Tag: Discovery Channel

Sneak Peek: Human Planet on Discovery starts Sunday, April 10, 2011!

Hi!

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a well-produced nature documentary. The BBC/Discovery collaborations in the past (Planet Earth, Life) have been gorgeous in their presentation and scope and offered a unique perspective on the world we live in.

Well, Human Planet is the next such collaboration and it’s about to hit the Discovery channel. The lineup looks like this:

  • Sunday, April 10, 2011
    • 8pm ET/PT, Rivers and Oceans
    • 9pm ET/PT, Mountains
  • Sunday, April 17 2011
    • 8pm ET/PT, Arctic
    • 9pm ET/PT, Grasslands and Jungles
  • Sunday, April 24, 2011
    • 8pm ET/PT, Deserts
    • 9pm ET/PT, Life at the Extremes

This time, we get to see how people survive in some of the world’s most extreme environments. Humans can be found in nearly every part of the world and have found techniques to not only live in these places, but thrive. More than 70 locations were filmed in the 4 years this series has been in production, all in glorious HD video.

Want a glimpse of this amazing undertaking? Check out the following clips:

Hunting a Sperm Whale in Indonesia
Crossing the Swollen Mekong River to Get to a Fishing Spot

Fighting off Baboons to Save Family Crops

Amazing stories of human perseverance. I look forward to watching every episode and learning something for the next three weekends!

–Fitz

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Mythbusters is back in April 2011 with All New Episodes!

Hi all…

Yes, you read that correctly. It seems like forever and it’s only been a couple of months, but it’s true! Mythbusters will be back with new episodes starting April 6!

Mythbusters - Jamie & AdamJamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, Tory Belleci, Grant Imahara, and Kary Byron have been entertaining and educating us for years. And the April 6 episode will continue the trend by testing two more common scenarios from action films. Remember Mission Impossible where they used fancy masks to get past security? Well Adam and Jamie try to do the same thing and fool their friends. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang tries to replicate an odd scene from Shoot ’em Up where they see if you can shoot bullets at a merry-go-round to make it go around…

And this is just the beginning of the myths they’re testing! Other myths for the latest round of new episodes include:

  • Can you shoot a dropped gun out of your enemy’s reach?
  • Can you run on water? Adam and Jamie investigate the popular viral video “liquid mountaineering.”
  • Can an everyday item be used as an effective bomb shelter? Tory, Grant and Kari test items like tables and dumpsters — using three pounds of plastic explosive!
  • Is it possible to swim in fizzy water? Yes, this one includes a carbonated swimming pool!
  • Can you split a tree down the middle with a stick of dynamite on a bow and arrow?
  • How much do cliché movie sound effects like punches, cocked guns, rattlesnakes and car squeals, sound like the real thing?
  • Faced with no wind to power your sailboat, can you blow your own sail by putting a fan in the boat? It works for Popeye, but will it work for the MythBusters?
  • Spy car myths: Can you really shoot accurately with guns mounted on the hood of a car? Can you really shred someone’s tires with a device that comes out of your hubs?
  • Can corks in wine bottles be turned into projectiles if exposed to enough pressure?
  • Can you light an underground cavern by positioning metal discs in a reflective pattern and bouncing light from one surface to the next, as seen in the movie The Mummy?
  • Is a long fall into water really as bad as falling onto concrete?

As per usual, it looks like Adam, Jamie, and the gang are going to have a TON of fun as they shred, bomb, and test the heck out of many different things. I’m ready!

Be sure to tune in to Mythbusters on April 6 at 9pm ET/PT!

–Fitz

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Sneak Peek: Discovery’s Wild Animal Repo

Hi there!

Though I’ve been married to a veterinarian for the last ten years, I was an animal lover and pet owner long before that. And I’ve always had a soft spot for abused animals. But far too often we find ourselves not hearing about the most serious cases until it’s too late. However, when you go visit places such as the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center in Calhan, CO, which focuses on rescuing big cats such as lions and tigers, or places such as the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide, CO, which focuses on giving a good home to wolves and other animals who can’t survive in the wild, you hear some of the stories of how these animals came to be in their care… and it breaks your heart to think of wild animals abused in such a way.

The trick is that you have to go to these places to hear these tales of abuse and neglect. Far too often we don’t hear about them until conditions reach tragic levels and we never hear about the positive stories of rescues that might not have survived otherwise. So I’m very excited about the new show on the Discovery Channel that’s airing a sneak peak on Sunday, January 16 at 9pm ET/PT – Wild Animal Repo.

“Repo” is a strange concept when applied to something other than a car or house, but whatever you call these people, they deserve our respect and admiration for going into tough conditions and saving these critters.

Here’s some info from a recent press release:

“Scott Lope is one of America’s premier exotic animal reposessors. He rescues extraordinary and endangered creatures from unfit owners, illegal trade and harmful environments. No animal is too dangerous or too insignificant for Scott, as he and his team recover tigers, bears, monkeys, wolves and many more, all with the goal of finding them a worthy home.

On Sunday, January 16 at 9PM ET/PT, Discovery Channel fans will get a sneak peek of WILD ANIMAL REPO as Scott heads to Texas to rescue 22 bears from a suspected illegal bear breeding facility. The bears resist the process, as do the animals’ disgruntled owners. Then, zookeepers are packing up before the small roadside zoo is demolished. But first, they need to relocate 25 Capuchin monkeys. Scott takes on the job, but the monkeys quickly learn his tactics, making the rescue even more challenging. Later, Scott is tasked with saving six tigers from a facility that is not properly protected, and risks the safety of the tigers and local citizens. He enlists the help of tiger experts, but can they move the giant cats that are multiple times their size and strength?”

And here are three clips from the show that illustrate some of the places Scott and his team have to go into…

Be sure and watch Wild Animal Repo on Sunday, January 16 at 9PM ET/PT on the Discovery Channel!

–Fitz

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