# Ken Burns' "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652 "2009-09-26T16:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/41 "2009-09-30T04:05:10Z")
No, they still don’t stream in Canada. Thanks, though. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/42 "2009-09-30T05:04:29Z")
America’s second best idea was not letting Canada watch. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/43 "2009-09-30T06:05:04Z")
Watched a few minutes of the making of and easily the most astounding footage and captivating aspect was that amazing rug that Ken Burns was sporting. Gads! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/44 "2009-09-30T06:23:17Z")
… and I truly believe the documentaries he shows us are the way we should be seen in the future. Q ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/45 "2009-09-30T17:25:42Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Oh, and I can say that John Muir \*\*was \*\*an Ent! Yeah, we made it through the remarkable story of Muir and Teddy. Just having POTUS take a few days off from everything just go roughin’ it with Muir was irresistable to hear about and the whole narrative was really well-conveyed. The forest ranger’s memories and impressions have also added a lot of color and perspective to the show, too. Really astute observations and told with lots of lovely attention to detail. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/46 "2009-10-01T04:34:12Z")
The last episodes have featured Stephen Mather, and his remarkable influence and love for the national parks. He was a man who lived and died for them. > [@](#): > > There will never come an end to the good he has done… ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/47 "2009-10-01T13:17:10Z")
In last night’s episode they mentioned that there were 58 National Parks. I was kind of surprised when I heard that low figure. But I’m supposing that’s just the places with the words “National Park” actually in their name. My question is do the National Historic Sites, National Seashores, National Monuments and all the other properties administered by the National Park Service count as National Parks? ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/48 "2009-10-01T13:17:17Z")
I watched the first 45 minutes of the first episode. By then, I was so godded out that I gave up. Too much spirituality, not enough information. Kinda like _Cosmos_, thirty years ago. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/49 "2009-10-01T14:18:24Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > America’s second best idea was not letting Canada watch. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/50 "2009-10-01T15:09:42Z")
> [@Oy](#): > > I watched the first 45 minutes of the first episode. By then, I was so godded out that I gave up. Too much spirituality, not enough information. Kinda like _Cosmos_, thirty years ago. I would be very surprised of Cosmos contained any spirituality at all, consider Carl Sagan’s lack of any spiritual leanings. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/51 "2009-10-01T16:22:59Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > In last night’s episode they mentioned that there were 58 National Parks. I was kind of surprised when I heard that low figure. But I’m supposing that’s just the places with the words “National Park” actually in their name. > My question is do the National Historic Sites, National Seashores, National Monuments and all the other properties administered by the National Park Service count as National Parks? When I worked for the Park Service, all types of parks were simply referred to as “Parks”. There was no distinction made between types. Now, their enabling legislations are different, and the type of park is important in how the land is administered, but they’re all parks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/52 "2009-10-01T18:40:10Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > America’s second best idea was not letting Canada watch. Fine. I was going to show you pictures of where I can picnic with 30 minutes driving, but never mind. You’ll just have to wish you lived somewhere as nice as me. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/53 "2009-10-02T12:42:32Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I would be very surprised of Cosmos contained any spirituality at all, consider Carl Sagan’s lack of any spiritual leanings. No, but each episode was like 35 minutes of Carl Sagan being awestruck at the marvels of the universe, and 5-10 minutes of actual information. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/54 "2009-10-02T12:50:59Z")
I really enjoyed last night’s installment. In fact I was in tears when Marian Anderson was singing at the Lincoln Memorial. Damn you, Ken Burns. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/55 "2009-10-02T13:43:02Z")
Well, I finally gave up and didn’t record last night’s offering. Still haven’t watched any of it after the first hour. Haven’t erased them, tho - yet. For whatever reason, I really dislike the “miniseries” approach of airing hours of a show night after night. Far prefer the “Masterpiece Theater” method of giving me an hour or two weekly. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/56 "2009-10-02T13:48:40Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Well, I finally gave up and didn’t record last night’s offering. Still haven’t watched any of it after the first hour. Haven’t erased them, tho - yet. > > For whatever reason, I really dislike the “miniseries” approach of airing hours of a show night after night. Far prefer the “Masterpiece Theater” method of giving me an hour or two weekly. Couldn’t you keep them in the DVR and watch them once a week…pretending it’s Masterpiece Theater? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/57 "2009-10-02T14:23:08Z")
How come, when you get to the 1930s or '40s, you _always_ have to talk to someone from Brooklyn? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/58 "2009-10-02T14:29:11Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Couldn’t you keep them in the DVR and watch them once a week…pretending it’s Masterpiece Theater? Yeah, I could. But for some irrational reason personal to me I find it daunting to have this volume of material stored up. Especially as I don’t find KB’s shows especially gripping. In my mind, it isn’t the same as if I had a boxed set of a season’s worth of a show like Buffy or the Sopranos, where I was looking forward to going through the eps. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Alan\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652/59 "2009-10-02T17:46:50Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Well, I finally gave up and didn’t record last night’s offering. Still haven’t watched any of it after the first hour. Haven’t erased them, tho - yet. > > For whatever reason, I really dislike the “miniseries” approach of airing hours of a show night after night. Far prefer the “Masterpiece Theater” method of giving me an hour or two weekly. Agreed on the second point, would much rather they show one a week. I haven’t given up yet and will likely catch tonight’s final ep. But migod, it is sooooo sloooooooow and the music is enough to put me too sleep. I get that when showing the majesty of nature, it takes more than a few moments but I find my mind drifting off at times. I usually love Ken Burns’ documentaries and was stoked to see that there’s going to be a new one in the Baseball series, Tenth Inning. But it’s not coming until fall 2010! Way to get my hopes up PBS. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-the-national-parks-americas-best-idea/511652.md?page=2)