Travel Channel - BOO

[tvdxer]

I don't know if this is the correct forum to post this ... if it isn't, please move it, my moderator-friend. But if it is, than good.

Has anybody noticed how far downhill the Travel Channel has went?

What once had interesting and quality shows has turned into the Poker Network. Well, that's exaggerating a bit - but a few days ago, I went through the schedule for it on the EPG. What did I find? Almost all, for at least the next 24+ hours, shows that fit into three categories

1) - "Haunted travel" - Heck, at least 50% of this stuff is a hoax. I'd rather hear about places to see and go that are both interesting and real. Move on, people...

2) - Rich and famous - Do I really care about some guy's $50 million boat that I know I will never have, or for that matter, want to have? If they'd focus on $60,000 Winnebagos that people can actually afford and real people's experiences in them, that would be interesting. But does it really matter to those not obsessed with the rich or wanting to be rich what life is like in a $1 million castle-on-wheels? I mean, it might be interesting for one show - but for a significant part of your schedule? Pleeeze....

3) - Vegas. While many like Vegas, and I wouldn't mind checking it out myself, it's not the capital of the world. There are more significant places out there. This is the TRAVEL CHANNEL. Heck, I think there's a whole night *each week* devoted to Vegas...and the World Poker Tournament. It may be filmed in exotic destinations, but cover the places, not the poker..

Seriously, these people need to stop going after the absolute lowest common denominator and start focusing on people who are actually interested in more than sensationalism-and-Vegas (and that's what the Travel Channel has been focusing on lately, aside from a selection of better shows, exceptions always being there). Put on something interesting about interesting, perhaps exotic destinations - e.g. Italy, Oman, India, among others...or accessible domestic ones like New York City or Chicago - and those places's histories, cultures, and how others travel there - and not just the super-rich. K?

[jrbdmb]

We could come up with a long list of networks who have hit the skids in recent years ...

Travel Channel - My wife and I used to watch it, in fact Comcast dropping the channel three years ago was a major factor in moving to E*. Now it's a poker shows, "Secrets of" crap, and little of what made the channel worthwhile in the past.
American Movie Classics - now only known as AMC, since nothing they show anymore is Classic.
The Learning Channel - now only known as TLC, what used to be a great channel now reduced to endless Trading Spaces and the like.
BBC America - not sure if it ever was a great channel in the past, but today it is about 80% drivel. It's bizzare to me that this channel shows also shows endless Trading Spaces stuff (or whatever they call it in the UK) while EastEnders is relegated to PPV. But they do get credit for their Monty Python and Benny Hill reruns. :)
The Weather Channel - headed downhill because of Storm Stories. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse.
ESPN Networks - headed downhill because of the horrid made-for-TV movies, reality shows like Dream Job and I'd Do Anything, and men's soap operas like Tilt and Playmakers.

But I guess all this crap is getting better ratings than what it replaced, so be prepared to see more networks go lowest common denominator.

[pomeroy]

I used to love the Travel Channel, They had some of the best shows like Lonely Planet and my favorite Adventure Bound with Alby Mangels. I loved that show! Sadly they began taking these shows down and replacing them with some of the worst programing :(

[Steve Mehs]

Add ZDTV/TechTV/G4TechTV to your list Jrbdmb.

I agree Tvdxer, I used to enjoy the Vegas shows on Travel a few years ago, but now its too much. How many times and ways can you show off the same casinos and other attractions over and over. Leave the ghost stories to the Sci Fi channel, Travel Channel is supposed to be an informational channel not littered with shows featuring nothing more then fairy tales dreamed up between a combination of strange coincidences and a few creative minds.

By the way, Pomeroy, welcome to DBSTalk :hi:

[Cyclone]

God I miss the Learning Channel. It used to be so consistently good. Connections... The Secret Life of Machines... all only memories now.

[tvdxer]

I totally agree with Jrbdmb and Mehs. I never watched much AMC or ESPN, but I've noticed that BBC America consists primarily of 1) HGTV-type shows and 2) fashion-related programming. Heck, if somebody got all their insights about the UK from the BBC they'd think all Brits do is try on clothes and repair their houses! TLC is just as bad, now focusing mostly on home renovation-type shows. TechTV has TOTALLY gone downhill from once being a great computer channel to becoming a mix of anime and CGI showcases and shows for the computer-illiterate. Ahemm....

