Two New Ray Mears Series

[Mesquite]

Looks like Ray is expanding from nature programmes into history now.

It's with an online history channel so it might not make the small screen but the subject matter does sound interesting.

Details here

 

[Billy-o]

Have to be careful with Uncle Ray's views on history. Sometimes its a bit like the winner gets to tell the tale. Did you see the one he did on Roger's Rangers raid on the Abnaki first nation? It is controversial.

 

[Tengu]

He does seem to pick a side

 

[Riven]

Surely that's the point of history, the winners write their own story.

 

[Buckshot]

It's a while since i watched the Rogers Rangers program so i may be wrong but IIRC he was telling the story from the point of view of the bushcraft/ survival skills and techniques used, not who was on the 'good' side.

 

[Wander]

It's fair to say that Ray's presentation style is a bit deathless. At his worst he could suck the life out of a new born star.
I wouldn't mind that, but when he strays from bushcraft, his area of expertise (and I agree - there's no reason why he should restrict himself) the content of his programmes lack any real insight or knowledge and are a bit broad and general with a few tired platitudes.
However, I see he's going a bit low-brow - seems like the two series have an emphasis on warfare. They know what the viewers want to see. All that's missing are sharks and Nazis.

 

[Mr Wolf]

I’ll pass
Was only interested in his bushcraft & survival, I find he has the personality of a wet shoe

 

[Herman30]

They know what the viewers want to see. All that's missing are sharks and Nazis.

Frickin´ nazisharks with swastika on the fin and laserbeams attached to their head. That´s what I want!

 

[CLEM]

Looks like Ray is expanding from nature programmes into history now.

It's with an online history channel so it might not make the small screen but the subject matter does sound interesting.

Details here

Excellent, ya cant go wrong with Raymond really. Top fella and has really grown/developed as a presenter. What I like about him is he makes the subject the star of the show and not himself so to speak. That is something very lacking in most modern presenters I find as they make it all about themselves rather than the subject material.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Herman,
Try "Sky Sharks" and you get zombies and flying fish all rolled in. No accounting for taste. Congratulations on their being a sequel.
Now that is about as far off topic as we want to go!

 

[falcon]

Excellent, ya cant go wrong with Raymond. Top fella and has really grown as a presenter. What I like about him is he makes the subject the star of the show and not himself so to speak. That’s something very lacking in most modern presenters I find as they make it all about themselves rather than the subject material.

That nails it for me and I agree with Buckshot’s earlier post about his focus within the Rogers’ Rangers episode

 

[JonathanD]

Excellent, ya cant go wrong with Raymond. Top fella and has really grown as a presenter. What I like about him is he makes the subject the star of the show and not himself so to speak. That’s something very lacking in most modern presenters I find as they make it all about themselves rather than the subject material.

Spot on.

As other people have said, Rays admiration for Rogers Rangers and the man himself, is from a fore thinking woodsman, commando, tactician and survivalist, with an almost superhuman will to continue and survive whatever may be thrown at him. Maybe some bias as to that area, but as it’s the only area Ray was covering in the context of the programme, he can hardly be badged as picking a side. Which can be said of many of his programmes. That’s why he’s a good presenter. He doesn’t project ego. Quite the opposite.

 

[Fadcode]

The man is a legend, I can t forget the time he showed two African warriors how to make fire, the fact they had survived for 2000 years without fire wasn't explained, regarding his new series, I am sure they will be very interesting, I am looking forward to reading the new book, in fact I am going to start saving up to buy it when it comes out.

 

[Erbswurst]

If we talk about bushcraft and history he should explain us why the Brits didn't catch Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck.

Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

(OK, my great grandfather helped him, but can that really be the reason?)

 

[C_Claycomb]

The man is a legend, I can t forget the time he showed two African warriors how to make fire, the fact they had survived for 2000 years without fire wasn't explained, regarding his new series, I am sure they will be very interesting, I am looking forward to reading the new book, in fact I am going to start saving up to buy it when it comes out.

I don't remember showing people in Africa how to make fire. I do remember him showing two very knowledgeable guides in South America how to do fire by friction. They explained that in their grandfather's days, they made fire this way, but the advent of trade matches had caused the skills to make fire without matches to be lost. Maybe it was faked, but the guides seemed genuinely happy to have relearned the skill.

Mention of von Lettow Vorbeck,, WWI Africa, there were quite a few very famous and notable characters on both sides who were experienced in the bush and used it to their advantage. A good place to look for documentary material.

 

[Tony]

Admin hat on - I get there's opinions on things but I don't want this to turn into a Ray bashing thread, so please make sure that comments are kept nice.

As for the series, who knows how it's going to be until people start watching it/them. I might have a watch if I see it available (don't have mainstream tv)

 

[Mesquite]

I might have a watch if I see it available (don't have mainstream tv)

If you want to watch them then I think you need to subcribe to the online channel that's done them

 

[JonathanD]

If you want to watch them then I think you need to subcribe to the online channel that's done them

You can get a free trial period of a month. That’ll cover the first series.

 

[Tony]

I'll have a look in September when life has quietened down a bit!

 

[Mesquite]

You can get a free trial period of a month. That’ll cover the first series.

Or if you wait until the second series is out then you can watch the first on catch up and the second series