brownbear324 This is one of the better "reality-based" shows on network TV since it has to do with learning about yourself and where you originally came from, but not the best.Since celebrities are used in each episode, this show needs more diverse people to discuss their genealogy with. There are approximately 10 episodes per season and out of all of the episodes, only ONE person depicted is non-white. We live in a melting pot of ethnicities, and there are hundreds of actors that are non-white that have fascinating genealogy stores to be told."Finding Your Roots" on PBS is MUCH more diverse in who's history to follow whether they are black, hispanic, Jewish, or homoesexual. Check your local PBS stations of when it will air. Generally "Finding Your Roots" starts airing in Sept. It's more worthwhile to watch.

SnoopyStyle This show was first shown on NBC for 3 seasons, and is now continuing on TLC. I'm happy that they're continuing without much decline in the production value. I doubt it costs much, and the most important ingredient are the celebrities.Each episode, one celebrity investigate his/her ancestral history usually concentrating on something they're interested in. That's really the only rub I have against this show. The celebrities could certainly hide things they don't want to air in public. But most importantly, they might be interested in a really boring ancestor.That doesn't happen a lot. Most of the discoveries are quite fascinating. Not only does it reveal personal history, but sometimes it reveals little known world history events. It brings the past worlds to life in the most personal ways.

Wildflowers1245 This is a fascinating series on the genealogy of famous people. I love the way these stories unfold layer by layer to reveal the drama that is humanity from the great wars, massive migrations, and religious persecution to stories of everyday life. Birth, census, marriage, property, court and death records provide factual information of those that came before us and are woven with general historical information that is known about the time period to bring to life ancestors who were not previously known. These stories are often poignant and emotional as we come to know personal struggles. They educate us today of the way life used to be; where young children often died from diseases that today are easily prevented, where prejudice was accepted as the norm and a lack of social safety nets led to destitution. It reminds us how far we have come. How medical advances such as vaccinations and contraception have improved lives by saving children from horrible diseases and helping families plan the size of families in order to better support them. For all that is wrong with media today, it can put a spotlight on abuses and human suffering which lead to social change today. It brings to mind that great quotation attributed to George Santayana and repeated by Winston Churchill "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Although I really enjoy this series, it sometimes has a scripted feel and is a blatant commercial for Ancestry.com. I rate this series an 8 out of 10.

Reaper Ba Respect tyhe privacy of the deadThis show talks about the private lives of generations of relatives. The show I watched yesterday about a woman who dug up the 3 marriage contracts of her great great grandfather just to be able to say and chuckle that "he was married 3 times" raises the issue about the privacy of the dead.At present time, NSW laws do not allow people who are not party to the marriage to get copies of marriage certificates. But if they are 30 years old, anyone, not even those related to them can. There is here a certain irony.Likewise from a certain ethical point of view, just because they are dead doesn't mean you can do whatever you like just because you can. If they were living, do you think those people would have allowed very distant relatives to pry into their lives, let alone dig up and get copies of their marriage contracts? Put yourself in the place of the dead. See how it goes.Furthermore, Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides "Article 17 1. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation.2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. " Just because they are dead 30 years or 100 years does not mean that have become less than "everyone". They were someone once, as we are now.Likewise, the OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data provides that "although national laws and policies may differ, Member countries have a common interest in protecting privacy and individual liberties, and in reconciling fundamental but competing values such as privacy and the free flow of information; ".Sometimes its not what we want to do with other people's lives but its what they would have wanted had they been alive