[Marvin]

Food Network started to hit the skids last year...

Just because Rachel Ray is hot doesn't mean she needs to have about 5,000 shows (err, I guess it just seems like it - 30 minute meals, $40 a Day, Inside Dish).

Dwezil and Lisa. Date Plate. Food Fight. What the heck were they ..uh...eating???

Their contest for the next host of a show = disaster waiting to happen.

Iron Chef America is the equivalent of hollywood remakes that don't compare to the original (the only saving point is Alton Brown).

All the new weight loss reality stuff, while it might be loosely related to food, should be on the Health Network (is that still even on)or something.

Kitchen Accomplished is another one of those it sorta ties in shows, but in reality its just another "remodel your house" clone. I did like Ultimate Kitchens though because its fun to see what other people's kitchens look like, but I really don't have any interest in seeing how they put them together.

[skidog]

No more ghost stories for Sci-Fi, What's the latest Ghost Hunters? It could'nt get any worse :mad:

[TheRatPatrol]

I miss the original FX, when they used to show reruns of Mission Impossible, The Fall Guy, Batman, Green Hornet, and many other good ones. And they used to have that talk show at the end of the day, what was the name of that??

Anyways, that was a good channel when it first started off. :)

[Steve Mehs]

And Miami Vice. When I fost got Dish, FX was the number 1 channel I was looking foward to because of Vice. Used to watch it every day when I got home from school 3-4PM. Then 6 months later it was removed.

[pomeroy]

I have noticed its getting very hard to find old shows on the Satellite anymore alot of them we grew up to and would love to see again. I miss Hardcastle & McCormick I have emailed every cable channel I can think of to try and get somebody to start airing it again its starting to make me mad and want to drop Satellite all together. It seems like these channels are "Like well nobody wants to watch that old show lets air more Law and Order, Seinfeld, Will & Grace!! But its on 4 times a day?? Who cares they love it!" Those shows are great but enough is enough, Remember that show Riptide with Perry King & Joe Penny? or "Chips". I have given up hope with TV Land they don't know what they are doing TV Satisfaction Guaranteed? Well I want my money back. :)

[mattb]

I miss the old Travel channel, it was fun to watch....

[midnight75]

I miss the old Gameshow Network, when all they played were the older gameshows I used to watch growing up: Family Feud (Richard Dawson's version), Card Sharks, Pyramid (Dick Clark's version) & more. They need to stop with this GSN crap & go back to being strictly a gameshow network. :mad:

[durl]

Travel Channel has degraded in my opinion as well. I noticed the same pattern, tvdxer. So many networks have really begun to slide lately. TLC stinks, but at least Discover Science seems to have filled the void after they went soft. And a note to FX: bring back "In Living Colour".

At least for me, I'm glad that at least one of my favorites seems to be sticking to the formula (for the most part) and that's the History Channel. I don't really like it when they show movies, but at least they discuss them.

[HappyGoLucky]

"Lonely Planet" was one of the best shows on TV. I'm not sure about the current fascination so many channels now have with Las Vegas, poker, blackjack, etc. Vegas may be fun, in person, but watching it on TV has about as much appeal as seeing paint dry.

[pomeroy]

"Lonely Planet" was one of the best shows on TV. I'm not sure about the current fascination so many channels now have with Las Vegas, poker, blackjack, etc. Vegas may be fun, in person, but watching it on TV has about as much appeal as seeing paint dry.

Yeah you remember that guy that did most of them Ian Wright. They also had that beautiful girl Justin Shapiro WOW! She was a knock out. I also liked the other girl that did some of them Megan. I think that show ended up winning several awards. Last I saw it was on the Discovery Times a while back. It would be nice if somebody would pick up these shows that the travel channel drop and start airing them again. Lonely Planet was on there for 6 years? I think? Did not seem like it because it was a nice show to watch. :)

[billpa]

Many PBS channels carry the lonely planet series; I believe it's produced (in part) by WETA in DC