History Channel Shows that Look Both Ways Before Crossing the River of Time

Ten years ago, The History Channel was thought of by most as "The Hitler Network." Much of the programming focused on World War II, and the narrators were so solemn and lecturing that it seemed the network was geared only for elderly men smoking pipes in their reading dens. Between then and now, The History Channel has changed its look- along with its programming- to expand both deeper into the past and closer to the present. Here are some of the best series showcasing how audiences can be interested in current events by learning from the past.

Ice Road Truckers
Perhaps using the idea seen on The Discovery Channel's hit series Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers is the story of rough and rugged men braving Mother Nature's worst. The series takes place in the frigid reaches of Canada's Northwest Territory and follows six truckers who aim to make a year's wages in two months. Their goal is to transport supplies and equipment to remote diamond mines using frozen lakes as improvised roadways. Their passage is dangerous; weak ice and careless driving have taken the lives of many men in the 25-year plus history of the ice road. Yet each load they transport earns them thousands of dollars, which has given the nickname of this two-month season "the dash for the cash."

While not a history-focused show, the series demonstrates history in the making by showing humans battle nature in surprising and innovative ways. In a region where in ages past the lakes would be used for transportation in the warmer months, the truckers on the ice road help provide an economy boom to the northern town of Yellowknife and secure it a place on the map. The citizens of Yellowknife live on one of the world's last frontiers, but they're determined to show history will remember them.

The season finale of Ice Road Truckers has already aired, but reruns can be viewed every Sunday night at 10/9 Central. The History Channel's shopping section of the website yields the first season of the show on DVD, and season two has been promised to be coming soon.