America Unearthed: H2 Series Cancelled; No Season Four
by Cindy McLennan, May 4, 2016
In news that could bury the hopes of fans, the America Unearthed TV show on H2 has been cancelled after three seasons totaling 39 episodes. Forensic geologist and America Unearthed host, Scott Wolter confirmed the cancellation on Twitter.
A fan asked Wolter when America Unearthed would return for its fourth season. Wolter replied, "America Unearthed isn't coming back. H2 was sold and History doesn't want it."
@JrMarmero @OctoberFilms @More2History @HISTORY America Unearthed isn't coming back. H2 was sold and History doesn't want it.
— Scott Wolter (@RealScottWolter) May 2, 2016
H2 rebranded as Viceland. Here is the A+E Network's press release, on its venture with Vice Media, and the change in the channel's name and focus:
VICE AND A+E NETWORKS ANNOUNCE NEW TV NETWORK VICELAND (WORKING TITLE)
H2 network to become VICELAND, a brand new channel
created by VICE, launching in early 2016
VICELAND to complete VICE's trinity of screens, bringing content, advertisers and audiences seamlessly between TV, mobile and digital
November 3, 2015, New York, NY –A+E Networks®, a global media content company and VICE Media, the youth media brand and digital content studio, today announced a joint venture that will offer VICE as a new 24-hour channel programmed and produced exclusively by VICE. A+E Networks' channel H2® will be transitioned to VICELAND (working title).
Launching in early 2016, VICELAND will be distributed in approximately 70 million homes, and will feature hundreds of hours of completely new programming developed and produced entirely in-house by the young creative minds that are the heart and soul of VICE, and the driving force behind its success over the last decade.
Nancy Dubuc, President & CEO, A+E Networks said, "VICE has a bold voice and a distinctive model in the marketplace. This channel represents a strategic fit and a new direction for the future of our portfolio of media assets. Shane Smith has led VICE from a fledgling magazine into a global media brand and all of us at A+E are excited to work with him and his passionate and innovative team."
Oscar-winning writer/director Spike Jonze, a long-time VICE partner and creative director for the company, has been overseeing the development of the new channel, from show creation, to production, to brand identity.
"It feels like most channels are just a collection of shows," said Spike Jonze. "We wanted VICELAND to be different, to feel like everything on there has a reason to exist and a strong point of view. Our mission with the channel is not that different from what our mission is as a company: it's us trying to understand the world we live in by producing pieces about things we're curious about, or confused about, or that we think are funny. And if it doesn't have a strong point of view then it shouldn't be on this channel."
VICELAND will launch with a full slate of prime-time shows, including Gaycation (with Ellen Page and Ian Daniel), Huang's World (with Eddie Huang), Noisey (with Zach Goldbaum), VICE World Of Sports (with Sal Masekela), Black Market (with Michael K. Williams), Flophouse, Party Legends, Weediquette (with Krishna Andavolu), and many, many more.
The launch of VICELAND coincides with VICE's explosive growth across online and mobile, where it has become the preeminent destination for young people around the world. There's a growing white space in the realm of Gen-Y programming, and to fill that void VICELAND will offer engaging, original content covering fashion, food, music, sports, and more. The new network represents a critical build-out for the company: VICE will now be producing gold-standard content for all three screens.
"This network is the next step in the evolution of our brand and the first step in our global roll-out of networks around the world," said Shane Smith, VICE co-founder and CEO. "First: It allows us to be truly platform agnostic and enable our audience to view our content wherever they want. Second: It represents a continued growth in our content quality and raises the ceiling even higher for our brilliant teams to attack stories from long form features to multi-episode series and even short form interstitials that will challenge the accepted norms of current TV viewing. Third: We will test new and innovative monetization strategies placing VICELAND at the pointy tip of the spear of the rapidly changing terrain of TV advertising.
"All in all, this new network allows us to continue our innovation in storytelling and content creation and take it to the next level. We couldn't be happier working with Nancy and her team at A+E and we couldn't be more excited to offer this opportunity to our VICE family of partners, producers, shooters, editors, and staff, to go out and make our indelible imprint on the cultural fabric of this modern age."
