Discovery Shark Week 2010 - Shark Attack Survival Guide

Well, it seems like Discovery Shark Week is back to the usual crap as the episodes are gradually moving from good to flat out unwatchable.  So bad was this episode that I was completely de-motivated to watch another one tonight - writing this post is as painful as my TV session last night.  Bring on the shark porn.

• Hosted by former Green Beret Terry Schappert.  SF guys are resourceful and tough mothers with a 1,000 mile stare.  And I believe they can pretty much find a way to survive in any environment - lots of respect.  He was just dealt a bad script, bad special effects, and poor production.  I also saw him a few times hitting sharks and wrestling them in cages - WTF?
• Co-host was a scientist whose name escapes me - seems like he memorized the script - sounded like he was reading it.
• ABC4 was cameraman for this episode: 0-2
• The survival tactics just seemed like a bunch of backyard experiments - don't think I would implement any of them, how many people will actually get stuck in a cage with a shark (which would be the dive operators fault in the first place by making the sharks come so close by flinging the bait by the cage)...here is some survival advice, when spearfishing and sharks come...give up the fish and leave.

I could write more but I feel like I am starting to bore myself and you...I dread the thought of having to watch another episode.

Discovery Shark Week 2010 - Into The Shark Bite

The second episode of Discovery’s Shark Week 2010 seems to be more applicable to last year’s lineup which is unfortunate as Ultimate Air Jaws was well done.  The network describes Into the Shark Bite as: “Go on a wild ride as we show you the last thing you'd ever want to see in real life: close up views of attacks by the world's most deadly sharks — from inside their mouths! Shark expert Mark Addison and underwater cameraman Andy Casagrande risk life and limb to get their special mini-HD cameras INTO THE SHARK BITE!”

• Logo used had the usual blood streaks that Discovery loves so much 
• Show was hosted by Andy Brandy Casagrande IV, A.K.A ABC4, and Mark Addison
• ABC4 is known for his involvement as cameraman or producer for shows such as Deadly Waters, Great White Appetite, and Shark Attack Survival Guide.  Deadly Waters did nothing positive for sharks, nor did this one…and I will see what Shark Attack Survival Guide is all about tomorrow. These shows just seem to add to what has become known as shark porn.  Andy is also a singer – he wrote a song about white sharks.  Throughout the show, ABC4 reminds us how dangerous the situations are that Mark and he are in – he also screams too much.  I met Andy at a Shark Saver’s fundraiser event – he sang his song.  Mike wrote a bit about him as well – read post here
• Mark Addison is an experienced shark diving operator in South Africa.  He was part of a phenomenal shark documentary called Deadly Stripes.  Surprised as to why he would participate in the production of this show, a show that refers to “his” Tiger Sharks as the second most deadly sharks.  Read their blog description, it tells a different story from this show. (It should be noted that all operators have been incident free).  
• Mark is bumped by a black tip on the surface – why would they show this as part of the show?  A rhetorical question, of course. The bump made this look as a dangerous situation which it was not.
• The HD GOPRO is a phenomenal product.

Overall, I did not find an educational value or any other meaningful purpose to this episode…I think it still feeds off the fear that people have being inside a sharks mouth.  If anything, it reinforces the message of angst.  You can watch some excerpts of the show here – of course it features the Black Tip bump.


Wonder what the next episode holds...

Discovery Shark Week 2010 - Ultimate Air Jaws

So, I have finally decided to start watching Discovery's Shark Week 2010 and will look at one episode a day and write about it.  This year seemed to have lacked the fan-fair of  2009 - when the whole show was really promoted as (if I could use one word to describe it) - blood.  Some very good shark porn...


I have to admit, that the first episode was good - especially compared to previous episodes...

• The logo used this year had a positive feel to it...there were no blood spots, no bite marks, had neutral / "good" colors and even included the word HAPPY - baby steps, but it works...small changes  
• Absolutely amazing images produced by a Phantom Camera.  Shoots 1,000 frames per second, possible to slowdown action 40 times.  The details of the sharks breaching were phenomenal.  The slow motion effects captured the beauty of these animals in such a "violent" moment.  The music was well applied - minus the kayaking scene - became too dramatic
• Narration was very balanced, not sensational
• Hosted by Chris Fallows - pioneer of Air Jaws photography
• White sharks eat 1% of seal colony (total colony: 60,000) each year
• Juvenile white sharks in Mossel Bay swim close to shore - very close to shore, yet there are hardly any incidents.  Reasons are still unknown, may be for mating, feeding of fish, oxygen levels of water...
• Seal Eye camera and sled were interesting and innovative to get a closer look at sharks while in predatory mode
• Bruce (from Nemo) came to mind often during breaches...
• Must suck to be a seal in South Africa - 20-30 patrolling sharks around the island make the commute a bitch.

First impressions of shark week are very good thus far.  The next episode promoted was Into the Shark Bite...unfortunately it already had already lines like "Risk life and limb..." - we'll see tomorrow. 

My Thoughts on Discovery's Shark Week 2010...

I do not have any...yet.  Usually I would drop everything I do to watch the show, but as the years have passed and the programming has worsened, I find myself recording the episodes and forcing myself to watch them.  


So far two episodes are on my DVR - tonight I will watch the first - which from title and previews seems to be on the right path - but the second episode - title-wise is already throwing me off.


Reviews to come soon... 

Just a reminder...

Just saw the post from The Dorsal Fin in reference to Shark Week with the following video embedded...a reminder that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Shark Week -- Education or Just Entertainment?

I really do not know what to expect from Shark Week this year - the last seasons have been complete disasters in my opinion in the portrayal of sharks.  I will say that the logo looks much "friendly" (no blood) and positive this year - it is a start.


But from reading Shark Diver's last post - change does not seem imminent:


Shark Week -- Education or Just Entertainment "Chris Palmer and Peter Kimball just hit a home run over at Huff Post today talking Shark Weekand the ongoing debate about wildlife television.

Many years ago I wrote an Op Ed for a local San Diego paper titled "When Filmmakers Attack...." 

- Read complete post.

So I am hoping to see more than just a fresh logo.