Discovery Channel Megathread

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azflyboy: Nov 9, 2005

WhiteHowler posted:

Next they're going to show old episodes of Cosmos, but with Carl Sagan's voice dubbed over by Ellen Degeneres.

Nope.

Discovery has already used an actress (Weaver) and a talk show host (Oprah), so they seem to be going after lower common denominators of people every time they replace a narrator.

Therefore, there's only one logical step they can take if they continue using that logic.

The next major BBC documentary Discovery decides is going to be narrated by Rachel Ray.

# ? Mar 2, 2010 00:22

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 03:16

Mike McC: Oct 9, 2009

iastudent posted:

Has there been any word when new Mythbusters episodes will be showing? Right now it looks like they're content with just filling up Wednesday nights with Man vs. Wild reruns.

Mythbusters twitter account confirms return date as 3/24. So, new eps in three weeks.

Mike McC fucked around with this message at 02:00 on Mar 4, 2010

# ? Mar 3, 2010 21:46

FlamingLiberal: Jan 18, 2009; Would you like to play a game?

Nice. That's sooner than I figured.

# ? Mar 3, 2010 21:49

iastudent: Apr 22, 2008

There's a program on Discovery tonight called Mayday! Bering Sea, focusing on the sinking of the Alaska Ranger. The name sounds familiar, wasn't it featured on Deadliest Catch once or just mentioned in passing?

# ? Mar 3, 2010 22:04

WhiteHowler: Apr 3, 2001; I'M HUGE!

iastudent posted:

There's a program on Discovery tonight called Mayday! Bering Sea, focusing on the sinking of the Alaska Ranger. The name sounds familiar, wasn't it featured on Deadliest Catch once or just mentioned in passing?

It was mentioned in passing at the end of season 4.

The rescues featured on the show were the Ocean Challenger and the Katmai.

# ? Mar 3, 2010 22:32

smackfu: Jun 7, 2004

Science Channel reran a great documentary series the other day, Moon Machines. About the engineers of Apollo rather than the astronauts. Those guys are awesome. One dude even has an eye-patch.

Plus gorgeous HD.

DVD is cheap on Amazon too:
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Machines-George-Phelps/dp/B0026IQTR2

# ? Mar 4, 2010 01:12

iastudent: Apr 22, 2008

I was flipping through channels this morning and saw that the VexCon exterminators from Dirty Jobs have their own reality show on A&E. When the hell did that happen?

# ? Mar 10, 2010 16:21

FlamingLiberal: Jan 18, 2009; Would you like to play a game?

iastudent posted:

I was flipping through channels this morning and saw that the VexCon exterminators from Dirty Jobs have their own reality show on A&E. When the hell did that happen?

I think this is the 2nd or 3rd season.

# ? Mar 10, 2010 21:48

Crotch Bat: Dec 6, 2003; Much like with everything else in life, the Euros seem to have more sense on how to do things in a fun atmosphere without sucking the soul out of the event.

I don't know if this was ever brought up but another DC star, Jake Anderson, has a missing father. If you remember, Jake is on the Northwestern and his severely ill sister passed away during last season.

quote:

(March 10) -- A star of the Discovery Channel's hit reality series "Deadliest Catch" is appealing to the public for help in finding his father, who has been missing for two months.

"I just want to know what happened to my dad," Jake Anderson, a deckhand on the F/V Northwestern crab fishing boat, told AOL News. "I want to bring my father home. He wouldn't give up on us, and I'm not going to give up on him. I just don't know what to do. We need help, and I hope that someone out there will help give us some sort of closure."

Keith Anderson, a 63-year-old retired high school counselor from Anacortes, Wash., disappeared Jan. 6. Jake Anderson was on the Northwestern, crab fishing in the Bering Sea, but Keith's brother Chris saw him that day.

"He came to my house that morning, and we had our regular cup of coffee together," Chris Anderson said. "Afterward, he ran some errands for his family and moved a washer and dryer for one of his daughters. He then went to meet an acquaintance."

