Lost Treasures of Egypt

At last programmes about Ancient Egypt that are not dumbed down, nor making extravagant conclusions without supporting facts. Archaeologists at work showing the highs and lows of excavating and the excitement they still feel even after working at the same site for many years, this is infectious and exciting to follow their progress. As for the Darnells what a couple of jerks. Scholarly they may be but they make their appearances all about them. We were even treated to a tour of her wardrobe! I have to fast forward as I cannot stand to look at nor listen to them.

Some of us come for new and enlightening facts. Some of us leave because of over the top, annoying hosts.

Colleen Darnell can take her laughable cosplay elsewhere. Her shrill, cartoonish delivery belongs in a Scooby Doo episode. It's unfortunate that any scholarly integrity is completely obliterated by her attempt to position herself with Howard Carter as some weird historical contemporary. Imposing her dramatic suppositions and theories actually detract from the more professional narration. I'll be keeping my eye out for the producers. National Geographic used to have a much better reputation; now they have stooped to History Channel clickbait level.

This National Geographic show presents archaeologists as they excavate dig sites and make big discoveries. They present the latest understanding of these past Egyptian civilizations. What I love most is finding new discoveries. It's great finding a new opening and going down a new tunnel. It's amazing to uncover that cartouche still with its original paint. It's great to see that discoveries continue. On the other hand, I can do without the lady in 20's outfit. Someone is too in love with Merchant and Ivory movies. It's too much of a gimmick. The show does threaten to overload the information. Overall, it's nice to see these places and things. It's even better to know that more are being discovered.

This is a good series. Among other things, it stands out from the pack by not being stuffed with endless repetitive filler of the same graphics over and over. As noted by others, the inclusion of a pair of college professors who dress like 19th century tourists (and who are in fact only scholarly tourists themselves) is more than a little annoying. It's like visitors to Kenya dressing up in their little safari suits before they pile into their parade of Toyota vans.

As for episode two, if you ever get a job in Egyptian archeology, don't work for Dr. Mohie. Way too much of an obnoxious jerk. After the aged-out-into-retirement Dr. Hawas, it feels like Mohie is feeling the wind in his sails.

But those are the only two issues. The content is very good and there are even a couple of revelations. Considering how Egypt has been done to death in documentaries, it is nice to have a series that provides something new.

While there is some very interesting history presented in this series, the big downside was the incessant moving from one excavation location to another every few minutes. It would have been much better if they just stuck with one story for a longer period. I suppose this style was chosen in a weird attempt to hold the interest of those that have a short attention span, but I found it to be extremely annoying.

Most of the historical experts do a pretty good job of hosting their segments. There is one notable exception, that being Colleen Darnell. Her obsession with 1920s period clothing comes across as unprofessional while she parades along as though she's on a fashion show catwalk. Along with her mousy voice, it just makes her segments cringe-worthy.

All said, I feel the production method really downgraded the effort and left me disappointed with what could have been a much better series from National Geographic.