Ancient Aliens

The History Channel is running a new series called Ancient Aliens which argues that aliens have been visiting Earth for thousands of years and have shaped-- indirectly, and sometimes directly-- the course of human civilization. The good part of the series is that it ranges from mythology to archaeology, from history to anthropology to genetics. The weak part is the conclusions reached.

One annoying habit in the show is the tendency to lump civilizations separated by thousands of years-- ancient Egypt, early China, and Native American cultures, for example-- into a group having direct contact with alien visitors. So, in fact, aliens didn't simply get the ball of human civilization rolling sometime in the deep past, but they have intervened over thousands of years, always in a different area of Earth. During these times, the argument is that the aliens made no particular effort to conceal their presence, even interacting openly with humans. Yet, in the modern age of UFOs, when at least some humans could meaningfully interact with such advanced beings, aliens, if they are among us, take pains to see to it their existence can't be proven. A loose regard for timelines and inconsistencies in alien behavior don't help the argument.

Another annoying habit is a shift in the narration. Early in the two-hour program, alien visitations are presented as possibilities. Towards the end, however, the show tends to assume such visitations have been proven. They haven't.