According to Chris and Jake, the "acquaintance" Keith went to meet was going to provide him with Oxycontin, a powerful prescription painkiller. The Andersons said he was in constant pain and suffering from bouts of depression.

"He was originally prescribed it for a rotator cuff surgery; then, about six months later, he broke four ribs and it was prescribed again," Chris said. "In my personal opinion, they [doctors] give it out too easy. He had been fighting to get off the drug, but it was difficult with the pain he was experiencing, coupled with the pressures he was under."

Those pressures included the approach of the one-year anniversary of his daughter's death. On Feb. 13, 2009, Keith's daughter, 37-year-old Chelsea Dawn Anderson, died unexpectedly from complications of pneumonia. She had suffered most of her life with rheumatoid arthritis.

"He always felt that my sister's disease was his fault," Jake said. "He always took care of her, and he never liked to see kids hurt. He would rather be the one hurting."

At about 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, Keith left Anacortes to meet his acquaintance in the Arlington, Wash., area, Chris said.

"Normally, he would go out and get the pills and be back about three or four hours later, but, that day, he never came back," Chris said. "One of his acquaintances later said he last saw him in Sultan, which is about 120 miles from where he lives, and that was the last time anyone claims to have seen him."

When Keith failed to return home that night, his family became concerned. In the 43 years he had been married, he had never spent a night away from his wife. Concern turned to fear when Keith's wife found his cell phone lying in a mud puddle by their house.

The family notified police and, with the help of volunteers, put up missing-person posters. Authorities determined there had been no activity on any of Keith's bank and credit card accounts. They also sought out the acquaintance Keith planned to visit on the day he disappeared.

"[We] talked to that young man and according to him there was a transaction that took place," Anacortes police Capt. John Small told AOL News. "It sounded like Keith got what he needed and [the guy] dumped Keith off at a grocery store parking lot. He said that was the last he saw [Keith]."

On Jan. 13, around 200 people gathered at Causland Park for a candlelight vigil for Keith Anderson.

"We are here because of our love and concern about Keith," the Rev. Terry Kyllo of Celebration Lutheran Church said during the event. "We all feel anxiety and fear because we don't know where he is."

Former students of Anacortes High School, where Keith had worked for 23 years as a counselor, have also offered their support to the family.

"When I read [about] it on Facebook, I was almost crying. He was such a great guy that I don't see any bad things happening to him," Shannah McGinnis told KOMOnews.com. "He needs to be home with his family."

The mystery took another turn on Jan. 22, when his white 1999 Ford Ranger pickup was found abandoned 11 miles up a remote logging road northwest of Darrington. The truck was was high-centered -- stuck between two logs.

"Someone had tried to get it out," Chris said. "You can see where it dug in. There was a rut on each side of the road."

According to Chris, the truck was locked and the keys were found inside.

In a press release detailing the find, Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers said there were no signs of foul play -- a statement both Chris and Jake contest.

"The keys that were left in the truck had blood on them, but the detectives won't give us any more information about them," Jake said.

Small confirmed to AOL News that blood was found, but said it was a "minuscule amount."

"The sheriff's office did the search of the vehicle found, it wasn't us," Small said. "[They] thought somebody might have cut their finger. That is how small the amount of blood was in the vehicle."

Small said investigators have been unable to determine if the blood was Keith's or someone else's.

Following the truck's discovery, Anacortes police, the Skagit County Sheriff's Department and Search & Rescue launched an extensive ground search in the area, but were unable to locate Keith or any clues to his disappearance.

Did Keith Anderson drive down the logging road intentionally or was he the victim of foul play?

"Both those are possibilities," Small said. "But again, we have no evidence a drug deal went bad. No evidence of anything really. The best-case scenario is that Keith drove up there and walked off, but it bothers us that nothing has come up in this case [and] no one has reported seeing him or anything."

Jake and Chris both believe foul play is the most probable explanation.

"I know my brother, and when he takes those pills, he doesn't take them till he gets home because he can hardly walk up the steps of the house," Chris said. "That place where they found the truck, everybody that knows my brother knows that he would have never driven the truck to that location."

