Author Topic: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C  (Read 7676 times)

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Offline puddin

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I'm looking forward to this  :yess:



Four modern-day explorers retrace the most famous search in history through 970 miles of hell. They face countless dangers from predators and insects to disease and nature’s own fury. Check out the television event of the summer!

Expedition Africa: Stanley and Livingstone Episode 1
In the premiere episode, clashing egos, personality conflicts and disorganization threaten to sink the expedition before it even begins. Pasquale and Benedict squabble as each tries to take command, while Mireya, the only woman on the expedition, proves more than up to the challenge ahead.. Kevin is smart and motivated, but his inexperience almost proves costly. As they find out more about the history of Stanley's expedition, the explorers realize that the journey will be much more difficult than anticipated.


http://www.history.com/expedition/episode-1/

Offline Snooky

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2009, 01:56:13 PM »
This looks interesting!
 ;D


Offline puddin

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2009, 03:46:52 PM »
This looks interesting!
 ;D
It's Sunday night and the shows are slim pickings  :lol: so why not!?

Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2009, 04:06:45 PM »
Dr Livingstone, I presume? :lol:

Looks good to check out to me too!
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Offline puddin

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2009, 10:02:44 PM »
I don't care for it .. too much bitching not enough Africa .............blahhhhhhhhhhh


Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2009, 11:50:07 PM »
Darn, I missed it....
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Offline RHR

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2009, 03:57:43 AM »
They're airing replays all week so you should be able to catch it if you're still interested, peach.

I watched it a few hours ago and thought it was alright. With it being a Mark Burnett show I was hoping for a pseudo throwback to Eco-Challenge, but Eco-Challenge it was not. I've read that the interpersonal drama gets toned down in episode two and we get more of a focus on the journey, so I'm looking forward to that.

Offline apskip

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2009, 07:06:14 AM »
The History Channel has started a new series last Sunday night at 10pm and repeating at 11pm EDT. It is retracing the route of U.S. newsman Henry Stanley to meet British explorer David Livingstone in 1871. It took that expedition from March 12 to Nov. 10 (8 months) in 1871 to go from the coast of Tanzania to Ujiji on the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. This expedition is attempting to do 950 miles on land in shorter time. The team of 4 is expedition leader Pasqual (a famous expedition guide), Mireya (actually Dr. Mireya the anthropologist), Benedict(explorer) and Kevin (journalist), plus a team of about 12 porters. The first show started with the expedition hiring a dhow to transport them 20 miles from Zanzibar Island to Bagamoyo Tanzanian shore across the Zanzibar Strait. This is almost the exact opposite of the trip taken by all AR11 teams from north of DarEsSalaam to Zanzibar Island by dhow. Next they hired a team of porters, testing each individual for ability to handle the load. The one critical decision to make was the water supply. Pasquale wanted to carry a large supply in, but Kevin vetoed that. How he had the authority to do so is an interesting question.  There was a moment of panic, but Kevin came up with the idea of going to the nearest habitation and getting some there,a s they must have a well. The team is following a pre-planned route initially almost identical to that of Stanley. Going through dense vegetation and crossing rivers and occasionally heavy mud are a challenge, but they manage. Their only navigation instrument was a compass. GPS was not invented by 1871. A lot of the angst in this episode is teh interpersonal conflict between the memebers of the team. Pasquale is typically not a dictator but at times he has to be to keep the expedition on track. Kevin gets lost briefly, but is found. Mireya, despite her past as a Miami Dolphins cheerleader, seems a tough resourceful person who can overcome the challenges of this sort of trip.

This show is not for everyone. The expedition is continuously dealing with challenges regarding snakes, water supply, bugs, disease, sunburn, etc. The bickering between Benedict, Kevin and Mireya and Paqual also seems to be constant. The plethora of wildlife they view along the route can make up for that. I can give this show a positive recomendation.

Try it. You'll probably like it. You can go to the History Channel Expedition Africa site to catch the full first episode.

Offline TexasLady

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2009, 07:30:55 AM »
Thanks everyone, and thanks Apskip for the summary. I saw a blurb for this show and it did look interesting. What with the TV wasteland I'm faced with at the moment, I'm going to see if I can catch up with this show.  :tup:
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Offline Snooky

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2009, 05:12:39 PM »
Thanks everyone, and thanks Apskip for the summary. I saw a blurb for this show and it did look interesting. What with the TV wasteland I'm faced with at the moment, I'm going to see if I can catch up with this show.  :tup:
I know!  With all of Survivor, TAR, AI, and Biggest Loser over!


Offline apskip

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2009, 03:11:53 PM »
EXPEDITION AFRICA, ep. 2

Somehow I missed this episode on the History Channel, possibly because I had many important things happening June 7 when it was on the History Channel. I watched it today on "full epsiodes" of this show after I discovered I was behind an episode.

This episode starts on Day 6 at 2590 foot elevation and a temperature that rapidly gets up to 100 degrees. I learn that the expedition is traveling only about half of the total 950 miles from Bangoyo to Ujiji on foot. They will be moved, presumably by some vehicles across half of this total so they can finish in 30 days. The segments skipped will be the urban ones. They are the ones shown in dotted lines on the expedition's maps.

