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History vs. Reality

By Steven Lloyd Wilson | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (25)

tell_william.jpg

The History Channel has announced that it will be creating its first reality television show. Called “Top Shot,” it will broadcast in 2010 and feature top marksmen competing for a $100,000 prize as they reenact history’s most celebrated feats of marksmanship, from Annie Oakley’s mirror shot to William Tell’s tragic murder of an apple.

The press release gushes “not only will contestants have a chance to experience history in the making, but they might make history themselves by breaking a world record.” Oh! A world record! That makes it so different! What are you going to do? Shoot twice as many apples off of mannequin heads as the previous bored dilettante? The legends don’t have power because somebody made an impossible shot. They endure through the ages because someone did something impossible when it mattered. William Tell is a legend (though possibly fictional) because a sadistic jackass of a lord thought it’d be hilarious to force a peasant whom pissed him off to play a sick game for his child’s life. The impressive part isn’t the shot, spectacular though it was, it was the stakes of the game and the sadism of the lord. Remove the context and all you do is trivialize everything that makes the story resonate over the centuries.

If this is the first reality show to be broadcast by the History Channel, what the hell have they been broadcasting? History is reality. Oh, of course, you can debate the endless interpretation and reinterpretation of what actually happened versus who’s just making up a mythology, but that’s exactly the point. You’re arguing about reality. Yes, I’m splitting semantic hairs on the subatomic level here, but as many times as the point has been made it bears being made again. It’s not reality television, it’s attention-whore television.









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Comments

I'll be watching. There's a difference between educational television, documentary television, and reality television, especially competitive reality television. This is a unique example of that. A skill-based reality show with educational value beyond learning what happens at reunion shows where horrible shrews are forced to confront their stank attitudes in the wake of national scorn? I'm in.

Posted by: Robert at December 14, 2009 9:30 AM

Maybe I'd take the history channel a little more seriously if they'd stop with all the UFO crap that they air on a daily basis. This is NOT history.

Blurry, grainy footage of lights in the night sky don't equal an alien invasion. Stop bugging the Air Force base in Nevada. And for the love of God, stop providing a media platform for overweight conspiracy theorists who have nothing to back up their claims.

Send those guys back into their mother's basement for another D&D session and get them off our T.V.

/rant off.

Posted by: anderbot at December 14, 2009 9:39 AM

Pardon me, but any channel that will air the historic tribute called Under Siege on a chilly Sunday afternoon is alright by me.

The show does sound kind of interesting though.

Posted by: admin at December 14, 2009 10:03 AM

Remind me to tune in for the episode where they have a small nebbish boy kill a giant with a slingshot.

Posted by: ahamos at December 14, 2009 10:06 AM

feature top marksmen competing for a $100,000 prize as they reenact history’s most celebrated feats of marksmanship, from Annie Oakley’s mirror shot to William Tell’s tragic murder of an apple Clinton and the blue dress.

/Went there

Posted by: branded at December 14, 2009 10:18 AM

I first thought of the JFK assassination. They probably won't do that.

But this does remind me to head over to YouTube and watch Danny Kaye's William Tell sketch - which they could totally use for the theme song!

To the tune of the overture: I'm a darn, I'm a darn, I'm a darn good shot...

Posted by: Brittany at December 14, 2009 10:43 AM

Semantics aside, if this is the first reality program by them, what are "Ice Road Truckers", "Sand Hogs", and "Ax Men"?

Seems like they mean this is first one they're producing instead of broadcasting, but it's not like people are checking the production credits on most History Channel shows to know the difference.

Posted by: Sean at December 14, 2009 10:51 AM

Gah, they don't even deserve the name "History Channel" anymore. You know what? I predict a name change in their future, much like Sci-fi/Syfy.

Ladies and gentlemen, we shall soon have The Hissy Channel. Mark my words.

Posted by: figgy at December 14, 2009 12:16 PM

So what about the Final episode for all the marbles?

Ford's Theater?

Dealy Plaza in Dallas Texas with a moving target?

I vote for canteloupes filled with ground beef and red corn syrup for effect.

...yes. I know. Thankfully though, I like a dry heat.

Posted by: PissBoy at December 14, 2009 12:31 PM

They endure through the ages because someone did something impossible when it mattered.....The impressive part isn’t the shot, spectacular though it was, it was the stakes of the game and the sadism of the lord.

Uh, dude, just because YOU weren't impresed with such a shot (a carefully placed shot at a quite small target above his own kid's head under threat of death), that doesn't mean that wasn't the part that resonated with people. I am afraid not a lot of people really know about the whole "evil lord being a dick to some peasants" part, and for good reason, because there were a lot of evil lord, and a lot of peasants, and a lot of dicking around being done. But just about everyone know that William Tell shot an apple off a human head, because it was (and still is) so rare

Plus, you make it sound like these shot are not still impossible, if not extremely difficult. I would assume there will be no laser pointer, high-powered scopes, or modernized super-balanced weapons and/or ammunition.