When contacted by AOL News, Snohomish County Sheriff's Sgt. Danny Wikstrom refused to comment on the case. Small, the Anacortes police captain, said it is still an active case.

"It's still an open investigation but leads are few and far between right now," Small said. "We would like to see this come to a close. We would love to find Keith alive somewhere, but that is probably getting slimmer and slimmer now."

In an effort to generate leads, Jake is trying to collect donations to offer a reward for information in the case.

"I got four sisters left, and we don't have that much money," Jake said. "Practically everything I bring home goes to them and everyone else. I really don't have much money to give a reward, so that really bothers me."

Anyone interested in donating to the reward fund can do so at any US Bank location or online. The account is set up under the name "Keith Anderson."

The family has reached out to 3View Search Services, a nonprofit missing-person search and recovery group from Indiana. The group is working with law enforcement in Washington state to try to organize a large-scale professional search effort.

"We have been in contact with the family for about three weeks," Mandy Albritton, co-founder of 3View, told AOL News. "We are more than willing to assist them in any way possible. My associate, Sean Henady, is currently in talks with the law enforcement agency that is handling the case, and we are working to determine how our services can best assist them in the search."

For now, Jake and his family will continue to hold out hope that they will discover what happened to their missing loved one.

"My relationship with my dad has always been good," Jake said. "He is the one who taught me how to work hard and earn everything. He has always taken good care of my mom and all the kids. He was a real family man. I miss him and want to know what happened."

# ? Mar 12, 2010 14:45

Speakeasy: Jul 30, 2004; Spank me if I post

azflyboy posted:

Nope.

Discovery has already used an actress (Weaver) and a talk show host (Oprah), so they seem to be going after lower common denominators of people every time they replace a narrator.

Therefore, there's only one logical step they can take if they continue using that logic.

The next major BBC documentary Discovery decides is going to be narrated by Rachel Ray.

I want to hear 11 hours of nasal narration by Quinn from Glee.

# ? Mar 16, 2010 03:48

XK: Jul 9, 2001; Star Citizen is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it's fidelity when you look out your window or when you watch youtube

http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/03/sarah-palin-reality-discovery-alaska-.html

quote:

Sources say Discovery Communications has edged out rival A&E Networks in the bidding for the project, titled "Sarah Palin's Alaska."
...
The former governor's asking price was $1.2 million per episode. A network paying anywhere close to that figure would make "Alaska" one of the most expensive nature series ever produced.

Think about that last part. A Sarah Palin nature show would be more expensive than any of the numerous fantastic PBS or BBC nature documentaries. Somebody needs to smack some sense into the higher-ups at Discovery.

# ? Mar 23, 2010 17:34

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

Planet Earth cost $25 million to produce, so that's almost $2.3 million per episode.

Though I wonder how much of that budget goes directly to Palin herself.

# ? Mar 23, 2010 17:44

XK: Jul 9, 2001; Star Citizen is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it's fidelity when you look out your window or when you watch youtube

FogHelmut posted:

Though I wonder how much of that budget goes directly to Palin herself.

Her asking price. Any other costs would be in addition to that.

# ? Mar 23, 2010 17:50

Crotch Bat: Dec 6, 2003; Much like with everything else in life, the Euros seem to have more sense on how to do things in a fun atmosphere without sucking the soul out of the event.

Mythbusters is back tomorrow at 9. Kari is apparently back the week after.

# ? Mar 23, 2010 21:32

the-jam: May 20, 2003; Kick Out the MC5

XK posted:

Her asking price. Any other costs would be in addition to that.

No I don't think that's right. They're selling the show as a complete concept through a production company (Mark Burnett's company, producer of Survivor and many other highly successful series). The $1.2 million is the license fee per episode and it probably is more than Discovery paid for Planet Earth because it was only a minor partner with the BBC on that but this has bigger appeal in the US and specifically on Discovery. Discovery is already big on Alaska programming having an annual Alaska week and all. I think this purchase makes sense for them.

# ? Mar 23, 2010 21:47

Sand Monster: Apr 13, 2008

the-jam posted:

Discovery is already big on Alaska programming having an annual Alaska week and all. I think this purchase makes sense for them.

