Amongst the array of Christmas movies, Netflix has been pumping out one wonder at a time. One such wonder is the newest Netflix show called Ancient Apocalypse. The synopsis of the show follows a unique trajectory in a docuseries format. Journalist Graham Hancock sets out on a journey across the globe going through one mysterious place at a time. The goal? To enquire and investigate lost civilizations that can be dated back to the most recent Ice Age.
The show has received a very contrasting set of reviews. A segment of the viewers complained about the lack of scientific explanations and that the whole show was simply based on conspiracy theories.
Some mentioned that it was too resemblant to a NatGeo show from the early 2000s but based on loosely sown facts that lack connection. People have also complained that the show comes off as racist and Eurocentric. A global statement on how the west views the world.
What is probably the brightest part of the show are the beautiful historical sites being highlighted. Done so by a person who does not have any formal higher education or degree in the same field. Archaeologists have had a very negative reaction to the show mainly because o Hancock’s perspective on the whole community.
Hancock made claims in the show stating that archaeologists are almost like a cult that keeps things hidden and secret. His pseudo-research, which hasn’t been based on a scientific background, has been contested by archaeologists. Simply based on the grounds of sociology and science.
As Ancient Apocalypse reached the top ten in the global charts of streamers within the first few weeks of its release, viewers were left both confused and shocked. As mentioned before, all the assumptions and claims made by Hancock were loosely based on facts and almost sounded like conspiracy theories. Although the presentation of the whole show was interesting, he brings up concepts that were discussed in the 19th century.
The most alarming part of the whole backlash that was received by both the streamer and the creators was the lack of legible sources or any scientific data. However, as Graham Hancock has been a relevant member of the community of pseudo-archaeologists for a while and has published several books over the years, this show adds another tier of legitimacy when it comes to him.
The problem arises when he makes claims targeting an entire community of people and states that the truth has been hidden from the masses. Claims like this make the crowd violent and aggressive to find out more about the so-called ‘truth’.
To conclude, although there has been a mixed review of the whole show, the majority of viewers disagree with what has been presented. The majority claims that the pretext of the show was quite interesting, but there were definitely a lot of things wrong with the approach. So definitely nearing the worst documentary of the year, specifically for its chaotic presentation.
Youtuber Archaeology Tube goes to the extent of calling Hancock the Jordan Peterson of archaeology. However, the beautiful sites and the beauty of history are definitely something to marvel at. If this makes you curious, check out Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix here. Check out the trailer for it here!
