Chop the Tree Down: Worst Episodes

[David T. Cole]

Worsty!

[millk]

The ones I don't like are the ones where they make the ancestor's traits all about them. It happens a lot in the American version. Ashley Judd is the main one to come to mind.

[Bella]

I thought Matthew Broderick was painfully dull in his episode. It wasn't what he was finding that was dull, it was that he seemed flat. Yet I believe he's done some good interviews, so it's not that he can't function without a script.

 

There were others, but I'm only halfway through my coffee and my brain isn't fully engaged yet.

[bourbon]

Ashley Judd is the main one to come to mind.

 

1000 times yes.  I hate her little fist pump and "Yes!" when she find out her Kentucky ancestor fought for the Union instead of the Confederacy.  I get that it might be shameful for some people to discover a Confederate in the family tree, but her reaction seemed to be more about "I'm so righteous, so therefore my ancestors had to be as righteous as I am."  Same when she found out her English immigrant ancestor was jailed for religious non-conformity, and she wept copious tears in his cell.  Nevermind that the Puritans came over here and oppressed pretty much everyone who wasn't like them.  She's a non-conformist rebel, so therefore her ancestor had to have been a good guy, too.

 

Nothing against either of them, but I also get kind of a gleeful delight over Jeremy Irons' and John Hurt's episodes.  Both of them kept waxing sort of pretentiously about how Irish they felt in their souls only to discover that their connections were either tenuous at best or non-existant.  John Hurt, especially, was crushed.  

Edited June 21, 2014 by bourbon

[Kromm]

The ones I don't like are the ones where they make the ancestor's traits all about them. It happens a lot in the American version. Ashley Judd is the main one to come to mind.

Ashley's actual family backstory was okay.  It was Ashley herself who ruined the episode (as you say, making it all about herself).

[Linderhill]

The one that really grates on me with the ancestor's traits is the Martin Sheen episode.  His many times removed Spanish (I think it was Spanish) forefather was some sort of rebel or other -- frankly I've tried to blank it out along with the Spike Jonz episode.  Sheen was simply thrilled because he too is a whatever.  And his teeth really looked fake.

[RubberDuckie]

Chelsea Handler. It was the only episode I couldn't sit through.

[Bella]

I thought Cindy Crawford was a bit OTT with the "long line of the most wonderful people!" attitude, but that wasn't unwatchable. Apparently 1 in every 8 people with European ancestry can trace it back to Charlemagne, btw. Or something like that. 

[ShaNaeNae]

I thought Cindy Crawford was a bit OTT with the "long line of the most wonderful people!" attitude, but that wasn't unwatchable.

 

Yes, her horribly acted out, "what happens next!?" like she getting clues to solve a Nancy Drew mystery was a little too OTT.  Then rolling out the scroll and counting all those down the line.

 

I just started watching last season, but am recording a few today from the season before. I think Matthew Broderick (which I may delete considering the post upthread) and SJP.  Reading who was on previous seasons, one I'd skip would be Paltrow. She's insufferable anyway.

[roamyn]

Well, only going by last season, to me Chris O'Dinnell's was dull. First that he never made the Ft.Henry connection pissed me off. Then, he's so damn boring.

Also I expected more from the build up on Cindy Crawford's. We've traced our ancestry back to the 1100's ... so big whoop. Also, all she seemed to want to know is if anyone famous was in their background.

Edited July 25, 2014 by roamyn

[bybrandy]

I loved the Cholera bit in Chris O'Donell's episode but the Ft McHenry thing was too funny.   Sat there going, come on Ft. McHenry... kind of famous...   seriously...   

[Ina123]

Chelsea Handler. It was the only episode I couldn't sit through.

My brother said the exact same thing. LOL.

[kassa]

I give them a pass now on the "I share my ancestor's traits!" part because I'm fairly certain they're reacting to pretty specific prompting, i.e. - what characteristics have you learned about your ancestor do you think have been passed down to you and your family?

 

The savvier people will say they see the positive traits in their parents, not themselves.  But I don't think the less savvy people are just coming up with that stuff - I think they're answering an unaired question.

 

The very worst one in that regard, however, was Chris O'Donnell.  Yes, Ft. McHenry -- seriously?  But even funnier was how much he talked about how he loved his family.  And anything his ancestors did was to make a better life for their families.  Because, like him, they loved their families.  Which is something that's always been important to him, his family.  

 

Such a very specific genetic characteristic, the loving of one's family.  I envy him that inheritance.

[Quof]

Oh, but he didn't really love his family.  He didn't know what love was until he had his children.  Something I'm sure his parents, siblings, and wife were real happy to hear.   He was a real SanctiDaddy.