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Do you trust the discovery channel?

Cuda1447

Cuda1447

Lifer
I got my LCD tv with HD the other day (woot!) and just recently discovered the joys of discovery channel in HD. Not only does it look beautiful, its very interesting.

However, I am somewhat skeptical about some of the things they say. Now I see no reason why they would present false evidence, but I can't help be skeptical of it.

Whatcha guys think? Are they pretty accurate overall or should I take everything they say with a grain of salt?
 
I think it's a mix of accurate, opinion and in some situations error.

Many factors involved, like the subject or what "experts" they have involved.
 
Documentaries are nice, but in the end, almost all follow a referential or persuasive essay style, and attempt to prove a thesis that the writer/director feels is correct.
You should take them with a grain of salt, just like any other scientific research, and even more so because they are not subject to peer review.
 
video cameras were not yet invented in the era portrayed in Walking With Dinosaurs as they would have you believe
 
Originally posted by: HN
video cameras were not yet invented in the era portrayed in Walking With Dinosaurs as they would have you believe
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All this time...

DAMN YOU DISCOVERY CHANNEL!

At least they had books back then...

*opens Dinotopia*

Edit: I fvckin love Mythbusters. I've also started watching the Food Network a lot. The Good Eats guy is cool, and I like his Eating on Asphalt show. History channel is up there too.
 
Discovery channel sucks balls. The only reason I have it is because they just give it to me. Standard non-HD.

I've heard good things about it before I got cable, boy was I disappointed. Maybe I was just late for the show, like MTV.

Next door neighbor, History Channel, now that's worth watching. Still, it's got some stupid ****** like "things that move", but for the most part it's rather 'historical' and not too repetitive.
 
I trust it as yet another source of information providing some very high quality programming on HD.

But many times you can see through the bias/angle being portrayed. Depends on the show of course.
 
They used to be a lot better than they are now. Too many of the stories they have on discovery channel fall under the category "sensationalism." One of those channels (I've forgotten exactly which one) finally posted a statement at the beginning of a show about 2 weeks ago. "This show is based on actual scientific facts, however the actual outcomes have been exagerated for dramatic effect." Mythbusters is good entertainment, but as far as really doing a decent job scientifically, they blow. It's nice to see that they actually look at viewers letters and do revisit the experiments that they do screw up. And, there are plenty that get screwed up. I do enjoy watching Dirty Jobs though... I especially loved the garbage truck episode... the guy he helped deserves to be picked up by some network and made into a star.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
They used to be a lot better than they are now. Too many of the stories they have on discovery channel fall under the category "sensationalism." One of those channels (I've forgotten exactly which one) finally posted a statement at the beginning of a show about 2 weeks ago. "This show is based on actual scientific facts, however the actual outcomes have been exagerated for dramatic effect." Mythbusters is good entertainment, but as far as really doing a decent job scientifically, they blow. It's nice to see that they actually look at viewers letters and do revisit the experiments that they do screw up. And, there are plenty that get screwed up. I do enjoy watching Dirty Jobs though... I especially loved the garbage truck episode... the guy he helped deserves to be picked up by some network and made into a star.
Click to expand...

Re: Mythbusters. They're 50/50, really, with their methodologies. A lot of simpler ones, Adam and Jamie tend to F up. The complex ones, they hit on the nose. The other assorted cast tends to rock at the simple ones, and totally F up the huge ones (like the snowplow thing, they would've done FAR better to start with their existing box truck, which DEFINITELY works, and attach a plow to that, than to start with a full snowplow chassis that doesn't even roll.
 
Well, I was in a DiscoveryTimes special about the New York City subway (called NY Underground) and it has some factual errors and mis truths...
 
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