18 replies to this topic

[JBB]

Has anyone else had a chance to check this out?  The episode premiered on the Smithsonian Channel on Sunday.  It's worth the 45 minutes if you can stream it.  It's certainly more Dallas-centric, plays heavy on the western stereotypes, and has a bizarre digression on the origins of the state of Texas that it only casually ties back into the history of our area (I suspect this allowed them to re-use footage from the Texas episode and, weirdly enough, the preview on the website only has that footage and none of the area).  If I recall correctly, the Fort Worth footage includes a number of really nice skyline shots, a few minutes on Lockheed and some great footage of planes from the units based at JRB, and some great shots of the Water Gardens.  There's a few minutes on Love Field and Southwest Airlines that segues into featuring DFW Airport.  I really enjoyed the few minutes toward the end that features Deep Ellum and focuses on some of the public art projects in the area.  I would assume most of the footage is pretty recent.  I didn't get a good look at what was going on in the Fort Worth skyline, but the footage of the Cotton Bowl had ads for the NHL Winter Classic over the main entry and I would be surprised if those were up long before the Texas-OU game in October.  I would have liked to have seen more on Fort Worth, but all in all, it's a good episode of the show.

 

 https://www.smithson...rth/701/3477295

[Dylan]

I'm interested in watching this. Unfortunately, I don't get the Smithsonian Channel.

 

As I recall, there was an episode of Aerial America featuring Texas that completely ignored Fort Worth several years ago.

[renamerusk]

From the tag line -

 

"Under the wide-open skies of North Texas lie two rival cities: Fort Worth, "the place where the West begins," and Dallas, which rose on the promise of land and opportunity. Fly over both cities' landmarks and explore their histories, unique identities, and bonds. From Friday night lights to the birth of Southwest Airlines to the death of John F. Kennedy, this is a sprawling journey over America's fourth largest metropolis".

 

This is just another waste of time.  I am "B&R Fort Worth"; I do not feel a rivalry.  The bonds I think are way over blown.  Southwest Airlines refuses to even acknowledge Fort Worth.  Fort Worth is not associated with "The Assassination".

 

Somebody at Smithsonian Channel has too much spare time on their hands.

[Dylan]

I'm going to reserve judgment until I actually see the episode.

[rriojas71]

From the tag line -

 

"Under the wide-open skies of North Texas lie two rival cities: Fort Worth, "the place where the West begins," and Dallas, which rose on the promise of land and opportunity. Fly over both cities' landmarks and explore their histories, unique identities, and bonds. From Friday night lights to the birth of Southwest Airlines to the death of John F. Kennedy, this is a sprawling journey over America's fourth largest metropolis".

 

This is just another waste of time.  I am "B&R Fort Worth"; I do not feel a rivalry.  The bonds I think are way over blown.  Southwest Airlines refuses to even acknowledge Fort Worth.  Fort Worth is not associated with "The Assassination".

 

Somebody at Smithsonian Channel has too much spare time on their hands.

I'm glad that Fort Worth is not associated with the Assassination because we really are not.  He spent his last living night here and that is what comforts me.

[RD Milhollin]

I'm glad that Fort Worth is not associated with the Assassination because we really are not.  He spent his last living night here and that is what comforts me.

 

Lee Harvey Oswald lived in Fort Worth... and is buried in Fort Worth... unless you mean the ACTUAL conspirators 

[rriojas71]

 

I'm glad that Fort Worth is not associated with the Assassination because we really are not.  He spent his last living night here and that is what comforts me.

 

Lee Harvey Oswald lived in Fort Worth... and is buried in Fort Worth... unless you mean the ACTUAL conspirators 

 

I mean when the average American thinks of the assassination of JFK they don't link Fort Worth to that tragic day.  That is one of the reasons why I think Dallas and Dallasites try really hard to be something they are not.  Although to most visitors that really is the only distinct landmark in Dallas worth visiting they would love to distance themselves from that notoriety.  I think our JFK memorial has less of a somber tone to it because of the fact JFK was not assassinated here.  Imagine how we would all feel if he was killed at the Hotel Texas.  We would always feel a dark cloud over our city.

