Kumari Shreya
Created by Kevin Burns, History’s ‘Ancient Aliens’ premiered in 2009 and delves deep into various hypotheses that the scientific minds of the ancient world had about the world and the universe. In particular, the show deals with the concept of extraterrestrial lives, lost civilizations, and other ideas that have continued to thrive today. Narrated by Robert Clotworthy, the series has become quite a subject of debate in various circles regarding the legitimacy of the show’s concept and the ideas that it shares. Well, we are here to explore the same and share with you our discoveries regarding the same!
Is Ancient Aliens Scripted?
We do believe that ‘Ancient Aliens’ is a scripted show, though that has more to do with the show’s format rather than the legitimacy of the ideas shared by the cast. Strictly considering how the show works, the structure is more like a documentary where a concept is explored and supported or debunked by the ideas shared by various people within the relevant fields. Overall, it is evident that each episode of the show is presented as a cohesive story that is bonded together by the narration of Robert Clotworthy.
Interestingly, the History show has earned a name for addressing ideas many consider “pseudoscience.” Many have criticized the showrunners for diverting the viewers towards concepts that apparently have little basis in reality and encouraging conspiracy theorists. Reviewers across the US have been countering many of the show’s presented facts or ideas for several years and have been quite open about their displeasure. “There was so much wrong with the ‘Ancient Aliens’ episode that I could spend all week trying to counteract every incorrect assertion,” Riley Black of Smithsonian Magazine commented after seeing an episode of the series.
Riley added, “This is a common technique among cranks and self-appointed challengers of science; it is called Gish Gallop after young earth creationist Duane Gish. When giving public presentations about evolution and creationism, Gish rapidly spouted off a series of misinterpretations and falsehoods to bury his opponent under an avalanche of fiction and distortions. If Gish’s opponents tried to dig themselves out, they would never be able to make enough progress to free themselves to take on Gish directly. ‘Ancient Aliens’ uses the same tactic—the fictions come fast and furious.”
However, Viceland executive producer Jordan Kinley had a slightly different take on the matter, as he explained in an interview with the network. “Seeing these counter-theories presented, you kind of realize that you have an emotional connection to the [original] theories. You feel kind of lost when someone questions the historical narrative you’ve been taught,” he elaborated. “I don’t believe much of what’s talked about in the original show, but I think it’s a good time for people to realize that some of our history is manufactured. Some of it is manufactured to be accurate, and some of it is manufactured to excuse horrible things that have happened.”
Given the numerous years that the show has been going on, it would be a herculean task to investigate the legitimacy of every fact the series presents. However, if one were to consider the official description of ‘Ancient Aliens,’ things might become more apparent regarding the show’s legitimacy. The description reads, “Ancient alien theorists believe that thousands of years ago, extraterrestrials landed on Earth, where they were hailed as gods and helped shape human civilization. But what proof could possibly exist for such an encounter?”
Breaking down this particular summary of the show, we believe one cannot ignore the usage of the word “theorists.” More than anything, ‘Ancient Aliens’ feels like a platform given to those whose belief system does not align with what is widely accepted as accurate. However, the legitimacy of these theories will probably always remain questionable, particularly given some of the more unrealistic ideas that the show has explored.
In our humble opinion, ‘Ancient Aliens’ is a scripted series that explores some of the more unconventional ideas within the scientific community that are often linked to the works of ancient minds. Nevertheless, simply accepting any of the presented facts or opinions might not be the best move, and it might be better for the viewers to double-check everything using credible sources. Alternatively, one can also enjoy the show as simply an entertainment project.
Read More: Giorgio A. Tsoukalos From Ancient Aliens: Everything We Know
