pictured to the right during her WDYTYA episode.)

Who Do You Think You Are? has a spanky website that can help you get started on the hunt for your own ancestors.

Continue reading Networks compete for UK's Who Do You Think You Are?

History Channel partners with online game company

kuma gameThe second season of the History Channel series Shootout! kicks off on November 3. The series examines famous gun battles from history, as well as recent battles waged in Iraq. Reality game company Kuma Games, a site that recreates gun battles will launch online games simultaneously to match the Shootout! episodes when they air. I'm not exactly sure what the point is supposed to be, other than a gimmick to get people to watch the series. The idea of turning these real battles into a game seems more than a little tacky, and I'm not sure I see the educational value in it. If the idea is that the games somehow allow you to relive the battle, I don't buy it. No matter how "real" you try to make it, there's no more of an emotional connection tied to these games then there is to something like Doom or Tomb Raider. The idea that these are somehow educational is more than a little foolish. I've placed a trailer after the jump.

Continue reading History Channel partners with online game company

Star Trek auction a huge success

Star Trek EnterpriseChristie's auction house wrapped up the first auction of official Star Trek memorabilia on Saturday. To say it was a success would be a huge understatement. Almost all of the items sold for more than their pre-sale estimates, and the final take of $7,107,040 was more than double what was expected.

Models and miniatures were the big winners. A model of the Enterprise that was used in the Next Generation series and the Generations movie went for an astounding $576,000. It was estimated to sell for $15,000 to $25,000. Eight other items in the models and miniatures category also managed to sell for more than $100,000. The top costume was a space suit worn by Dr. McCoy in the original series episode "The Tholian Web", going for $144,000.

The History Channel streamed the auction live on their website, but if you missed it, they also filmed everything for a future documentary. You can find more info about other items that sold in the Washington Post article.

[ thanks Evadne ]

True Caribbean Pirates -- An early look

piratesI've got an odd confession to make -- I'm a former Parrothead. Yes, I used to dig Buffett music too much, go to his concerts wearing stupid shit on my head and usually had a blender of something cold and boozy in my hand. But what I dug most about the whole scene was the notion of the ocean, the life of pirates of past, and of vast wooden ships skipping the Caribbean islands, all with nary a care in the world. So, when I got my hands on an early copy of History Channel's True Caribbean Pirates, I almost felt like a Parrothead again. Almost.

Continue reading True Caribbean Pirates -- An early look

History Channel and A&E go HD

david carusoWithin the next couple years, both A&E and the History Channel plan to launch individual high-definition channels. A&E's offering, called A&E HD, will come first, premiering this September. The channel will kick off with a CSI: Miami marathon on Labor Day weekend, so get ready to become intimate with David Curuso's pores. After the launch, the channel will simply simulcast A&E's programming. The History Channel's new high-def channel, which has the similar unoriginal name of History Channel HD, will launch next year. I'm not sure how the History Channel plans to take advantage of high definition, but I'll bet you'll be able to see mites crawling around inside Hitler's mustache. That's actually a really good idea for a Disney cartoon. Or maybe not.

[via Lost Remote]

The History Channel's tribute to black WWII soldiers

honor deferredOne of the many stories left out of our history books about World War Two is the heroics of the 761st Tank Battalion, a group of black soldiers that history forgot. But not the History Channel. This month, presumably in honor of Black History Month, the History Channel is airing Honor Deferred. Narrated by Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson, the documentary pairs historical photos and video archives with interviews of the black men who served in the 761st. The men spent 183 consecutive days in combat, fighting Nazi Germany and its allies. It comes highly recommended by reviewers as an important piece of American history.

Featured Stories

fall tv schedule
meet the tv squad

Categories

RSS Feeds

Powered by Blogsmith

AOL TV's Top 5


More Features


watch full episodes online

TV Squad Newsletter

Get TV Squad's daily posts emailed to you daily. Sign up now!

Sponsored Links

Most Commented On (7 days)

Blog Roll

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: