Actual History

At one point I watched the History Channel with regularity, and even anticipation, because, well, history, and I like history. Even when it was ridiculed as The Hitler Channel, because the only history it seemed to care about was World War II, I still watched. World War II was compelling, wasnt' it?

Then came Oak Island and Ancient Aliens.

I ain't saying those are bad shows on the level of mere entertainment. But do they qualify as history? Not in my mind anyway. So I basically quit watching.

But this past weekend I caught a short series which they offered on Ulysses Grant. It wove reenactments in with historical commentary. And I thought it was entertaining and informative, exactly like history should be. Then they offered a similar treatment of Abraham Lincoln, during which were ads about an upcoming look at Theodore Roosevelt which appears interesting.

The old Rough Rider notwithstanding (my opinion of TR is ambivalent; I think he was too self important, quite honestly) I'm impressed to see the History Channel getting back to actual history and not speculative infotainment (ancient aliens? Come on) and might actually put it back in my TV viewing circle.