La valle dei Re - Tesori nascosti

Some of us come for new and enlightening facts. Some of us leave because of over the top, annoying hosts.

Colleen Darnell can take her laughable cosplay elsewhere. Her shrill, cartoonish delivery belongs in a Scooby Doo episode. It's unfortunate that any scholarly integrity is completely obliterated by her attempt to position herself with Howard Carter as some weird historical contemporary. Imposing her dramatic suppositions and theories actually detract from the more professional narration. I'll be keeping my eye out for the producers. National Geographic used to have a much better reputation; now they have stooped to History Channel clickbait level.

Ancient Egypt junkie and what I like about this series is a focus on the archeological digs and analysis, the discovery and attempt to better understand this civilization. It blows your mind when you realize how long the Egyptians held onto their culture and way of life.

This series explores some previously well covered topics (Tutankhamun, Rameses II, Hatshepsut) but in a novel way. Without rehashing the same angles, their active research projects are adding new questions to explore on future expeditions.

The Darnells. They're Translation Tourists. They don't appear to have active research projects. They don't have an active dig site. The 1920's gear feels in bad taste and makes me think about the troubled relationship that western archeologists have had with Egypt such as Howard Carter's proposal that he and Carnarvon split the "treasure" 50/50 if he funded one last season.

This is human history but more importantly, Egyptian history. Which is why I love that this series shows how the Egyptian government has imposed strict regulations to protect their workers in these digs, artifacts recovered on site, and the repatriation of stolen goods from the black market. Archeology in Egypt still seems predominantly western funded but there are now more Egyptians featured in more prominent positions discovering their own history and it's so much better to see.

Overall, a well done series.

This is a good series. Among other things, it stands out from the pack by not being stuffed with endless repetitive filler of the same graphics over and over. As noted by others, the inclusion of a pair of college professors who dress like 19th century tourists (and who are in fact only scholarly tourists themselves) is more than a little annoying. It's like visitors to Kenya dressing up in their little safari suits before they pile into their parade of Toyota vans.

As for episode two, if you ever get a job in Egyptian archeology, don't work for Dr. Mohie. Way too much of an obnoxious jerk. After the aged-out-into-retirement Dr. Hawas, it feels like Mohie is feeling the wind in his sails.

But those are the only two issues. The content is very good and there are even a couple of revelations. Considering how Egypt has been done to death in documentaries, it is nice to have a series that provides something new.

I really enjoyed this series. There is a lot of information about things I hadn't seen or heard of before. The photography is very well done and so is the narration; he just gives the information with no fake drama and no repetition. Most of the archeologists and egyptologists are very informative and obviously know their stuff. I have to agree with all of the other reviewers however on the Darnells; they are absolutely ridiculous. Her voice alone is enough to make your ears bleed, and the way she talks, emphasizing every other word, she talks like she's announcing a sporting event. There is no way she in her vintage dresses and heels with her little straw hat and umbrella, 20's hair bob and enough makeup to sink the Titanic, and him in his linen suits and bow ties, have ever been on any kind of actual archeological dig in their lives. I honestly can't take anything either one of them says seriously.

At last programmes about Ancient Egypt that are not dumbed down, nor making extravagant conclusions without supporting facts. Archaeologists at work showing the highs and lows of excavating and the excitement they still feel even after working at the same site for many years, this is infectious and exciting to follow their progress. As for the Darnells what a couple of jerks. Scholarly they may be but they make their appearances all about them. We were even treated to a tour of her wardrobe! I have to fast forward as I cannot stand to look at nor listen to them.