Sounds to me like it would be like a special episode of Mythbusters, only with less big booms, and people are competing to bust the myths. I think you got a bit too excited to bemoan the idea that you came up with a pretty weak argument against it.

Semantics aside, if this is the first reality program by them, what are "Ice Road Truckers", "Sand Hogs", and "Ax Men"?

Good point!

Posted by: The Hands Team (formerly Vermillion) at December 14, 2009 12:32 PM

I apologize for any errors, I am in a bit of a rush.

Posted by: The Hands Team (formerly Vermillion) at December 14, 2009 12:34 PM

HAHAHAHA, Brittany!!! I probably shouldn't laugh; it was such a tragedy. But that's the kind of irreverence that just tickles me. I'm a bad, bad person.

Posted by: Jelinas at December 14, 2009 12:56 PM

The history channel entering the reality world this way just strikes me as strange. "history is reality" -- well put!

Posted by: Jeanette K. at December 15, 2009 1:03 PM

What a waste of an hour. A whole lot of Bla...bla...bla. Nothing about was intertaining or engaging. And I love shooting guns.

Posted by: Punk at June 7, 2010 1:48 AM

Really! A Beretta "slide action"? C'mon, these people in the audience aren't idiots...have some respect for their intelligence. If you want to cater to grade schoolers, fine! Don't treat the general audience like dummies. And where did you get those questions for the shooters? You have a great chance at a really informative and competitive show. Don't blow it.

Posted by: Michael at June 13, 2010 9:58 PM

This is not their first reality show......you have pawn stars, deadliest catch, ice road truckers, ax men.................wtf? i guess they meant reality competition? who knows....personally i prefer my history to not have stupid reality shows. but i am an NRA member and this show is interesting to me, so i watch.

Posted by: joe at June 14, 2010 2:49 AM

I tried watching the first one****GAG****

It's merely "Survivor", but with weapons and all the stupid girlish drama. WTF??? Who CARES how some dude "feels"??? Who gives a crap about who's voted off? It's irrelevant, and has absolutely NOTHING AT ALL to do with the REAL stars of the show.....THE WEAPONS!!!!

Just do some SHOOTIN', and then BLOW SOME CHIT UP!!! Screw the drama and head games. Save that for the Lifetime Channel.

Posted by: Lou G at June 18, 2010 8:06 AM

THIS IS NOT A MARKSMANSHIP COMPETTITION, IT IS A POPULARITY CONTEST. THESE GUYS SQUABBLE AND VOTE EACH OTHER OFF THE SHOW BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE ONE ANOTHER. HOW ABOUT LETTING THEM SHOOT IN A SHOOTING COMPETITION? LEAVE PERSONALITY OUT OF IT.

Posted by: wolfman63 at June 20, 2010 11:13 PM

I have watched every episode to this point. I am an avid hunter and shooter and to this point I am very disipointed. This show is marketed to have some of the best shooter in their discipline. So far all I have seen are some marginal compititions which your average shooter should be able to excell in. With the cast you are promoting, lets see some good head to head shooting compitition which will showcase their ability. Face it, PVC pipe at 15 feet, even though the smallist is 1 1/2 inches is still easy for the top shooters. 50 and 100 yard rifle shots with the firearms which they had, should have been a given. By watching, there are some truely good shooters on the program, lets let them shoot and show the rest of the world what the top shooters in each of these disciplines can do.

Do you want to WOW people with the exploding targets or do you want to showcase trully good shooters? or is it the drama, which is really turning me off of this program.

Posted by: Jeff at June 22, 2010 11:32 AM

The elimination contest in the 4th round was terrible. The Brit told everyone to vote him in so he could easily get rid of Jim. Watch the replay of Jim's round carefully. It was literally impossible for him to tie the score. The last red plate he shot had a blue one swinging in EXACT synchronization behind it. No chance to hit the red without also hitting the blue. Set up? I don't know. But it sucked.

Posted by: Jon at June 28, 2010 7:00 PM

I thought this might be an interesting show, and some of it is. I like the actual shooting contests, and I like the different weapons used. But some of those guys are acting like pissy little bitches! Kindergarten maturity levels, and 12-year-old girl hissy fighting. The one woman on the show is clearly embarrassed by the catfighting going on. I thought marksmen were supposed to be cool characters, able to keep calm under pressure. What a disappointment!

Posted by: Truman at July 11, 2010 10:56 PM

The whole show is a joke, The only shooter on the show is Kelly and he has proved it so far. Denny needs to get a life, he could not shoot his way out of a wet paper bag,but he votes for Kelly every time. I am glad he is gone. Thats my two cents.

Posted by: Randy at August 4, 2010 8:16 PM

Just watched the finale. I loved every episode. I was rooting for Kelly, but it was a good finale anyway. The shooting was awesome in the final round. Can't wait for Top Shot 2!

Posted by: veronica at August 15, 2010 11:06 PM

My cable was out last night, who won ?

Posted by: Chris at August 16, 2010 12:36 PM

Great article. Bookmarked!

Posted by: asssav at February 15, 2011 12:57 PM