Product Description As seen on NBCStars trace their family roots through history "Fascinating" --The New York Times "Brings history alive in a way rarely seen on television … satisfying emotional journeys" --The Philadelphia Inquirer To know who you are, you have to know where you came from. In this fascinating reality series, seven celebrities share their life-altering discoveries. Working with genealogists, historians, and researchers, they travel the world to uncover the secrets and surprises in their family trees. Sarah Jessica Parker’s (Sex and the City) search leads back to the Salem witch trials. Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith follows his slave ancestors to Benin. Lisa Kudrow (Friends) learns the truth of her great-grandmother’s fate in the Holocaust. Tony® winner Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Glory) traces his family to battlefields in France and America. Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) unearths her royal connections. Oscar® winner Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking) explores the racy life of her grandmother. And Emmy® -winning director Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X) meets a relative he didn’t know he had. Intriguing, moving, and ultimately uplifting, this series proves that genealogy is more than a pastime. It’s a journey through history that changes everything. .com Genealogy ranges from a parlor game to an obsessive pursuit for people yearning to find their roots. In the age of the Internet, interest and availability have increased dramatically for even the most casual investigation into ancestry and answers to that nagging question of the soul, Where did I come from? American television picked up the Who Do You Think You Are? franchise after programs with the same name and format were a hit in Britain, Ireland, and Australia, and this two-disc set represents the first season that appeared on NBC in 2010 (season two premiered in February 2011). The series follows seven celebrities as they trace a family line back three or more generations, ostensibly showing us the commonality of experience and profound sense of connection that comes with understanding the path of life that led you where you are. The stories are undeniably moving, even if the sentimentality sometimes feels forced and the manipulation of emotion a little heavy-handed. Included in the season's stories are actors Lisa Kudrow (one of the show's producers), Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Brooke Shields, and Susan Sarandon, as well as filmmaker Spike Lee and former NFL star Emmitt Smith. Each episode unfolds with a stylish flair of mystery and includes moments of drama that are often genuinely moving as these famous faces all but melt when they make their individual discoveries. The journeys take each subject on lengthy field trips. Susan Sarandon makes a jaunt to Italy; Mathew Broderick travels to a World War I cemetery in France and Civil War battlefields in the Deep South; Lisa Kudrow discovers a painful family history in Belarus and Poland; and Spike Lee uncovers roots in the red clay of Georgia. The mini-documentary sagas are juiced with VIP celebrity treatment and ease of access to information that would probably take regular people months to track down. The subjects receive privileged entrée to top experts who have clearly done a lot of legwork in researching old paper records, microfilm, and computer scans. And the drama is often laid on a little thick as key documents are presented with a this-is-your-life flourish at key moments in the middle of historic settings. Invariably there are tears of emotion that the camera grabs onto with a schmaltz that sometimes borders on shameless. Nevertheless, the tears you find welling up at these poignant scenes may well be your own. (As a side note, you'll want to keep your finger ready on the fast-forward: the episodes are heavily padded with "coming up" spoilers and rehashes of what you've already seen on each side of the original commercial breaks.) --Ted Fry
D**M
Poor second fiddle to UK version.
I am an amateur genealogist and I do love the UK series because of the stories that unfold and the tips on genealogy work. A USA version is a great idea, I mean the format is already a proven success in the UK so it must be a similarly good show for a USA version right? WRONG. There are several issues in the USA production that make this version almost unbearable to watch. This DVD has been taken straight (unedited) from the TV screenings, In a really frustrating trend that seems to be the norm in the USA producers feel that the viewers, having sat through a commercial break, have forgotten what they saw before the break and need to re-watch half of what they just saw. Personally I don't think americans have such a short attention span but most americans I know are academically oriented so maybe the general population does forget what they just watched before a commercial break. So there may be a reason for the constant re-visitations when shown on TV, but on a DVD without commercials? It just gets plain frustrating and almost unwatchable. Furthermore, the constant re-hashing of already seen footage means that a 45 minute show in reality only has about 30 minutes of original footage. Not good value for viewing or purchasing! Another annoying habit is to indirectly tell the viewers what is coming after the commercial break but try and make it sound like a mystery. Example.. in one episode the narrator tells the viewers the star will head to the fields of France in search of a missing relative. What will she discover? Well duh, obviously the relative was killed in WW1 so where's the mystery? In fact, why bother watching it when you know what she will discover.So in summary, it gets 2 stars for the few limited genealogical tips it presents but otherwise this show is poorly presented, low on original content and very frustrating to watch if you have any sort of half-decent memory.
