Yeah I know that show, Who Do You Think You Are. We have a version of it in Holland as well. It's fascinating to learn about ancestors, but I also find it a bit hard to read about any hardships or tragedies they might have gone through. Life was definitely a lot harder for most people back then. Also, watching the show makes me feel very small in a way. But it's a good show and I would love to trace back my family a bit more.
What I do know is that my ancestors on my mothers side were very poor, they were peat cutters and lived in huts on the land. Not even that long ago, I guess early 20th century. And I know that my grandfather once spent a night in a field somewhere hiding from the Nazis. The ancestors on my father's side were skippers. (Fact: my grandfather on that side was born in 1894 and I'm 29! I never knew him of course). It would be interesting to find out if I have roots in another country as well. It would probably be Germany or a Scandinavian country.