Actress Megan Fox is looking into ancient history with new eyes. It's on the Travel channel which speaks to the expertise expected from the actress. It's not on the Discovery channel or History channel. There are four episodes so far; Viking Women, Stonehenge, America, and The Trojan War. While I accept the days of only old British white guys are fading, it's still hard to take Megan Fox seriously. Before this, the only archaeology I see her tackling is Lara Croft. It's not an easy marriage. Having said all that, I see the niche this show is trying to carve out. It works to some extent but it's problematic in other areas.
Of the four shows, I like the Trojan War the most. It's not necessarily digging up anything new. It is nice to see the same old pictures with new eyes. I can certainly understand that not everyone would know that Troy was a real place or anything about the Hittites. I like the info if not necessarily the presentation. As for the American episode, I have only one big issue; giants. I can't believe that she zeroed in on Giants. Giants... For Heaven's Sake. For Stonehenge, I like the concentration on sound but it veers too much into crystals, healing, and new age thinking. Could it be a faith-based healing center? It's possible like many of today. I just find Megan trying to push too hard when the evidence is scarce. In the Viking episode, she goes all out looking for Viking Women Warriors. In the end, she makes a reasonable case but it would be more convincing if she doesn't push the narrative right from the start. She needs to discover the idea rather than push the idea. Overall, this is a little different than the standard archaeology show but Fox could still use some more of the standard structures. It pushes its agenda a little too hard.