[renamerusk]

I mean when the average American thinks of the assassination of JFK they don't link Fort Worth to that tragic day.  That is one of the reasons why I think Dallas and Dallasites try really hard to be something they are not.  Although to most visitors that really is the only distinct landmark in Dallas worth visiting they would love to distance themselves from that notoriety.  I think our JFK memorial has less of a somber tone to it because of the fact JFK was not assassinated here.  Imagine how we would all feel if he was killed at the Hotel Texas.  We would always feel a dark cloud over our city.

 

  I think your summation is correct.  I find it is morbid that the spot of the assassination has become an attraction for tourism.  There is a cottage industry of tour guides and faux historians selling their wares.

[eastfwther]

 

 

This is just another waste of time.  I am "B&R Fort Worth"; I do not feel a rivalry.  

As someone who has worked in Dallas for over 25 years and lived in FW; there is no rivalry. At least not on the Dallas side, as I rarely ever hear "Fort Worth" come out of anyone's mouth. What I usually hear when I mention I live here is "Hows the commute?" and that's it.    I would say I hear more of a Dallas vs Houston thing, but that has lessened considerably over the years.  

[rriojas71]

 

 

 

This is just another waste of time.  I am "B&R Fort Worth"; I do not feel a rivalry.  

As someone who has worked in Dallas for over 25 years and lived in FW; there is no rivalry. At least not on the Dallas side, as I rarely ever hear "Fort Worth" come out of anyone's mouth. What I usually hear when I mention I live here is "Hows the commute?" and that's it.    I would say I hear more of a Dallas vs Houston thing, but that has lessened considerably over the years.  

 

Well I hang out in Dallas quite a bit and I was with a friend who lives in Deep Ellum and we went to a bar there about a year and a half ago.  We were talking to the bartender and he asked where we lived and my friend said in the neighborhood and I said Fort Worth.  When I did he immediately said "Fort Worth Sucks".  I told him that it was too bad he felt that way because FW has some cool things about it.  He then later apologized and said that he actually enjoyed spending time on Magnolia and in Downtown and going to the Museums.  His response was so quick and to the point it felt like it was almost a natural reaction.  Maybe your coworkers don't say anything to you about Fort Worth because they like you or maybe because they are transplants who don't view it as a rivalry but I do think there is some inherent animosity on both sides.

 

I honestly don't feel anything negative about Dallas and do go there to visit friends and to hang out quite a bit.  I think some on here have strong negative feelings about Dallas but I travel quite a bit and do road trips around Texas for work and fun and I just view it as another Texas city.

[renamerusk]

 

 

This is just another waste of time.  I am "B&R Fort Worth"; I do not feel a rivalry.  

As someone who has worked in Dallas for over 25 years and lived in FW; there is no rivalry. At least not on the Dallas side, as I rarely ever hear "Fort Worth" come out of anyone's mouth. What I usually hear when I mention I live here is "Hows the commute?" and that's it.    I would say I hear more of a Dallas vs Houston thing, but that has lessened considerably over the years.  

 

 

........  We were talking to the bartender and he asked where we lived and my friend said in the neighborhood and I said Fort Worth.  When I did he immediately said "Fort Worth Sucks".  I told him that it was too bad he felt that way because FW has some cool things about it.  He then later apologized and said that he actually enjoyed spending time on Magnolia and in Downtown and going to the Museums.  His response was so quick and to the point it felt like it was almost a natural reaction......

 

A true patriot.

 

I like that you spoke up without allowing such a comment to go unchallenged; and not surprisingly, you received an apology with details.

[Dylan]

The place I'm staying has the Smithsonian Channel, so I'll be able to watch or record this episode on Sunday.

[ramjet]

Well I hang out in Dallas quite a bit and I was with a friend who lives in Deep Ellum and we went to a bar there about a year and a half ago.  We were talking to the bartender and he asked where we lived and my friend said in the neighborhood and I said Fort Worth.  When I did he immediately said "Fort Worth Sucks".  I told him that it was too bad he felt that way because FW has some cool things about it.  He then later apologized and said that he actually enjoyed spending time on Magnolia and in Downtown and going to the Museums.  His response was so quick and to the point it felt like it was almost a natural reaction.  Maybe your coworkers don't say anything to you about Fort Worth because they like you or maybe because they are transplants who don't view it as a rivalry but I do think there is some inherent animosity on both sides.

 

 

 

I honestly don't feel anything negative about Dallas and do go there to visit friends and to hang out quite a bit.  I think some on here have strong negative feelings about Dallas but I travel quite a bit and do road trips around Texas for work and fun and I just view it as another Texas city.

