History Channel: "Frontiersmen" Documentary - March

[Old No7]

I've seen a few commercials on the History Channel and this one looks like it could be good!

Watch for it coming in March.

Old No7

Leonardo DiCaprio Producing History Documentary Series on "Frontiersmen"

History has greenlit an eight-part documentary series from executive producer Leonardo DiCaprio.

“The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen” series will follow stories of iconic pioneers, including Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, Tecumseh, Davy Crocket and Andrew Jackson as they set forth across untamed land. The series will span across the first 75 years from the post-Revolutionary War colonies through the California Gold Rush, highlighting a formative period in U.S. history that helped shape us from colonists into today’s Americans.

“During these years, America went from the opportunity of land to the land of opportunity and it was a bloody struggle throughout,” said Paul Cabana, History’s EVP and head of programming. “From Crockett to Boone, we’ll tell the bold stories of these adventurous trailblazers who explored the uncharted wilderness and became the icons we know today.”

[Pisgah]

I'll certainly check it out, but the combination of DiCaprio and the "History" Channel makes me skeptical...

[Hobie]

I agree with Pisgah, but that period in history is of great interest to me. Looking forward to seeing how well they do it.

[Griff]

I agree with Pisgah, but that period in history is of great interest to me. Looking forward to seeing how well they do it.

Ditto.

[guido4198]

I'll absolutely take a look. COULD be a great series, but as others have observed...I'm VERY skeptical.
Anymore it seems we can't get a presentation of history that keeps it in context. It seems that everything has to be viewed through a 21st century lens.
Too bad.

[piller]

It could be interesting. I wonder how they will treat Daniel Boone's relationship with the local native tribes? He knew most of them and would either fight or cooperate as the situation required. The tribes had to have the young men fight in order to gain status, and Boone was known to be quite capable of staying alive in tough circumstances. If one of the young men of the tribe could have counted coup on Boone, it would have been a big step toward becoming a well respected leader. To have killed Boone would have been instant celebrity. No animosity, just the way it was. Boone was once put on trial for appearing to cooperate with ,I think, the Shawnee when he and several other men were captured. The trial ended with an acquittal because it was proven that Boone got them all free and had actually prevented several deaths when the other captives tried to fight back at a time when the natives were pretending to be slacking off. Boone understood the different tribes and accepted them as they were. No animosity. No hesitation to save his own life either. He was not a simpleton, nor uneducated.

That is just a little bit of what there is to know about those men whom we owe a debt of gratitude for opening up this great land. If the History Channel can keep it close to the facts, then it could be highly interesting.

The old song Jim Bridger by Johnny Horton has the words but I doubt if we'd of been here if it weren't for men like Jim! in it, and that sentiment holds for each of the men mentioned as subjects of the documentary as well. Lewis and Clark took on a journey which would be tough even with our modern conveniences, Crockett probably had more stories told about him when the truth was even more unbelievable, Tecumseh had probably a 160 to 180 IQ as well as being able to take care of himself. Jackson had his faults, but cowardice and lack of ability to lead were NOT among them. Jackson was probably the single most important figure in preserving our Country during the war of 1812.

They were all born with bark still on them, as the old saying goes.

[marlinman93]

I'll give it a chance and watch the first episode. If it's good I'll set up the record function to do the series. At least I can avoid commercials then.