Do you think historical accuracy matters much in modern entertainment

[Anomalocaris]

some people just don’t care that their idea of what happened in their past is being quietly substituted with cheap falsehood by what they conceive to innocent entertainment. possibly because they don’t care if their misconceptions have effects on their view of the current world and have effects on other people.

[Foxaèr]

If it's to be historically accurate, wouldn't it then be called a boring documentary?

[Angrboda]

Cheap falsehoods have few virtues, but then, on the other hand, they're cheap.

[Fake Messiah]

Usually going against complete historical accuracy is the point. Like take the TV show MASH - we have characters dressing in such unkempt army uniforms and unshaven that they would be severely punished in the real army. BJ frequently didn't even wear boots but some sneakers. But as such, they are sending a message of rebellion which contributes to the entertainment.

Or take Hogan's Heroes.

But sometimes inaccuracy can seem like propaganda and be offensive. Like if you had a hospital show where doctors were going out of their way to treat every single patient even if they didn't have insurance - that would be kind of offensive considering how it is with medicare in the US.

[Anomalocaris]

If it's to be historically accurate, wouldn't it then be called a boring documentary?

No.   Documentary talks about history.   Historically accurate entertainment puts a entertaining story plausible given its premise and the historic place and time in which it is set into a depiction of that historic setting which would not give the audience too many wrong ideas of the that period of history was really like.

It is especially problematic when fictions seeks to lend fraudulent legitimacy to what otherwise might have been good ideas for the present by pretending it did work great in the past or it could have worked well in the past. 

Knowing conditions under which a great idea would not work is just as important as knowing why the idea sounds great.

[Anomalocaris]

Cheap falsehoods have few virtues, but then, on the other hand, they're cheap.

And it also cheapens the people who allows it to influence their views and their interactions in the real world.  This kind of  cheapening does not comsitituted a virtue.

[Angrboda]

Cheap falsehoods have few virtues, but then, on the other hand, they're cheap.

And it also cheapens the people who allows it to influence their views and their interactions in the real world.  This kind of  cheapening does not comsitituted a virtue.

Condolences on your humorectomy.

[Anomalocaris]

And it also cheapens the people who allows it to influence their views and their interactions in the real world.  This kind of  cheapening does not comsitituted a virtue.

Condolences on your humorectomy.

I tried humor once.  I didn’t take to it.

[arewethereyet]

Condolences on your humorectomy.

I tried humor once.  I didn’t take to it.

Color me shocked.

[Thumpalumpacus]

People don't go to the movies for lessons in history. I think that implies that no, most don't care much about historical accuracy. Nothing wrong with wanting to be entertained and facts be damned.

Me, because I really dig history, find the misrepresentations very annoying often. There are times when I can overlook the inconsistencies or outright errors, but it does color my impression of what it is I'm viewing/reading/enjoying.