History Bites

Rick Green, co-creator of the wonderful Canadial show, The Red Green Show, branched out in the early 90's to create and star in this "bet you thought you knew what happened" history program. Combining a very good ensemble cast along with the use of humor to get points across, History Bites takes the premise of what might we know about certain points in history if television had been there to record and report it?

Would the Hun really turn out to be a bunch of misunderstood guys who really thought they were doing a good thing by slaughtering thousands as their horde moved across Asia and Europe? Was Genghis just trying to live up to his father's image?

Were the Norsemen who conquered western France shocked when the French just gave them the land and told them the now THEY had to care for the population.

History Bites is a funny show. It should be mandatory viewing for 5th through 8th graders in all schools to help them understand that what me might think of as historical fact is often just what the winners wrote, not what happened. And humor is the best way to get across this kind of information.

Too bad the Canadians keep it to themselves. Or, too bad US networks like The History Channel or even Comedy Central haven't picked this up. There are more than enough individual shows to fill more than a year's programming (at one per week).

This is a real gem of a show that never got the widespread attention it deserved. History Bites is the brainchild of Canadian comedy legend Rick Green (of The Red Green Show fame). Essentially, it asks the question "What if TV had been around for the last 5000 years?" Each episode picks a major point or theme from history and then acts it out as if our modern television and culture were back in that period. Rick Green lends his talents in narration by offering up educational tidbits in between skits.

The show could easily have stunk but instead shines thanks to absolutely stellar acting and writing. Each cast member is a genius in their own right in that they manage to pull of near flawless imitations of pop culture icons like Don Cherry, Jerry Seinfeld, Martha Stewart, Regis Philbin hell, even Judge Judy. You really have to see it to believe it.

Just another gem of Canadian TV that sadly will likely never get the fame it deserves.

I didn't think it possible-- a history program which sticks to the relative truth and fact of the matter while simultaneously keeping those with short attention spans interested.

Featuring hundreds of laughs an episode, and offering the kind of satirical wit that seems so very common in Canadian humor (Air Farce, 22 Minutes, and etcetera, anybody?), History Bites seems to hold its own as one of the more tasteful programs on television.

It certainly beats ninety percent of the programs appearing on the Comedy Network in terms of humor and taste.

10/10.

Lightning has struck twice! Rick Green has again turned a no-budget television program into comedy/learning gold AGAIN! Rick Green was fantastic as the host of "Prisoners of Gravity" now he's hosting "History Bites" a wickedly funny history lesson program airing on Canada's History Television.

The premise of this innovative television show is based around the supisition that television has been around since the dawn of history; So why not watch some of those reruns?

Hilarious impersinations of Jeopardy, Martha Stewart, David Letterman, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and many, many, many, other shows allow instant accesability to famous and infamous historical events and persons. Barbara Walters interviewing Genghis Kahn. Ted Koppel interviewing Joan of Arc! So many events have been covered in the first three seasons, and I've learned so much laughing all the way! If at all possible check out this hilarious brainfest!

WARNING THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FOR THE STODGY!

It is true that a lot of important points in history can be presented as only so interesting. This show manages to take the less exciting points (and some of the really exciting ones too) and turn them into quite enjoyable 30 min lessons.

Of course time constraints limits the amount of details that are able to be presented, but most of the subject matter is there.

While the show is not laugh-out-loud hilarious, it is still amusing to watch. Some of the pop culture impersonations are quite well done. Good examples are Howard Stern, Barbara Walters and Judge Judy.

This show is especially great for teens, who might have a resistance to studying history. They will get most of the impersonations and skits, and the show moves quickly enough to keep their attention.

Over all, pretty well done.