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Nat Geo Unveils Four New Series, Putting an Emphasis on Quirky Characters, Dangerous Jobs

Mar 26, 2012  •  Post A Comment

National Geographic Channel is taking a decidedly different approach with its new slate of shows, moving away from what’s described as “overtly well-meaning television” into material more noteworthy for showcasing quirky characters doing odd or dangerous jobs, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The cable channel rolled out plans for four new reality shows and docuseries, including "American Chainsaw," about chainsaw sculptor Jesse "The Machine" Green, and "Bid & Destroy," about a demolition company, the story says.

A third new series is called "Jersey Combat," and focuses on the owner of a New Jersey military artifacts warehouse. The fourth show is "Brain Games," a series version of a popular 2011 special, the piece adds.

The new direction for the 2012-13 season is "a bit more sudden than an evolution, but certainly less bloody than a revolution,” according to National Geographic CEO David Lyle, the story notes.

The series join two previously announced series: "Wicked Tuna," about bluefin tuna fishermen in Massachusetts, and "Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?," which pits contestants against the country’s top Boy Scouts, the piece adds.

5 Comments

  1. And another decent channel goes down the lousy unscripted toilet.

  2. Destroying over a hundred years of brand equity in the name National Geographic and becoming just another reality show network – nice.
    Cable used to be about differentiation; now it’s a race towards mass mediocrity and homogeneity.
    “Overtly well meaning television” was once the channel’s charter.

  3. Unfortunately, these shows are inexpensive to make and get ratings. I think we really need to start worrying if PBS goes down this route.

  4. It is the viewers fault. If they stop watching the shows will become useless. Look at Soap Operas. Oh sorry, people stopped watching.

  5. Yeah, that only took about 50 years. 🙂

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