What exactly is "Sarah Palin's Alaska" supposed to be about? Is it just a nature show about Alaska or is it some show hosted by her where she travels around the state?

# ? Mar 24, 2010 00:45

XK: Jul 9, 2001; Star Citizen is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it's fidelity when you look out your window or when you watch youtube

the-jam posted:

No I don't think that's right. They're selling the show as a complete concept through a production company

Regardless of how it's set up, it's still a lot of money for something that's just going to make me physically ill.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 01:18

Pillowpants: Aug 5, 2006

Yeah, I'm going to boycott Discovery now that they plan on bankrolling her presidential campaign.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 01:20

IRQ: Sep 9, 2001; SUCK A DICK, DUMBSHITS!

Todd Flanders posted:

What exactly is "Sarah Palin's Alaska" supposed to be about? Is it just a nature show about Alaska or is it some show hosted by her where she travels around the state?

Shooting wolves from helicopters, corruption, and abuse of power.

On the bright side, she'll quit half way through the season.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 01:34

azflyboy: Nov 9, 2005

Dammit Discovery, stop going after stupid people.

A Sarah Palin show would fit in fine on History, and would probably work on TLC or A&E, but spending millions to let a borderline-retarded (or "Palin-American") woman host a TV show doesn't really fit with what Discovery has been successful doing for the last few years.

If they threw that much money at Michael Palin, the result would be an amazingly entertaining documentary about Alaska, but instead we're going to get hours of that drat fake Minnesota accent and "punch me!" smirk.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 07:38

the-jam: May 20, 2003; Kick Out the MC5

azflyboy posted:

A Sarah Palin show would fit in fine on History, and would probably work on TLC or A&E, but spending millions to let a borderline-retarded (or "Palin-American") woman host a TV show doesn't really fit with what Discovery has been successful doing for the last few years.

Yeah, it's not a reality show about a "dangerous" job or random guys in a shop arguing. I think this fits Discovery better than half the shows they air.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 08:27

haveblue: Aug 15, 2005; Toilet Rascal

the-jam posted:

Yeah, it's not a reality show about a "dangerous" job or random guys in a shop arguing. I think this fits Discovery better than half the shows they air.

It's a show about a source of danger to the US, does that count?

# ? Mar 24, 2010 13:55

FlamingLiberal: Jan 18, 2009; Would you like to play a game?

Crotch Bat posted:

Mythbusters is back tomorrow at 9. Kari is apparently back the week after.

Thanks for the reminder, I almost forgot. Just added it to my DVR.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 17:58

iastudent: Apr 22, 2008

So I take it Construction Intervention is gonna be "Extreme Makeover: Urban Edition" with a focus on blue collar workers instead of homeowners with physical/mental handicaps?

Still though, I'm strangely interested.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 18:36

Aatrek: Jul 19, 2004; by Fistgrrl

Mythbusters is back tonight.

quote:

Soda Cup Killer (March 24)
Jamie and Adam explore whether a cup of soda thrown from a car can kill, while Jessi, Tory and Grant see how long a good guy can hang by his fingertips.

# ? Mar 24, 2010 23:19

LordOfThePants: Sep 25, 2002

Aatrek posted:

Mythbusters is back tonight.

Thanks for the sticky thread!

Someone mentioned earlier that Kerri is back next week - I wonder if they'll keep Jessi around or if this is her last episode?

# ? Mar 24, 2010 23:29

IRQ: Sep 9, 2001; SUCK A DICK, DUMBSHITS!

I hope she sticks around, I like her way more than Kari.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 00:04

XK: Jul 9, 2001; Star Citizen is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it's fidelity when you look out your window or when you watch youtube

IRQ posted:

I hope she sticks around, I like her way more than Kari.

