The Naked Archaeologist: Who Wrote the Bible?

After watching NOVA for two weeks, the "Naked Archaeologist" totally got my attention this time. Unzip archaeology and make it naked! It is amazing that the film makers can put together so much information in such a short amount of time. The show is produced by Emmy Award–winning journalist Simcha Jacobovici, together with Avri Gilad.

Music: While documentaries like to use mysterious and dramatic music to engage their audience, this show uses more amusing music, so that the audience feels more relaxed and comfortable compared to other documentaries. Sometimes even pop music is used when the narrator is talking.

Video Clips: The most incredible part of this show. Clips are mostly quotes from films to show the audience scenes they are talking about. The most interesting example is when they are talking about the different versions of the Bible. (5:00) "God creates the animal, and then human." Then we saw a tiger yawning, and then a little girl kissing a boy. (Other example: 9:10, is there an incorrect transmission of the Bible?)

Comics: At 5:22 we saw a scroll dancing with disco music, even smiling at us! (5:45) Comics like this definitely help to engage the audience and let them feel more connected to the show. This also reminds me of one of the advertisements we watched of a car with a polar bear in it, that most of my classmates really liked.  Later, someone that looks like Moses burst into the screen, as if he were saying "hi" to us.

Interview: At the beginning of the show, a random survey of people walking reminds the audience of the questions they would also have: Most families have Bibles at home, but no one thinks about who really wrote it. Interviews also contribute a lot to the show, our main "actor" usually uses interviews to prove the answers to his questions and doubts. In the interviews, questions are pretty logical and hit the point. Sometimes, the journalist star will even have arguments with the people he interviewed. However, most of the interviews are just scholars or archaeologists talking and interviewers approving the point. (6:30) 

Other thoughts: In my opinion, this is the way modern archaeologists should  present themselves. I found one of the major problems for the presentation of archaeology is the lack of connection with the modern society. For audiences who are not really experts, it is hard for them to make connections with only archaeological information.  
Questions to think:

• Do you think this kind of history show, which is more realxing than others, did a good job in engaging the audience?

• Do you think this show presents its information clearly and efficietly to the audience?

• What do you think they can do to improve this show?

General Comments:     

What's right:The archaeologist shows his own way of trying to figure out his questions.  Lots of comic pictures are added to illustrate things. 

What's wrong: Sometimes I feel like I am lost, should go into more details.

Grade:B+