Aerial America: Texas (Houston, Fort Worth, Lubbock: high school, taxes, live)

[TT Dave]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Besides what it left out, and some of the BS they covered, like the "Disaster city" crap, as if that is a big part of the history of Texas or of any special interest what so ever. I can not believe that the Smithsonian Institute, a part of the U.S. Government, would not take the Warren Commission Report, as the "fact" of what happened "that day". Instead they play into conspiracy theorist by saying "we may never know what happened that day". I smell CBS, and Showtime, not wanting to close any doors on future productions pandering to those conspiracy theory's. Oh we want to keep those documentaries coming, and that's fine coming from CBS and Showtime , but not the Smithsonian, and it is their name that adds credibility to this "treatment" of Texas.

I was also a little surprised that they mentioned a possible conspiracy. Like you said, you might expect that from one of the networks but not the Smithsonian.

Overall, I thought the video was pretty good. I think they emphasized the "Texas pride" thing a little too much but it's no big deal...lol.

[First24]

Smithsonian did a pretty good job covering Austin, San Antonio and the Trans-Pecos areas.

The rest... How do you have a segment on Houston without mentioning the TMC or Astrodome? Too much focus on JFK for the Dallas portion. No Fort Worth!?!?!

[PeopleAreStrange]

I watched the whole thing, and thought it was decent minus a few useless segments. Unfortunately, I didn't see a segment on what I was looking forward to the most: Fort Worth. How on earth do you make a documentary on Texas, feature over a dozen cities, and ignore Texas' 5th largest city?

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by PeopleAreStrange

I watched the whole thing, and thought it was decent minus a few useless segments. Unfortunately, I didn't see a segment on what I was looking forward to the most: Fort Worth. How on earth do you make a documentary on Texas, feature over a dozen cities, and ignore Texas' 5th largest city?

I guess, they didn't find it as important as you find it to be....

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by PeopleAreStrange

I watched the whole thing, and thought it was decent minus a few useless segments. Unfortunately, I didn't see a segment on what I was looking forward to the most: Fort Worth. How on earth do you make a documentary on Texas, feature over a dozen cities, and ignore Texas' 5th largest city?

Considering the treatment they gave to Galveston it may have been better to have been ignored

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by First24

Smithsonian did a pretty good job covering Austin, San Antonio and the Trans-Pecos areas.

The rest... How do you have a segment on Houston without mentioning the TMC or Astrodome? Too much focus on JFK for the Dallas portion. No Fort Worth!?!?!

Overall, I thought it was great. I agree that it was strange the FW was not even mentioned.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Overall, I thought it was great. I agree that it was strange the FW was not even mentioned.

Anybody who thinks this is a balanced view of Texas doesn't know Texas, or is biased and doesn't care. I don't know why the Smithsonian decided to grid this ax but I suspect the networks they are partnered with had a lot to do with it.

The omission of Fort Worth alone destroys the credibility of this production, and the hatchet job they did on Galveston, along with their encouragement of conspiracy theories, and subtle negative associations, puts this into the category of propaganda.

[Redlionjr]

I enjoy Aerial America but mainly because they showcase other states and parts of the state I had known nothing or little about. I was finally excited to see Texas on here and while I did enjoy the coverage on Texas I was also disappointed in the amount they catered to West/South Texas. I'm aware that part of the state has the most scenic views from above. But damn could we get any kind of mention of East Texas? A little bit more of Houston and Dallas outside of JFK? It's like they wanted to stick to the stereotypical images of Texas more then the accurate portrayal of the state.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by PeopleAreStrange

I watched the whole thing, and thought it was decent minus a few useless segments. Unfortunately, I didn't see a segment on what I was looking forward to the most: Fort Worth. How on earth do you make a documentary on Texas, feature over a dozen cities, and ignore Texas' 5th largest city?

I totally agree - just watched it and though it was interesting, it had gaping holes in it. What was crazy is that it had a big section on Kilgore...but no mention whatsoever of Fort Worth! And other than Kilgore, there was no mention at all that I recall of beautiful East Texas - which is about a third of the state, and very highly populated per mile - much more so than western or southern Texas.

I also think that it repeated the "Texas pride" thing ad nauseum.

Yep - well done but clearly meant to perpetrate stereotypes rather than shed new light.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I totally agree - just watched it and though it was interesting, it had gaping holes in it. What was crazy is that it had a big section on Kilgore...but no mention whatsoever of Fort Worth! And other than Kilgore, there was no mention at all that I recall of beautiful East Texas - which is about a third of the state, and very highly populated per mile - much more so than western or southern Texas.

I also think that it repeated the "Texas pride" thing ad nauseum.

Yep - well done but clearly meant to perpetrate stereotypes rather than shed new light.

I tend to agree with this....

What I found especially stupid was that they wasted time on that idiotic "Prada" building on the side of US 90 between Marfa and Alpine--everytime I see that dumb waste of space POS, I wish someone would just demolish it!

And to have only an hour documentary--with crap like that in it.

I don't get the Smithsonian channel--someone sent me the YouTube link.