Drawing on VICE's history as an innovator in branded content online, VICELAND plans to work with brand partners to re-imagine the nature of the television commercial too—making the commercial time a valuable extension of the entertainment programming itself, and keeping viewers engaged, even as they follow VICE content across screens and formats.
A+E Networks will oversee technical operations and distribution and will work with VICE on ad sales and sponsorships. VICE will also handle all marketing across all platforms, utilizing its various relationships with partners across mobile and digital.
H2 is a vibrant international channel brand in over 68 territories, which will continue to operate outside the US. A+E is committed to H2's international expansion as well as the production of informational-based historical content.
Vice Media was advised on the transaction by the Paul Weiss law firm and Pursuit Advisory.
The first three seasons of America Unearthed are still available to stream on History.com.
What do you think? Are you a fan of the America Unearthed TV show? Do you wish History had picked it up, when H2 rebranded?
More about: America Unearthed, America Unearthed: canceled or renewed?, H2 TV shows: canceled or renewed?, History TV shows: canceled or renewed?, VICELAND TV shows: canceled or renewed?
The Food That Built America: Season Two Renewal for History TV Series
Knightfall: Cancelled, No Season Three for History Channel Series
Vice News Tonight: Cancelled HBO Series Moves to Viceland
America Unearthed: Season Four; Travel Channel Series Returns in May
Vice Live: Viceland Cancels Nightly TV Series
America Unearthed: Travel Channel Revives Cancelled TV Series
The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen: History Series Explores Iconic Trailblazers
Truck Night in America: History Announces Obstacle Course Competition Series
The Cars That Made America: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Series to Air on History
America: Promised Land: History TV Show Looks at the Emotional Journey of Immigrants
America's War on Drugs: History Announces Premiere of Docuseries
Ax Men: History Channel Series Cancelled; No Season 10
Huang's World, States of Undress: Season Two Renewals Announced for Viceland Series
Top Gear: US Version of Series Cancelled by History?
Gaycation: VICELAND Launches New Series with First Trailer
America Unearthed: Renewed for Season Two
Yes. What a loss. The earth tells it's own story. It happens to date back long before we could communicate. There's truth in the earth's history.
William Anderson
I haven't watched the History channel since America Unearthed was cancelled. I know H2 was bought by History and became Viceland but we have enough vice in life.We dont have any interesting history theories. So I have no intention of watching the History channel any more.its so typical in today's world. Bring something out that's interesting and popular and then do away with it. So, I chose to 'boycott' History channel and watch other interesting channels.
Reply to Wendy
youtube for instance
Leslie Q
I just recently found this show o n history.com and am very disappointed that it was cancelled. This is exactly the type of show i expect from them. Would love to see if back.
You MUST bring back America Unearthed. Great show!
Mary Voorhees
I'm watching re-runs of the show American Unearthed. I can't believe that the show was cancelled. Please bring back American Unearthed. I haven't watched even one episode of Viceland. Thank you.
I can't believe they cancelled America Unearthed!! It was one of my favorite shows. I hated it when they got rid of H2 and made it Viceland. I tried watching a couple of shows on Viceland and I really didn't care for them. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that The History Channel didn't want America Unearthed because that channel doesn't have any shows with "historical" content. The only things they ever show are Pawn Stars, Ancient Aliens and Counting Cars. They should change the name of the channel to The Junk That No One Wants To See Channel!!
I am very disappointed to find that such an interesting show was canceled!!
Mike Wisely
I am sad to see that such a good show was not wanted by history. I love the scripted content such as vikings they are adding but History Channel should stay clise to its roots and America Unearthed would be great for the channel but i guess it doesnt bring in the big ratings.
My absolute favorite show. I have met Scott and producer Jim at the Newport Tower in RI on the winter solstice. I hate that they have taken it off the air. I was waiting and waiting for the next season. I loved all the work he has done to tell history the way it really happened. I am totally disappointed. I hope that the channel will reconsider.