Ancient Aliens

I can honestly say that there is not a single archaeological depiction in television that I have looked forward to more than the History Channel's "Ancient Aliens." Though it may seem like a credible source of information, especially since it is aired on the History Channel, "Ancient Aliens" is closer to pseudoscience. In pop culture, "Ancient Aliens" is best known for the internet meme starring Giorgio A. Tsoukalos:

"His hair is full of secrets!"

As the meme implies, the show is popularly known for explaining ancient happenings by simply saying "aliens did it."

Their message and the way that the creators present their information to the viewer is extremely interesting, both because of the popularity (over two million viewers in December of 2011, according to Wikipedia.com), and the mix of entertainment and education. I watched the episode titled: "Aliens and Lost Worlds." The whole episode is below:

Whatever criticism you may level at "Ancient Aliens," you must admit that the camerawork is spectacular and the show is perfectly suited to its target audience. It bounces quickly from breathtaking shot to breathtaking shot. Especially in the opening sequence, the viewer is bombarded with eye candy. The soundtrack is just as over the top. To get a feel for the use of soundtrack, listen to the video without watching. Try to understand what emotions are meant to be evoked with each sound. These elements really help set the mood for the episode.

A concerned-sounding narrator is also involved, often asking grand questions such as "Did aliens help build this ancient civilization? Why did they come? What did they want?" The camera also cuts to older men who are obviously supposed to be sources of authority. They also offer cryptic and leading questions. The producers essentially confront you with a whirlwind of incredible pictures of ancient civilizations while asking mysterious and unique questions. The purpose is to whip the viewer up into a state of wonder and intrigue to suck them into the show. Perhaps the best example is the opening sequence. The producers introduce three different storylines and how they could connect to aliens, culminating in a scene in which questions like "Where did they come from? Are they coming back?" fly toward you like outer space. It sounds ridiculous, and it is. Watch the ridiculous finale below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iygJcRxmwQY&t=1m15s

Ancient Aliens does, however, make some effort to appear reputable. When introducing new sites, they start with a factual representation of the civilization, accompanied by a couple of sound bites from Phd.'s.

After the scene is set, the narrator makes a jump into the absurd, connecting the facts with a supposition about alien involvement. In the case of the first visited site, the ancient city of Copan in present day Honduras, the narrator suggests that because their civilization had a written language, they were contacted by aliens. The narrator then asserts that "ancient astronaut theorists" agree, though the qualifications of these theorists is not specified. From this point on, evidence is based on the wonderings of authors, writers, and other unqualified "theorists." In Copan, the famous Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, publisher in Legendary Times magazine, asserts his alien theories based on the fact that some of the Copan statues looked like they had tubes or buttons on them that resembled astronaut suits. None of their "evidence" seems to hold any scientific value at all. In short, it is sensationalized wonderings meant to attract a certain type of person.

For an example of a leap of logic supported only by authors and publishers, check out this part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iygJcRxmwQY&t=4m5s

This statue, according to one speaker, resembles some kind of astronaut. Yeah...

The person that "Ancient Aliens" is trying to attract is someone with a passing interest in ancient worlds or aliens who wants to be entertained with mystery and wonder. With their unfounded yet awe-inspiring theories and exciting filming style, "Ancient Aliens" does their job admirably.

One of the Phd's thrown in to spew facts and lend credibility.
 Look at that mustache! I believe whatever he says!

The basic formula for Ancient Aliens is essentially this: drum up excitement with filming tactics, introduce the setting, give some facts, show some Phd.'s, then connect the setting with aliens. From there on, have unqualified men give testimonials and explanations of wild theories. It is simple and effective.

Archaeology in the media comes in shades of grey. On one end of the spectrum, it is purely informational, intended only to present information on the ancient worlds using the scientific method. On the other end, facts are used to lend credibility to outlandish theories that aren't actually supported by real evidence. "Ancient Aliens" is solidly positioned in the latter area.

I believe that portraying archaeology as something other than a scientific pursuit is somewhat damaging to its reputation. What I mean by this is when a television show presents outlandish and unproven theories alongside real proven facts, all the information is degraded.

What's Right: If anyone is doing their job right on the set of 'Ancient Aliens,' it's the effects guys. From the soundtrack to the camera shots, the atmosphere created by the effects really helps make the show alluring and mysterious. There are also a decent amount of facts sprinkled around
What's Wrong: Everything else. The show blatantly misrepresents the views of the general scientific community with their clever formula of mixing Phd.'s and 'authors.' Most of the material is essentially made up, which misrepresents  archaeology and the past.
Grade: D+