Can Shark Week really restore its good name after jumping the shark? Even though they’ve lied to you repeatedly by airing real-looking documentaries about long-extinct sharks, made you believe you’d witness a man being eaten by python, and attempted to get real scientists to be intentionally bit by a shark, Discovery Channel wants you to watch Shark Week this year. This year, they promise, they are not going to blatantly deceive you. This year, Shark Week will be all about actual sharks. They promise.
2015’s Shark Week, which is being overseen for the first time by new Discovery president Rich Ross, is reportedly going to be a return to show elements like “facts,” “science” and “sharks that actually exist.” Ross told reporters, “[We’re done with] that kind of ‘what if’ scenario that previous shows sort of played around with from a storytelling perspective, [so] we’re just looking forward now, and focusing on science and research.” In an interview with Mashable, the network’s VP of “documentaries” and specials, Howard Swartz, said, “I think for those who’ve maybe wandered away, I say come back and put your toe back in the water.” Get it? If you tune in this week, just pretend that whole Megalodon thing never happened.