Who Do You Think You Are? #2

[GreySquirrel]

So, what did everyone think of WDYTYA? on BBC2 last night?

[clr1979]

I taped it so I haven't seen it yet. I'll watch it when I get in later.

[Fitty]

I preferred it to the 1st one with Bill Oddie.  It was much more emotional and i thought the family were very brave condidering her grandfather.  I was so pleased for the family when they found pictures of Cyril at the end of the show.  How nice that must have been for his wife and child, especially when all their pictures were stolen after a burglary.   I would be devistated if i lost all my photos.  

[Adi1962]

What a complete waste of our licence fee.  

If they made the person do the research and give an acurate view of how difficult it is, then it may have obtained some credability.

But to have a celeb running around, probably at our expence, visiting relatives and seeing places is just not realistic and gives the wrong impression.

How many on Rootschat have gone to the local church and had a copy of the Parish records dug out for them to look through...if its more than none I will be shocked.  

ok rant over......  

Adrian

[janham]

Hi,

I did enjoy watching, but I do agree with Aidrian, it does not explain how difficult the research can be.  I was so envious of Amanda when she went to Waterford and was given access to the records by the Priest, I too am researching my family from Waterford and every little bit of info about them has been hard come by.  I remember being in the LDS one day when a lady came in, she had been to Ireland and visited more than one parish to try and find information about her family, she said that she was given no help and she never got to see a single register.
I would like to see them spend a bit more time, and go into more detail about how to actually do the research, maybe they could even do a whole new series just about how to trace your family tree.

Jan

[olias]

hello
People, please, its a TV program about families for the masses not a documentory on research.
A program like that would be a nightmare on primetime TV. Would you like to join a very long queue to use your local microfische machine, or not be able to access overloaded websites? Or even worse, start to have to pay for everything!
Or shall I get my coat?

[Fitty]

It's a telly programme!  

It's got a be a little bit exciting or it would'nt be worth watching.  I do agree with what you've both said about them making it look easy...we know it's not.  But take a step back and look at the bigger picture here......it was good viewing.  it's a reality TV prog, and we all know reality TV is very popular just now.  Look at Big Brother.....it made Channel 4 millions.....what with public voting and texting in questions to the housemates and stuff.

[Adi1962]

The problem is not being marketed as just a telly programme, if that all its was, a piece of entertainment then I would agree with you.

If you take the interactive option they keep plugging, they are marketing the series as a guide to family history research and offering guides, research tips etc. Its in this context that I feel they are misleading.

Yes making it exciting, keep people interested, but also keep it factual and not misleading. BBC2 does not need to compete with reality TV, nor should it, their target audience has always been those with brains.

I am just disapointed they wasted a good opertunity.

Adrian

[moscan]

I certainly prefered last nights program to the first one... as for getting access to Irish parish records direct from the church... I have found that the majority of local priests are very good at letting one loose with their records particularly if they are from far away...

On two or three occaisions they have been so wonderful and seeing the actual register is marvellous

 I only wish I could get into more lol...

Best wishes

Mo