 

Down here in Austin, I almost always get a positive reaction when I tell someone I'm from Fort Worth.  A few times I can recall getting no reaction.  And I don't think I've ever received a negative reaction.  Austinites have talked to me about liking the museums, downtown, the Stockyards, the zoo (we don't have real zoo in Austin), and the friendliness of the people up there.  And there have been more than a few times that they mentioned liking Fort Worth better than Dallas (without any prompting from me ).  So among some down here, at least a perception of a rivalry exists to them.  Fort Worth is a popular weekend destination for Austinites it seems.  I will look forward to how Fort Worth is portrayed the Smithsonian episode.  BTW, Austinites send a lot of their kiddos to TCU.  At least those I work with.

[rriojas71]

Down here in Austin, I almost always get a positive reaction when I tell someone I'm from Fort Worth.  A few times I can recall getting no reaction.  And I don't think I've ever received a negative reaction.  And there have been more than a few times that they mentioned liking Fort Worth better than Dallas (without any prompting from me ).  So among some down here, at least a perception of a rivalry exists to them.  Fort Worth is a popular weekend destination for Austinites it seems.

When I lived in SF and mentioned to people I came across from around the country that I was from Fort Worth I almost always got a reaction similar to yours about liking Fort Worth more than Dallas without any prompting from me either. A couple of times I said I was from DFW or Dallas/Fort Worth and they Would immediately interject and said the liked Fort Worth better. I would then let them know that Fort Worth was my hometown and they always mentioned how they liked it’s humble Western roots and friendly people.

I also have a group of friends from Austin that I met downtown a few years ago. Actually me and my partner met a couple during dinner as they were asking about places and things to do. We ended up having lunch with them at Blue Sushi the next day and took them to the Modern and the Kimbell. We kept in touch and they visited with another couple a few months later followed by another group of friends then following year and we all became friends. Since then various groups of them have come up to stay with us to get away for the weekend and we meet up with all of them for drinks and dinner when we are in Austin.

[ramjet]

I streamed the Dallas Fort Worth episode this afternoon.  I thought it was well done and pretty balanced between the two cities.  The aerial photo shots of both cities were spectacular.  I can maybe get the coverage of the Kennedy assassination on an aerial photo based documentary.  People might want a visual of where it happened.  I did not think it was an appropriate segment, though, covering the 2016 sniper murders of Dallas police officers.  A tragic event, indeed.  But was it necessary to report on it in a documentary that is driven by aerial photography?  I think it would have been more appropriate perhaps to fly over the Great Trinity Forest in the middle of south Dallas.

 

I also scratched my head when they used footage of Kenneth Copeland's compound at Eagle Mountain Lake to comment on big religion in D/FW.  I think it would have been much more spectacular and interesting to provide drone footage of First Baptist Dallas' Bellagio fountain.  Anyway,  all worth watching if you have an hour.  BTW, I loved the segment on Fort Worth's aviation industry.  

[Dylan]

Overall, I enjoyed the episode. The narrator made it clear that although Dallas and Fort Worth share a metro area, they are distinct cities.

 

At the beginning, I laughed when the narrator hyped up the reflection of the Dallas Skyline on the Trinity River... while the drone shot on screen showed a sad floodplain with a thin river, scattered puddles of water, and no buildings reflecting off of any of the puddles of water.

 

The one segment I was a bit disappointed in was the aviation segment. At least, the portion talking about Dallas Love Field and Southwest Airlines. They spent a few minutes talking about Southwest Airlines, but didn't mention American Airlines. They also mention that Fort Worth wanted to work with Dallas to build a regional airport, and that the federal government eventually forced them to build a shared airport. But, they didn't mention that Fort Worth had its own commercial airport at the time (Meacham or Amon Carter Field), so viewers may be led to believe Fort Worth wasn't capable of having its own airport.

 

They did spend a few minutes talking about the Fort Worth JRB and Lockheed Martin, which I appreciated. Earlier in the episode, they spent a few minutes talking about the Chisholm Trail, which led to them talking about Hell's Half Acre (while showing FW skyline shots). Towards the end, they spent a minute or so talking about the Water Gardens (while showing some some Water Garden shots and more FW skyline shots).

 

When talking about JFK, they mention that he spent his final night and delivered his final speech at what is now the Hilton Fort Worth, and that he flew from Fort Worth to Dallas.

