08-29-2015, 10:49 AM
Did something last night I haven't done in maybe almost 2 years. I watched one of those metal detecting "reality" shows.
I'm a big fan of that American Greed series on CNBC, where they detail some of the biggest cons & frauds in the world. I was in bed all set to watch the 10 o'clock episode, when I noticed it was a repeat, so I started channel surfing. Was going to watch the special about El Chapo, but I saw Diggers was on, and decided to give it a chance, at the last second.
To be honest, it wasn't AS bad as I remember, but it was still really dumb.
Now they have some "archaeologist" that follows them around and i.d.'s their finds, as well as giving them the lowdown info on the particular spot they're at. While I don't see the need for the archie AT ALL, as he does pretty much next to nothing (window dressing), I have a hunch it was done to...
A. Make some peace/inroads with the archie community
B. Prevent any outcry from the archie community, and stop a cash cow for the digger guys and Garrett from being pulled off the air
Everyone's different, and I'm sure there are many laypeople who will watch the show and think "That's so cool!", but, the flip side is, there will also be many who watch it and incorrectly deduce that all we find are diamonds, rubies & gold. The fact that they rarely find any junk is, well, rubbish, as we all know. And all of the cartwheels, backflips, and running around looks foolish, and struck me as a cheap gimmick.
IMO, I do NOT think the show was created for, nor caters to us diehard detectorists. It is intended more for the mass market, and must be a H-U-G-E driver of sales for Garrett.
There was SOME good, however. Not putting a value on the finds was a welcome relief. They got the sounds of the beeps right (correct tones for the machines), even though one can clearly tell the sound is dubbed, and NOT the actual signal from that specific hit.
I won't lie, being a hunter myself, it was neat to watch, which I guess is the whole point. However, for my money, the "fictional" show 'The Detectorists' is LIGHT YEARS ahead in terms of entertainment, realism, hitting the accuracy mark of what our hobby is all about, and represents required viewing. Diggers???...
I'll gladly watch the show about El Chapo next time, instead
Joe
I'm a big fan of that American Greed series on CNBC, where they detail some of the biggest cons & frauds in the world. I was in bed all set to watch the 10 o'clock episode, when I noticed it was a repeat, so I started channel surfing. Was going to watch the special about El Chapo, but I saw Diggers was on, and decided to give it a chance, at the last second.
To be honest, it wasn't AS bad as I remember, but it was still really dumb.
Now they have some "archaeologist" that follows them around and i.d.'s their finds, as well as giving them the lowdown info on the particular spot they're at. While I don't see the need for the archie AT ALL, as he does pretty much next to nothing (window dressing), I have a hunch it was done to...
A. Make some peace/inroads with the archie community
B. Prevent any outcry from the archie community, and stop a cash cow for the digger guys and Garrett from being pulled off the air
Everyone's different, and I'm sure there are many laypeople who will watch the show and think "That's so cool!", but, the flip side is, there will also be many who watch it and incorrectly deduce that all we find are diamonds, rubies & gold. The fact that they rarely find any junk is, well, rubbish, as we all know. And all of the cartwheels, backflips, and running around looks foolish, and struck me as a cheap gimmick.
IMO, I do NOT think the show was created for, nor caters to us diehard detectorists. It is intended more for the mass market, and must be a H-U-G-E driver of sales for Garrett.
There was SOME good, however. Not putting a value on the finds was a welcome relief. They got the sounds of the beeps right (correct tones for the machines), even though one can clearly tell the sound is dubbed, and NOT the actual signal from that specific hit.
I won't lie, being a hunter myself, it was neat to watch, which I guess is the whole point. However, for my money, the "fictional" show 'The Detectorists' is LIGHT YEARS ahead in terms of entertainment, realism, hitting the accuracy mark of what our hobby is all about, and represents required viewing. Diggers???...
I'll gladly watch the show about El Chapo next time, instead
Joe