Sorry, but that’s nonsense... paying a few re-enactment no name actors to do a few bits, and interviewing a few historians and showing some B roll and still drawings/paintings while narrating something about history is about as damned cheap as you can get in terms of production cost.
Fact is, like it or not they found they could get the same ratings or more doing what they do now. Its their perogative, but so be it.
I also do tend to watch How Its Made or How do They Do it as well from time to time... but the channels that were once stable options in my choice are now to point where I couldn’t even tell you what channel number they are.