Unsolved:Nostradamus Effect

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Short description: American sensationalist television series
Nostradamus Effect
Nostradamus Effect title card.jpg
GenreSensationalist
apocalyptic
Religion
paranormal
Narrated byPhil Crowley
Theme music composerScott Cruz
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Running time45 minutes
Production company(s)Workaholic Productions
Release
Original networkHistory
Original releaseSeptember 9 (2009-09-09) –
December 16, 2009 (2009-12-16)

Nostradamus Effect is an American sensationalist television series that premiered on September 9, 2009, on the History channel. The program detailed various historical apocalyptic prophecies, such as the 2012 phenomenon. The show was named after reputed French seer Michel de Nostredame, more commonly known as Nostradamus. The series ran for a single season.

It presented itself in a "documentary style" but it was not a documentary. The show's disclaimer stated that it does not take sides regarding the apocalyptic prophecies. In the introduction of each episode, the narrator states, "We will neither refute, nor endorse, these theories; merely, present the evidence." Despite this claim, prophecies are often exaggerated or presented incorrectly.[1][2][3] For example, the show repeatedly claims that the Mayan Long Count calendar predicts the end of the world for December 21, 2012 while in reality it marks the first day of the 14th b'ak'tun era and not any belief in the end of the world.[4][5][6][7]

The series was described as full of misleading suggestions supported by vague, unattributed weasel phrases such as "some think that", "many believe that", and "scholars suggest that",[8] while in his book 2012: It's Not the End of the World Nostradamus specialist Peter Lemesurier describes its Nostradamian aspects as "largely fiction" and "lurid nonsense".[9]

The series was also released on DVD in 2010.[10]

Episodes

No. Title Original air date

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References

  1. Lemesurier, 2012: It's Not the End of the World, Derwen Publications, Pembroke, 2011, pp. 91-7, and compare The History Channel's 'The Nostradamus Effect'
  2. Gregory, Sara (October 16, 2009). The end is near: beware of 2060, Western Courier
  3. (28 June 2010). The Story of Us on History channel—an attempt to revive the myths of American capitalism, World Socialist Web Site ("History, first launched 15 years ago, is sometimes known as "The Mystery Channel" or "The Pseudo-History Channel," according to online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Last year it premiered "Nostradamus Effect," in which it gave serious treatment to various apocalyptic prophecies.")
  4. Susan Milbrath, Curator of Latin American Art and Archaeology, Florida Museum of Natural History, quoted in USA Today, Wednesday, March 28, 2007, p. 11D
  5. Schele, A. and Freidel, D., A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya, Quill, New York, 1990, p.430
  6. Aveni, A., The End of Time, U. of Colorado Press, 2009, passim
  7. Lemesurier, P., 2012: It's Not the End of the World, Derwen, Pembroke, 2011, p.161
  8. For critiques, plus supporting links, see The History Channel's 'The Nostradamus Effect'
  9. Lemesurier, Derwen Press, 2011, p.91
  10. Douglass, Jr.., Todd (18 April 2010). Nostradamus Effect: The Complete Season One, DVD Talk

External links