Courtesy: A&E Home Video/History Channel
The aliens are back! This Tuesday, January 5th History Channel will release the eighth season of its hit history/sci-fi series Ancient Aliens. Whether audiences are familiar with the long-running series (it recently wrapped up its tenth season) or not, audiences across the board will agree that there is plenty to like about this season. It could even be argued that in comparison to the series’ previous seasons’ this season is one of its best yet. The main reason for that is the collection of topics tackled in this season. Unlike in so many of the show’s previous seasons, this season doesn’t just rehash old theories that have been done time and time again. It actually brings some fresh topics into the mix. That will be discussed at more length shortly. Also of note in Season Eight is the collective footage used to help advance each episode. That will be discussed at more length later. Last but not least of note are the transitions within each episode. Each noted element is important in its own right to the whole of Ancient Aliens’ eighth season. Altogether they make Ancient Aliens: Season Eight (Apparently Season 10 online) one of the series’ best seasons yet regardless of whether it is the show’s eighth or tenth season.
History’s latest collection of episodes from its hit history/sci-fi series Ancient Aliens is one of its best yet. Online, the episodes are listed as making up the series’ tenth season. Yet in its new double-disc box set, they are collectively considered the series’ eighth season. It would be good to see History Channel get everything lined up both on disc and online. But that aside, there is still plenty to like about this latest collection of episodes beginning with the topics tackled in each episode. The topics that are tackled in these episodes are so important because they don’t just rehash the topics tackled in previous seasons. That has been something that has hindered said previous seasons more so than anything else. Discussions on the pyramids and Atlantis have been replaced with discussions on whether aliens have been (and still are) fighting for control of Earth in “The Alien Wars”, and on what could in fact be hidden in those areas of the world that have been deemed “off-limits” due to conflicts or other reasons in the noted regions in “The Forbidden Zones.” Even the familiar topic of caves and their roles in interstellar travel has been minimized in “Aliens B.C.” so as to make more time for other topics such as a profile of German aerospace engineer Wernher Von Braun in “NASA’s Secret Agenda” and whether the fabled sea monsters of myth are fact instead of fiction in “Creatures of the Deep.” Yes, the show goes beneath the waves once again this time out. But instead of delving into the realm of underwater aliens it instead opts to question if many of the beasts of legend (E.g. the Loch Ness Monster, Kraken, etc.) were in fact beings from other worlds that used bodies of water as worm holes of sorts. The noted episodes are just a partial example of why the topics presented in Ancient Aliens’ eighth (tenth?) season are so important to its overall presentation. There are plenty of others that audiences on both sides of the E.T. debate will agree are just as important to this season including: “Dark Forces,’ “Aliens and Robots,” “The Alien Evolution,” “Circles from The Sky,” and “The Other Earth.” Altogether all ten episodes featured in this season serve as a good starting point for any number of discussions regardless of which side one takes in the debate on extraterrestrials. They are just part of the reason that audiences will want to see this latest collection of episodes from Ancient Aliens. The footage that is incorporated into this season is just as important to its overall presentation as the topics tackled throughout each episode.
The topics that are tackled throughout the latest season of Ancient Aliens are in themselves plenty of reason for audiences to check out this collection. That is because while they do bring up some previously handled topics, they generally trend more towards new topics this time out. They are just part of the reason that audiences will want to check out this season. The footage that is incorporated into each episode is just as important as the topics themselves in keeping audiences engaged. This includes both the live action footage and the CG-based material included in each episode. The live action footage serves to help support the arguments while the CG-based material serves to entertain audiences. It is clear in watching each episode that a lot of time and effort was put into each episode’s CG sequences. That is because instead of just being some haphazardly developed designs, they really have sharp detail. Believe it or not this is important to note because there are some studios out there that make CG presentations that look like they were crafted by middle school students or younger. That is anything but the case here. Said sequences maintain a fully professional look in each episode. Being that they do they ensure even more audiences’ engagement in each episode. The live footage adds its own value to each episode’s presentation (and the overall presentation of this season). That is because it serves to help drive home the theories being presented within episode. It is not necessarily meant to serve as supporting evidence in each theory. There are those that have for whatever reason misinterpreted this. Rather it is meant to show what the theorists are discussing and in turn allow viewers to form their own conclusions from the presented material. To that end, the footage in question couples with the presented CG sequences to result in core material that together with the thought-provoking theories, will certainly keep audiences entertained and engaged.
Regardless of which side one takes in the never-ending debate on the debate of extraterrestrial existence, one cannot deny that the topics presented across each of this season’s episodes give plenty of reason to check out each episode. The same can be said of the core material incorporated into each episode. This includes both the CG sequences and the live footage. While each noted element proves to be important in its own right to this season’s overall presentation, they still are not the season’s only notable elements. The transitions within each episode are just as important as the presented theories and the episodes’ combined footage. The transitions are important to note because the episodes are presented on DVD exactly as they were in their original run on television. That means that each episode is separated at exactly the same point and in turn presents the same material from beginning to end. What is really interesting to note is that while some episodes even include the full transitions to commercial and from commercial, others simply cut in and out. In other words, some episodes include the segment previews at the commercial breaks while others don’t. While not having those “teases” in every episode doesn’t necessarily take anything away from the overall presentation of this season on DVD, it just would have been better to either have them in every episode or not. Personally, this critic’s view is such that having them in actually makes the overall viewing experience more enjoyable. That is just this critic’s view, however. Regardless, it is interesting that the noted teases were included to any extent. It’s a nice addition that really makes one feel like one is watching the episodes on TV rather than on DVD. To some that is a special feeling. It just brings something back to some viewers (such as this critic). Hopefully if Ancient Aliens reaches an eleventh season, those behind the show will take that into account and have it in every episode when it reaches DVD should that happen. Should it not then audiences at least have it to some extent here. And combined with the thought-provoking theories and footage, all three elements together make Ancient Aliens: Season 8 another good addition for any true believer and skeptic alike.
Whether one is a true believer or a skeptic, it can be said of the latest season of Ancient Aliens that both will have plenty to talk about after watching the episodes presented here. That is evident in the fact that while some older theories are brought back up again, they take something of a back seat to other theories for once. That in itself gives audiences plenty to talk about, the theories aside. The live footage and CG sequences that were incorporated into each of the set’s ten total episodes add even more interest to this set. That is because each piece will keep viewers engaged in its own way. The general presentation of each episode rounds out the ways in which this set guarantees audiences’ engagement. Some episodes come complete with segment teases while others aren’t. While it would have been nice to have those teases in every episode rather than just a few, one can’t complain since at least some did. Hopefully should an eleventh season see the light of day that will be taken into account when it hits DVD. But that is a story for another time. Regardless, everything that went into Season Eight’s presentation shows why this double-disc set is a welcome addition to the home DVD library of any true believer and skeptic alike. It will be available Tuesday, January 5th in stores and online. More information on Season 8 is available online along with full episodes from season 8 at:
Website: http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ancientaliens
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