Who Do You Think You Are?

This is a fascinating series on the genealogy of famous people. I love the way these stories unfold layer by layer to reveal the drama that is humanity from the great wars, massive migrations, and religious persecution to stories of everyday life. Birth, census, marriage, property, court and death records provide factual information of those that came before us and are woven with general historical information that is known about the time period to bring to life ancestors who were not previously known. These stories are often poignant and emotional as we come to know personal struggles. They educate us today of the way life used to be; where young children often died from diseases that today are easily prevented, where prejudice was accepted as the norm and a lack of social safety nets led to destitution. It reminds us how far we have come. How medical advances such as vaccinations and contraception have improved lives by saving children from horrible diseases and helping families plan the size of families in order to better support them. For all that is wrong with media today, it can put a spotlight on abuses and human suffering which lead to social change today. It brings to mind that great quotation attributed to George Santayana and repeated by Winston Churchill "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Although I really enjoy this series, it sometimes has a scripted feel and is a blatant commercial for Ancestry.com. I rate this series an 8 out of 10.

This show was first shown on NBC for 3 seasons, and is now continuing on TLC. I'm happy that they're continuing without much decline in the production value. I doubt it costs much, and the most important ingredient are the celebrities.

Each episode, one celebrity investigate his/her ancestral history usually concentrating on something they're interested in. That's really the only rub I have against this show. The celebrities could certainly hide things they don't want to air in public. But most importantly, they might be interested in a really boring ancestor.

That doesn't happen a lot. Most of the discoveries are quite fascinating. Not only does it reveal personal history, but sometimes it reveals little known world history events. It brings the past worlds to life in the most personal ways.

I loved Shannon's episode of Who Do You Think You Are, since it was so real. I have Irish family I'd love to locate and to see her chance, it was amazing. Love her even more now.

Too bad they can't feature everyday, poor to middle/upper-middle class individuals on this show - rather than wealthy celebrities, who can afford to have this done on their own and get a lot more information about their ancestry roots than is even shown in this program. Is the bottom dollar viewership numbers? Anyway, interesting show, if you want to catch-up on the ancestral backgrounds of celebrities.

Who Do You Think You Are

Series 17

Jodie Whitaker, a really brilliant and revealing show, John Walter, why the BBC thought the content needed parental guidance is a mystery, war is brutal war. Two observations that show unfortunate bias in Jodi, to get on a train as a pregnant woman on your own is not an act of female bravery of note. Secondly Jodi seems determined to have some working class credentials, when she is in fact privileged middle class, to use these outdated sociological describers. Jodi needs to accept she has moved upwards. With regard to her preconceived judgements on her family of mine owners who ran a risky business in a difficult economy, she gasps in amazement when her relative leaves 1.5 million in today's money, she herself is worth three time that in today's money, and two council houses in Plaistow add up to that. Either way I really enjoyed this slice of history as Jodi was entirely genuine and it is her story after all.

David Walliams, this was brilliant stuff from start to finish, I would just make one observation that the mistrust of travelling people does not come from nowhere and David states they were "othered" without appreciating that this might not stem from discrimination but actions and behaviours by travellers themselves. The coverage of the First World War was so interesting but some of the "experts" added little.

Ruth Jones, this was really quite brilliant TV, a total delight from start to finish. It was great to understand some Welsh history.

Liz Carr, this was heady stuff I was on the edge of my seat, brilliant!

The BBC at its best and can we have someone that covers some American history as this was quite fascinating before.