I have to agree that the documentary-style reality shows can be interesting and it’s nice that they feature real people doing their real jobs. (As opposed to the Big Brother style idiocies with their faked-up situations.) You can actually LEARN something about the REAL world by watching them. And they can help you appreciate how hard other people work to make the stuff you need and to keep your world running smoothly. Definitely something kids should be exposed to on a regular basis, if only to learn that Hannah Montana’s job is much less important than a coal miner’s.
As for the History Channel – I have given up on it for the most part as well. Most of what they show anymore is the X-Files version of history: Doomsday prophecies, conspiracy theories, crank interpretations of the Bible, and UFOs. These are usually linked thematically to the latest sci-fi or fantasy movie that’s being released. The reality shows, though I appreciate them, also have little or nothing to do with history.
