Shark Week
| Shark Week | |
|---|---|
 Decoration on the Discovery Communications headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland in the lead-up to Shark Week |
|
| Genre | Annual Week-long Event |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 25 |
| No. of episodes | 161 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Discovery Channel |
| Original run | July 27, 1987 – present |
The Discovery Channel's Shark Week, first broadcast on July 17, 1987, is a week-long series of feature television programs dedicated to sharks. Held annually, normally in July or August, Shark Week was originally developed to raise awareness and respect for sharks. Now broadcast in over 72 countries, Shark Week is promoted heavily via social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Contents |
Broadcasting[edit]
In 2000, six million 3D Pulfrich glasses were distributed to viewers in the United States and Canada for an episode featuring an extinct giant shark, which had 3D segments.[1]
In 2005, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman from the Discovery Channel series MythBusters hosted Shark Week, and a two-hour MythBusters "Jaws Special" was premiered for the event.
In 2006, Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs hosted, and two Dirty Jobs episodes were featured, titled "Jobs that Bite" and "Jobs that Bite…Harder". Also during the week, the Silver Spring, Maryland, headquarters of the Discovery Channel was outfitted to resemble a giant shark.[2]
In 2007, Discovery Channel celebrated Shark Week's 20th Anniversary hosted by Les Stroud, host of Survivorman. The 20th anniversary included the launch of Sharkrunners, a video game that uses GPS data from tagged sharks in the Pacific Ocean.
Shark Week 2008 ran from July 27 to August 2 and was hosted by both the MythBusters and Mike Rowe.[3][4] Both a new MythBusters shark special and a shark-themed episode of Dirty Jobs premiered for the event.
2009's Shark Week began the evening of August 2.
Shark Week 2010, hosted by The Late Late Show's Craig Ferguson, began on August 1 and featured six brand-new shark specials.[5] It was advertised by the second appearance of the giant inflatable shark attached to the Discovery Channel building, now nicknamed 'Chompie'.[2] Shark Week 2010 was rated the most viewed Shark Week ever with 30.8 million unique people.[6] Shark Week is now considered the longest running program event on cable.[7]
Shark Week 2011, hosted by Andy Samberg, began on July 31. It featured seven specials.[5]
Shark Week 2012, hosted by Philip DeFranco, started August 12 at 8 PM CST. After being absent in 2011, 'Chompie' the giant shark is once again being displayed on the Discovery Channel Building.[2] To honor the series' 25th anniversary, viewers were encouraged to vote via Twitter or Facebook on which item a mechanical megalodon shark would crush with its hydraulic jaws in the "Shark Week Chompdown".[8] DeFranco was thought of as a lower profile host for Shark Week than past hosts[9] and annoying.[10]
Hosts[edit]
The following are all of the hosts for Shark Week:
- 1987-2003: No hosts
- Mike Rowe Narrator: 1987-present
- American Chopper cast: 2004
- Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman: 2005
- Mike Rowe Host: 2006/2008
- Les Stroud: 2007/2009
- Craig Ferguson: 2010
- Andy Samberg: 2011
- Philip DeFranco: 2012
DVD releases[edit]
| DVD Name | Release Date | Ep # | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anatomy of a Shark Bite | 2004 | 1 | Bonus Shark Week episode. |
| The Shark Week 20th Anniversary Collection | 2007 | 14 | Various Shark Week episodes. |
| Ocean of Fear | 2008 | 6 | The complete 2007 season, the 20th season. |
| Shark Week: The Greatest Bites Collection | 2009 | 9 | The complete 2008 season, plus three bonus episodes. |
| Shark Week: Jaws of Steel Collection | 2010 | 8 | The complete 2009 season, the 22nd season, plus two bonus episodes.[11] It features the 2 hour documentary titled Blood in the Water, which was the season premiere of the 22nd season. |
| Shark Week: Restless Fury | 2011 | 8 | The complete 2010 season. |
References[edit]
- ^ Bartless Manufacturer “swims with sharks” in Upcoming 3D Television Event, 3dglassesonline.com, Aug. 11, 2000
- ^ a b c "Return Of ‘Chompie’ In Silver Spring Building Marks 25th Anniversary Of Shark Week". 31 July 2012. Retrieved August 5 2012.
- ^ "Shark Week 2008: Discovery Channel : Shark Behavior and Conservation". Dsc.discovery.com. 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ vino crianza says:. "Les Stroud’s Blog ~ Survivorman » Les Stroud hosts “Surviving Sharks” for Shark Week 2008". Lesstroudonline.com. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ a b "SHARK WEEK: TV Shows: Discovery Channel". Dsc.discovery.com. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ Source: Nielsen Media Research; cume; M-Su 8-11P; LSD P2+; 6-minute qualifier
- ^ "Discovery Channel's 23rd Annual 'Shark Week' Is Most-Watched Ever; Seen by 30.8 Million People". Tvbythenumbers.com. 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ "25th Anniversary of 'Shark Week Week' to Premiere Sunday August 12 on Discovery". TV By the Numbers. June 27, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
- ^ Jaimie Etkin (August 7, 2012). "Shark Week: Why Is It So Popular?". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ Newsome, Brad (6 December 2012). "Pay TV: Thursday, December 6". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "Shark Week: Jaws of Steel Collection".