 

The episode was Dallas-centric (SW Airlines, the TV show, Dallas football, Deep Ellum, the police shooting...), but did a fair job representing Fort Worth aside from my aviation-related criticisms. People who watched this episode should have the impression that Fort Worth and Dallas are distinct cities with different backgrounds, and that neither city is an extension of the other.

[Dylan]

I streamed the Dallas Fort Worth episode this afternoon.  I thought it was well done and pretty balanced between the two cities.  The aerial photo shots of both cities were spectacular.  I can maybe get the coverage of the Kennedy assassination on an aerial photo based documentary.  People might want a visual of where it happened.  I did not think it was an appropriate segment, though, covering the 2016 sniper murders of Dallas police officers.  A tragic event, indeed.  But was it necessary to report on it in a documentary that is driven by aerial photography?  I think it would have been more appropriate perhaps to fly over the Great Trinity Forest in the middle of south Dallas.

 

I also scratched my head when they used footage of Kenneth Copeland's compound at Eagle Mountain Lake to comment on big religion in D/FW.  I think it would have been much more spectacular and interesting to provide drone footage of First Baptist Dallas' Bellagio fountain.  Anyway,  all worth watching if you have an hour.  BTW, I loved the segment on Fort Worth's aviation industry.  

 

The police shooting segment made me a bit uncomfortable, but it was a huge and fairly recent incident. So, I suppose including it was appropriate.

 

I don't recall a segment about religion. What part of the episode was it?

[ramjet]

 

I streamed the Dallas Fort Worth episode this afternoon.  I thought it was well done and pretty balanced between the two cities.  The aerial photo shots of both cities were spectacular.  I can maybe get the coverage of the Kennedy assassination on an aerial photo based documentary.  People might want a visual of where it happened.  I did not think it was an appropriate segment, though, covering the 2016 sniper murders of Dallas police officers.  A tragic event, indeed.  But was it necessary to report on it in a documentary that is driven by aerial photography?  I think it would have been more appropriate perhaps to fly over the Great Trinity Forest in the middle of south Dallas.

 

I also scratched my head when they used footage of Kenneth Copeland's compound at Eagle Mountain Lake to comment on big religion in D/FW.  I think it would have been much more spectacular and interesting to provide drone footage of First Baptist Dallas' Bellagio fountain.  Anyway,  all worth watching if you have an hour.  BTW, I loved the segment on Fort Worth's aviation industry.  

 

The police shooting segment made me a bit uncomfortable, but it was a huge and fairly recent incident. So, I suppose including it was appropriate.

 

I don't recall a segment about religion. What part of the episode was it?

 

If I recall correctly, it was towards the middle of the show before (or after?) the discussion of the fighter jets flying around Fort Worth.  It seemed to be a geographic-based transition from Carswell/Lockheed to Copeland's compound on Eagle Mountain Lake.

[renamerusk]

Overall, I enjoyed the episode. The narrator made it clear that although Dallas and Fort Worth share a metro area, they are distinct cities.....At the beginning, I laughed when the narrator hyped up the reflection of the Dallas Skyline on the Trinity River... while the drone shot on screen showed a sad floodplain with a thin river, scattered puddles of water, and no buildings reflecting off of any of the puddles of water.

 

They did spend a few minutes talking about the Fort Worth JRB and Lockheed Martin, which I appreciated. Earlier in the episode, they spent a few minutes talking about the Chisholm Trail, which led to them talking about Hell's Half Acre (while showing FW skyline shots). Towards the end, they spent a minute or so talking about the Water Gardens (while showing some some Water Garden shots and more FW skyline shots).

 

The episode was Dallas-centric (SW Airlines, the TV show, Dallas football, Deep Ellum, the police shooting...), but did a fair job representing Fort Worth aside from my aviation-related criticisms. People who watched this episode should have the impression that Fort Worth and Dallas are distinct cities with different backgrounds, and that neither city is an extension of the other.

 

 

 After streaming the show, I agree with much of your impression about the episode dedicate to the region. 

 

Dallas was mentioned at roughly a 10:2 ratio to Fort Worth.  As always, it is disadvantageous for Fort Worth to be tied in with a public relations sketch which involves both cities. I question whether the benefits really justify us participating in the "dual city scenario" when the outcome is tilted.   I would hope that our multiple districts and points of interest could command at least 30 mins of airing.