History Channel Shoots Monsterquest
Network Touts Ice Road Truckers, Human Weapon and New Series and Specials at TCA
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 7/15/2007 4:19:00 PM
TCA Photo Gallery
Beverly Hills, Calif. -- The History Channel has Tom Brokaw and bogeymen.
The network, which is refreshing its brand and is in quest of a younger audience, unveiled plans for a new series, Monsterquest, at the Television Critics Association tour here Sunday.
And Brokaw appeared at History's session to talk about 1968 with Tom Brokaw, the two-hour special he’s doing that will premiere in the fourth quarter. It’s based on Brokaw’s upcoming book.
“’68 is the nerve center of the '60s,” Brokaw told the TV writers. “This is a big subject.”
Monsterquest, which debuts this fall, will take a scientific look at “creature” sightings around the world. History announced its 13-episode order for Monsterquest. There will be episodes on “monsters” such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Swamp Beast and the Creature of Snellgrove Lake.
The series -- described as one part history, one part science and one part monsters -- is the latest addition to the network's schedule under general manager Nancy Dubuc and the senior vice president of development and programming she recruited, Discovery Networks veteran David McKillop.
Both are seeking to bring an updated approach and sensibility to History’s lineup with fare such as ratings winner Ice Road Truckers and Human Weapon, which premieres Friday. In that show, mixed-martial-artist Jason Chambers and former football player-wrestler Bill Duff train around the world with hand-to-hand combat masters. They appeared at History’s session.
McKillop conducted History’s TCA session, which included not only a panel on Human Weapon, but also one with former NBC Nightly News anchor Brokaw.
At its session, History also said it will start airing Modern Marvels, the network’s longest-running series, Monday-Friday at 8 p.m. starting July 30. On that night, History will premiere Modern Marvel: Sticky Stuff -- namely duct tape, fly paper and Polydent.
The series, now with more than 500 episodes, depicts how things are made and the history behind them.
