There are a number of worthy shows that could justify the last slot before #1. A great thinking show like Real Time With Bill Maher. Funny shows like The Big Bang Theory and Cougar Town—or a unique one like Better Off Ted. A fantastically written and hosted satire like The Soup. Or one with a very unique concept like 30 For 30.
But I’m going to go with one that just floored me, visually: National Parks: America’s Best Idea. It’s one of the few shows I watched in HD (I watch so many shows, my DVR can’t handle the space needed for High Def), and it was just beautiful to see.
I was also very intrigued by the vast amounts of information presented in the mini-series. I probably don’t remember 20% of the facts—but I do remember the struggle to develop a National Parks system (and America was the first country to do so). This is the first Ken Burns documentary series I have ever seen, and it was a great introduction to his work (some of which I hope to catch up on over the summer).
I read a little squawking about the miniseries; that Burns was too political in some regards (actually suggesting that the Federal Government was good for something)—and not enough in others (ending the series before Ronald Reagan’s turnaround on the concept—at least his non-support). And while maybe there was a bit of an agenda in his mind, I got the feeling that Burns was honest when he said he just wanted to remind us the parks are still there.
And he couldn’t have presented them much better. I had a very serious longing to explore for weeks after I watched the series) and my usual exploring is in my basement, looking for a book or DVD. I hope people took him up on his hope to get out and travel to a park. I’m not sure if the average person can get all the spectacular views he was able to get—but it would sure be worth trying.
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