Image: Pilgrim Studios
In June, we posted about two fake documentaries about mermaids, aired by the Animal Planet, which is owned by the Discovery Channel. Despite being presented as fact, the mermaid documentaries were entirely fictional. There was a brief disclaimer in the closing credits, though it seems unlikely that anyone noticed. Apparently, the Discovery Channel is perfectly happy to present fiction as fact if it helps in the ratings. Recently, they were at it again with their presentation of “Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives” another wholly fictional “documentary” which suggests that the long extinct giant shark, megalodon, which lived approximately 28 to 1.5 million years ago, is still swimming around in the ocean attacking fishing boats and what not.
The fictional “documentary” kicked off the ever popular Discovery Channel “Shark Week” and got the highest ratings ever for a Shark Week episode, 4.8 million viewers and a 2.6 rating with adults 25-54. Then something very interesting happened. The internet erupted in a feeding frenzy of angry viewers, stirring up the world of social media like sharks around a chum bucket. Apparently many Shark Week fans are really interested in sharks, real sharks, not badly produced fantasy sharks, so when Discovery Channel broadcasts this sort of fiction with actors standing in for scientists and fake press conferences about shark attacks that never took place, many viewers were annoyed, angry, pissed off, really not happy.
The title of the Geekohead post sums it up – Internet Officially Mad at Shark Week for Airing a Fake Megalodon Documentary.
Shark Week’s Facebook page immediately filled up with angry posts. A few typical typical angry reactions:
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Shark Week sank to this level after the documentary where the “researchers” pretended to remake the movie Jaws. Frankly I have lost all respect for the network with this as there was no disclaimer that the footage was fake. Nothing on the guide, episode info, in no way is the network making sure viewers are aware this is “fiction.” Now I look and tonight’s line-up is much the same. One good documentary followed by a sensational pile of drek that isn’t worth the effort to not watch it about sharks in swamps eating people. I am a huge fin-atic, and to have my love for these animals and this week of programming perverted in this way is one more slap in the face regarding this channel.
Shark week is absolutely my favorite week for TV each year. I post about it and share my excitement with everyone. However this year I would like to express my utter disappointment with the FAKE megalodon so called documentary last night. Opening shark week with something like that was a joke. The acting was almost as terrible as the fake footage. Completely dissatisfied. Please never show anything fake for your shark week fans again or plan to lose a lot of viewers!
#sharkweekhasbecomereallylame
We want facts on Discovery Channel. Leave fabricated science-fiction to the SyFy Channel. Shame on you for this megalodon show.
Are you ready to say sorry for megalodon? Please bring us the facts on sharks now. We want information and real stories not lies and falsehoods.
The comments on Twitter echoed the anger. Many viewers are now boycotting the rest of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week to show their displeasure. And of course, science bloggers have also let their feeling be known. Christine Wilcox penned “Shark Week Jumps The Shark: An Open Letter To Discovery Communications” on the Discover Magazine blog.
This year’s Shark Week kick-off special, Megalodon: The Monster Shark That Lives, claimed to provide evidence that these massive beasts are still out there, using scattered anecdotes and scientific testimony to support the assertion. There’s only one problem: the entire “documentary” wasn’t real.
No whale with a giant bite taken out of it has ever washed up here in Hawaii. No fishing vessel went mysteriously missing off of South Africa in April. No one has ever found unfossilized Megalodon teeth. Collin Drake? Doesn’t exist. The evidence was faked, the stories fabricated, and the scientists portrayed on it were actors. The idea that Megalodon could still be roaming the ocean is a complete and total myth.
Wil Wheaton, writer and actor, of Star Trek fame notes succinctly:
Discovery Channel started Shark Week with a completely fake, completely made-up, completely bullshit “documentary” and they lied to their audience about it. They presented it as real.
The fake documentary even made onto the Scopes urban legend site: MEGALODON, The MONSTER SHARK LIVES Claim: a megalodon capsized a South African charter vessel in April 201. FALSE
It looks like the Megalodon mess could come back to bite the Discovery Channel in the ass.
Nat Geo too.
The Real Megalodon: Prehistoric Shark Behind Doc Uproar
A “documentary” about the prehistoric shark has sparked public outrage.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/08/130807-discovery-megalodon-shark-week-great-white-sharks-animals/
This is reminiscent of Orson Well’s “War Of The Worlds” broadcast.
I twigged at the photo of the U-boats with “fins” in the background. That photo (sans fins) has been in a number of books and I recognized it.
Once that broke the illusion the rest of the “fin photos” seemed fishy. (HA! See what I did there?) Add the disclaimers that flashed up after commercial breaks and it became clear they had stuck tongue firmly in cheek and were having fun. Guess a joke is only funny if your aware it IS a joke.
I tuned in for Discovery Channel’s shark week again this year because I’ve always believed that it is based on fact. Disappointed to hear that Megaladon is fictional. I enjoyed it until I just read that it is fiction.
Well all these different animals 20 feet crocodiles and 20 feet shark and white sperm whale, the shark could be down there as of yet we have not seen all of the ocean it could there be. I free swam with Great White sharks in BLUFF Southland N.Z.
this ducumetry intreged me but iff you say tey faked it then this verry disepointing to me du to me being a fan off all kind off prehestoric monsters this is like saying a t rex is wondering around in the forest behind your back yard then you go look and nothing is there this is asking for a punch in your face.
The only Megalogon in existence is in my pants. just ask all my women.
Im from South Africa and we never had a fishing vessel go missing.Also that is not our head of dept of environmental affairs.Never seem him in my life!
Discusted