Tuned In+Uncategorized | July 28, 2011

TCA Roundup: That's PROFESSOR Boston Rob to You

By James Poniewozik

The TCA TV critics’ press tour continued yesterday with the first full day of panels, from various cable channels. What did we learn?

* That America, God help it, is going to be learning history from Survivor’s “Boston Rob” Mariano. Or at least “history,” as brought to you by the History channel, which means Around the World in 80 Ways, in which Mariano will attempt to circumnavigate the globe by means of transport including chariot, ostrich and blimp. Think of it as The Amazing Race, minus the airport scenes!

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Tuned In+Uncategorized | May 24, 2011

Playing God: Mark Burnett to Make Bible Miniseries for History

By James Poniewozik

The History channel, as we all know, puts a premium on the veracity and historical truth of its projects. That was the ostensible reason, for instance, that the channel rejected the miniseries The Kennedys, saying that the political story did not meet its standards of accuracy. Now History has a new project: Survivor producer Mark [...]

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Tuned In+Uncategorized | July 13, 2009

Pawn in the U.S.A.

By James Poniewozik

  Next Sunday, History channel debuts Pawn Star$, its new reality show set in a Las Vegas pawn shop. What does selling one’s personal valuables have to do with history? Maybe because when historians write about The Great Depression of 2009, this will be one of the first things the textbooks will cite.   Actually, [...]