Who Do You Think You Are?

These fascinating stories take the stars -- and viewers -- on an emotional journey through momentous times in history, putting a very human face on the ambiguous players in events like the Civil War, the Holocaust, and slavery. At the same time, the emergence of the stars’ unlikely ties to important historical times inspire the concept of a deep interconnectedness within human race. After watching the show, viewers may be drawn to learn more about their own family’s heritage, which makes for an excellent project the entire family can share.

If a flaw is to be found, it would be in the show’s oversimplification of the sleuthing process itself. The celebrities have the benefit of working with some of the industry’s best experts, who (despite what it appears) have had time to unearth documents and other evidence before they even meet with the stars. While it’s true that the Internet has opened access to historical documents to regular people like never before, average citizens will find it takes quite a bit longer than it appears on the show.