D**S
Explore an intriguing side to your favorite stars - making the discoveries with them!
I am an amateur genealogist so this was a natural attraction for me. I had seen some of the original version - British stars and their adventures into their histories - and was delighted to find out that Lisa Kudrow was producing an American Version!All of the stars who participated find surprising and sometimes shocking discoveries in their families past. Not a surprise given the tumultuous history of our young nation... from WITCH BURNINGS to SEGREGATION and ROYALTY... no one's historical discoveries can be called boring. It is obvious that they put a lot of research hours into the production of this show but the most delightful part is that the stars who are participating are as engaged as you are in their discoveries... there is a little acting but that is probably natural, given the personalities participating. But it is obvious that they are so engaged in their discoveries set before them that their reactions are mostly natural and true.A fun ride that makes you discover what you might find in your own histories. I have had a blast discovering some of my ancestors' "antics" as well as their trials.Most recommended! Now go watch SEASON 2 and the British series!!!
A**R
Fine
Fine
W**B
Fascinating and moving stories
I absolutely love this series!! The exploration on each segment to discover information about ancestors has been fascinating and moving. I have no particular interest in celebrities, so I was pleased that each person featured comes across as a real person with no posturing or attempt to entertain. I also appreciate the brief explanations of historical dympnamics that give meaning and depth to the stories that are uncovered. In that way, the show is educational as well as engaging. I only wish all of the seasons were available to purchase (at a reasonable price).
V**S
Very good program but needed more.
I really like Matthew Broderick as an actor. He has a very sensitive and gracious style. I was intrigued to know his background. I liked this episode but I would have loved to know his liniage. It was still interesting to know about his family. The video was like watching tv. It was good!
W**N
A great show for anyone into genealogy.
I have fallen in lover with this product during season 4. Unfortunately, I missed seasons 1-3. This helps to fill the gap. Well done program that is a bit light on the technical content but nevertheless and interesting program to watch.
L**D
Fascinating Journey
First off...I love Sarah Jessica Parker. I am a big Carrie Bradshaw fan so seeing her in a more personal setting was fascinating.That aside, the show was incredibly interesting and an emotional journey. I don't want to spoil anything, but the Salem Witch Trials play a part in SJP's history.I will definitely be watching more episodes!
C**C
Heart Warming !
Heart warming to see the change in a person once they realize where they come from..who their families are and why they did the things they did...........You learn so much about history as you travel back in time....recommend these shows on "Who do you Think you are?"
G**T
WDYTYA Series 1
This very first series seemed a little less polished to me compared to series produced later on. But I still found it entertaining and educational. My favorite episode featured Vic Reeves. He has an excellent speaking voice and his quest to find out more about his ancestors and to find which one was at the helm when the family business failed added a whole new dimension to genealogy research. This would have to be among my top five favorites of the WDYTYA franchise Ive viewed to date. I had expected the 10 minute research clips, that aired with the original series as broadcasted, to be included, but they weren't. But after reading the reviews for a DVD set that included just those research tips it doesn't appear to be much of a loss though. I'd recommend this series for all the avid genealogist that just can't get enough of the WDYTYA episodes. Good entertainment sprinkled with just enough ideas on pursing your research makes it worth while.
G**N
Interesting to see peoples ancestors and what they did.
This is a more individualistic series than the later ones which became dare I say it a little bit formulaic. I really enjoyed watching them just as documentaries.
L**9
Who do you think you are?
Excellent tv series which is about discovering celebs and well known peoples family histories with the help og archvists and historians and family members they can dicover things they never knew!!excellent series!;-).
D**S
Pleased with this purchase as a gift for someone in ...
Pleased with this purchase as a gift for someone in South Africa who cannot get this series on their television a nice gift well recieved
G**N
Five Stars
Very good.
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