This expedition will make its only deviation from Stanley's route. They want "a bigger challenge" so they are going up over the Uluguru Mountains vs. Stanley's route around them.

Pasquale declares the expedition "overweight and with too many porters" so he sheds gear and that allows him to drop some porters before attempting this difficult segment. Remaining are 25 on the expedition moving forward. I counted maybe 12 porters, 2 hunters, and the 4 principals so that must include multiple cameramen and soundmen.

Kevin has declareed himself the watchdog for the porters. Pasquale sets a torrid uphill pace. Kevin says that Pasquale's ego is driving the ego, as no sane person would cause nimble porters to be too slow to keep up. Suddenly, one of the porters collapses. Kevin tends to him and gets him back on his feet, but Pasquale is taking no chances. He sent one porter back to get 3 more porters, 1 for replacement and two to carry the collapsed porter, who the 4 principals all agree will not be able to carry on. Mireya gets the line of the day: "You plan and plan and plan; then Africa happens to you." Mireya also says that Pasquale takes charge but makes mistakes which the others need to correct.

Pasquale dictates stopping to set up camp no later than 3pm so it can be complete before dark. This camp is at 4276 feet. That part of the Uluguru Mountains is noted for its fine mist making getting a fire started almost impossible.

Pasquale gets the line of this day: "going up the mountain is optional but coming down is mandatory." There is a somewhat steep 2000 foot climb ahead. Pasquale refers to the upcoming pace as a "Masai warrior pace."

The expedition is now in a 25 million year old "old forest", the oldest in Africa. They reach the summit at 6402 feet and find a beautiful view. The trail over the top become slippery and treacherous on the downslope.  They set up camp but it is too damp for a fire. In the morning is no breakfast and no boiled water. Kevin is keeping a Journal for the Expedition (as a journalist, that seems appropriate). Pasquale states that all are cold, tired and hungry and "we need to go" in spite of that.

Problems going down the slopes continue until the Mkata River Flood Plain, supports large population of wildlife including hippopotami, water buffalo, wild dog, eland, elephant, giraffe, hartebeest, zebra, leopard, lion, impala and sable in Mikumi National Park. They wander into a Masai village tending goats, sheep and cows. There is dancing, including with 9 foot pythons.

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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2009, 03:40:30 PM »
EXPEDITION AFRICA, Ep. 3

This episode starts on Day 9 with 880 miles to go and at 108 degrees, but it climbs to 114 degrees later in the day. Benedict likens the conditions to "a frying pan."

Concern is expressed about elephants initially, but later that is broadened to hyenas, lions, hippopotami, and water buffalo. An occasional zebra and giraffe are seen, but they apparently are a very small risk. Hyenas pose the greater short-term risk according to Pasquale beacuse they can drag a large man out of his tent into the wild with their incredible jaws. He maneuvers the expedition to minimize the risk from lions or hippos or water buffalo. There is a sizeable water hole for the dry season, but it is inhabited by 2 hippos and their territorailty makes it difficult to take needed water from there. They find another one but as they are bathing a large herd of water buffalo comes throught it.

Mireya cuts her hand. It is wrapped but she refuses Kevin's offer to splint it saying that the expedition must keep moving.
The 2 Masai warriors guarding the expedition are directed to be on the lookout for elephants and lions, which they will fight with their spears. Pasquale makes references to the unseen risks of being bitten by insects. I am sure that will somehow come up in a later episode. Benedict gets a spider bite. Mireya wants to use the antiobiotic Cipro on it, but Kevin as the resident medical expert contradicts that and advises not to use any antibiotic on it.

There is talk of bomas. I had to look it up in Wikipedia to discover that they are homesteads of a tribe, in this case abandoned and on the route of the expedition. They use it with delight because its fortifications of fences, corral and stockade give protection against the wild animals.

They pass a troop of baboons. Mireya is a primate specialist and she counsels to avoid eye contact with them to avoid trouble. This causes Mireya to type the principals of the expedition. She uses this opportunity to call Pasquale the alpha male and Benedict as his lieutenant, herself as the alpha female, and Kevin as the juvenile.

Pasquale starts talking nonsense about directions. He sets a course for 280 degrees, intending later to alter it to 270. He expects that to get him to 260 degrees. Simple math shows that depending on when he alters the course he will end up somewhere between 271 and 279 degrees. My respect for him is lower if he doesn't know his math and sets all the courses for the expedition.

The Masai warriorrs and porters dance, jump and celebrate together. They tap the vein of a cow, which is a common practice that does not hurt the cow unless they take too much, so that all can drink the congealed blood. All the principals of the exeditions do so in a gesture of solidarity with their staff even though they are quite squeamish about it. Cows are the most important possession of Masai families.

A cow is stuck in the mud at a watering hole. Two Masai warriors pull it out and revive it.

The route ahead will take them to even hotter and drier places.





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Re: Expedition Africa Series Premiere - Sunday, 5/ 31 at 10pm/9C
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2009, 04:02:14 PM »
I'm hoping one of the participants gets eaten. That would make this show 1,000% watchable.
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