Animal Planet Channel Gives Me A Sad

A very long time ago, cable channels such as The Learning Channel, Discovery, The History Channel, Arts & Entertainment, Animal Planet and such gave the public exactly what their names advertised. I recall being laid up with a fever for three days and watched a show about learning Conversational Japanese on TLC.

But over time these high-minded programming venues have succumbed to the need to make money. They slowly and insidiously lowered their standards and contents to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Shows like Ice Road Truckers.

Shows like - gag me with an assegai - Ancient Aliens.

Shows like Little People.

And now, courtesy of Animal Planet, a "documentary" about mermaids.

Fucking mermaids.

Using actors to portray scientists and having no "Gotcha! You're a Fucking Idiot if You Buy Any of This Shit" disclaimer, this steaming sack of dog feces has the potential to mislead weak and simple-minded dullards (for which read a growing segment of the American viewing population) into thinking that mermaids actually exist.

Shit like this is why I find myself growing nostalgic for the halcyon days when there were only four networks.