I also like her better than Kari. I can't figure out what Kari adds to the show. Jessi at least has tons of fabricating experience. Kari molds some ballistic gelatin, does some painting, then jumps around screaming when a myth is tested.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 01:36

ToastyPotato: Jun 23, 2005; CONVICTED OF DISPLAYING HIS PEANUTS IN PUBLIC

Didn't somone already post that Jessi was gone? I liked her more than Kari as well, mostly because she really seemed to be more of an equal to the guys, actually doing a lot of build work, while still filling the "pretty girl" quota Discovery feels the show needed. Kari is cool and all, but I felt Jessi was a better fit. Or we could just have them both to sort of bring back the Scottie/Kari dynamic. But a 4 person build team is overkill.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 01:43

IRQ: Sep 9, 2001; SUCK A DICK, DUMBSHITS!

XK posted:

I also like her better than Kari. I can't figure out what Kari adds to the show. Jessi at least has tons of fabricating experience. Kari molds some ballistic gelatin, does some painting, then jumps around screaming when a myth is tested.

If you look up how she got the job it's clear that she really adds nothing. She basically pestered Jaime until he gave in and let her be an intern. Producers saw a pretty girl, and wanted to expand the show into 2 build teams, and there you go.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 01:44

Kwik: Apr 4, 2006; You can't touch our beaver.

I'm amazed that they've been at this for how many years now, and most all of the filler lines still sound like they're being read off a prompter.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:08

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

Action heroes are action heroes, not average Joe's. They should get one of the dudes from Ninja Warrior to see how long he can hang.

Now if you're talking about someone who is in need of rescue, then this is legit...

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:08

Hazo: Dec 30, 2004; SCIENCE

IRQ posted:

If you look up how she got the job it's clear that she really adds nothing. She basically pestered Jaime until he gave in and let her be an intern. Producers saw a pretty girl, and wanted to expand the show into 2 build teams, and there you go.

Where would you read about this? I love behind the scenes stuff like this.

edit: I cringe a little every time they show the replay of Tori bashing his shin open on the concrete windowsill

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:26

IRQ: Sep 9, 2001; SUCK A DICK, DUMBSHITS!

FogHelmut posted:

Action heroes are action heroes, not average Joe's. They should get one of the dudes from Ninja Warrior to see how long he can hang.

Now if you're talking about someone who is in need of rescue, then this is legit...

I can't recall a single action movie where the star held on "indefinitely."

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:31

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

IRQ posted:

I can't recall a single action movie where the star held on "indefinitely."

I'm just saying if you really want to test the extents of human endurance.

Anyway, did Adam just say "A little bit closer, Stig" ????

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:35

Kwik: Apr 4, 2006; You can't touch our beaver.

FogHelmut posted:

I'm just saying if you really want to test the extents of human endurance.

Anyway, did Adam just say "A little big closer, Stig" ????

I thought he said "Steve"

In any event, this myth isn't so much "What would happen if you just casually tossed a cup of soda out the window" and more "What happens when we take careful aim, and wing a cup at a driver?"

edit: just rewound it- he did say "Little bit closer, Stig"

Figures Adam would watch Top Gear.

Kwik fucked around with this message at 02:41 on Mar 25, 2010

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:37

feedmyleg: Dec 25, 2004

Kwik posted:

I'm amazed that they've been at this for how many years now, and most all of the filler lines still sound like they're being read off a prompter.

To be fair, it's truly awful dialogue.

e: vvv They had a camera inside the window so they could get a shot of him falling from the front, hence him needing to be over a window.

feedmyleg fucked around with this message at 02:43 on Mar 25, 2010

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:38

muscles like this!: Jan 17, 2005

I want to know who was the retard who put Tory over a loving window? That could have permanently disabled him.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:38

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

It's a worst case scenario kind of thing. What if it did hit perfectly?

This helicopter thing, I'm pretty sure Bear Grylls did this. On this channel. In this time slot.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:38

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 03:16

XK: Jul 9, 2001; Star Citizen is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it's fidelity when you look out your window or when you watch youtube

Hazo posted:

edit: I cringe a little every time they show the replay of Tori bashing his shin open on the concrete windowsill

The worst part about that is I totally saw it coming the moment I saw the rig right over a window opening.

# ? Mar 25, 2010 02:42

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