stars on screen
Out of this world
‘Ancient Aliens’ returns on History
By Andrew Warren
TV Media
Out of this world: Polish off
those tinfoil hats: there have been
aliens among us for millennia,
and they’ve shaped our culture
and civilization in an untold
number of ways. At least, that’s
the idea behind History’s “Ancient
Aliens,” which launches a new
season Friday, May 31.
The documentary-style series
has been running since 2010 and
delves into the fringe hypothesis
that extraterrestrials visited Earth
thousands of years ago and influ-
enced early human cultures. It’s
an idea that’s been roundly reject-
ed by scientific experts in various
fields, but despite that, the show’s
popularity has remained strong
over nine years and 13 seasons.
A big part of that popularity
might come from just how seri-
ously the show treats its subject
matter. Despite their ideas being
blasted by the experts, ancient
alien proponents like Swiss TV
personality Giorgio A. Tsoukalos
are true believers and make fre-
quent appearances in “Ancient
Aliens.” They look at ancient
texts, massive stone monuments,
oral legends and archeological
finds and describe how they be-
lieve they fit into the ancient alien
hypothesis, providing context and
explanations that always tie back
to extraterrestrial visitors.
Of course, the series has at-
tracted its share of negative
reception. The ideas behind the
show’s premise have been called
speculative and far-fetched, and
the lack of any sort of opposing
viewpoints definitely makes it a
one-sided watch. The show has
been parodied by “South Park,”
and Tsoukalos’ appearances in
the series have even sparked a
popular internet meme about
aliens being behind all things
mysterious or unexplained.
Whether you’re a true believer
or think that this whole idea is
a bunch of hogwash, “Ancient
Aliens” sure can be entertaining.
Put on that tinfoil hat and con-
tinue the search for the truth in
a new season, premiering Friday,
May 31, on History.
24 | Screentime
Giorgio A. Tsoukalos in “Ancient Aliens”
Daytime dominance: When
“The Price Is Right” leads
you’re in the lead, the last thing
the pack with an average of 4.9
you want to do is shake things up. million viewers every weekday.
When you’ve held that lead for
Hosted by Drew Carey (“The
more than three decades ... well,
Drew Carey Show”), the game
then you’re probably doing some- show has been going strong
thing right.
since 1972, and in October will
CBS’s daytime lineup’s ratings
air its landmark 9,000th epi-
beat out all other networks for
sode. How’s that for an impres-
the 32nd straight year this past TV sive achievement?
season, and the big eye network
Over on the daytime soap
is celebrating by renewing all five side of things, “The Young and
of its daytime originals. “The Price the Restless” has maintained its
Is Right,” “Let’s Make a Deal,”
position as the most-watched
“The Talk,” “The Bold and the
daytime drama for more than
Beautiful” and “The Young and
three decades though innumer-
the Restless,” which together
able plot lines and cast changes.
brought in 56 Daytime Emmy
It’s managed to thrive in a mod-
nominations this year, will all be
ern TV landscape that hasn’t
back in the fall.
been kind to daytime soaps,
May 22, 2019 | East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald
pulling in an average of 4.6 mil-
lion viewers each episode last
season.
In a bit of sadder news, “The
Talk” creator Sara Gilbert (“The
Conners”) has announced that
she will not be returning as one
of the show’s co-hosts this fall,
citing the need to spend more
time with her three children.
The talk show features a panel
of women, all of them mothers,
discussing the day’s headlines
and interviewing celebrities.
CBS has had a firm hold on
the daytime TV throne for a long
time, and with its entire lineup
renewed, that grip doesn’t look
to be loosening any time soon.
All five daytime originals will
return with new episodes in the
fall.
Monday fun day: It’s a
bright day for a black day.
Showtime’s “Black Monday”
premiered in January to mixed
critical reception and so-so rat-
ings, but the cable network still
has faith in the historical com-
edy: it’s renewed it for a second
season with a planned 2020
premiere date.
“Black Monday” features
an all-star cast playing a group
of investors in the lead-up to
the infamous Black Monday
stock market crash of 1987. It’s
a fictional account of how their
actions directly contributed to
the Wall Street slaughter of that
day, with a lot of laughs along
the way.
Don Cheadle (“Avengers: End-
game,” 2019), Andrew Rannells
(“A Simple Favor,” 2018), Regina
Hall (“The Hate U Give,” 2018)
and Paul Scheer (“Fresh Off the
Boat”) all star as employees of
a Wall Street trading company
whose actions directly and indi-
rectly lead to one of history’s big-
gest-ever stock market crashes.
Despite the soft landing of
its debut season, the network is
banking on audiences checking
out the show during the swelter-
ing days of summer. Watch for the
second season of “Black Mon-
day” next year on Showtime.