The JAL DC8 was an undershoot at Narita (don't recall anything like that at San Francisco). Data on other ditchings is, fortunately, sparse but no doubt at some time in the future the stats will be amplified. The Ethiopian 767 did so under the most trying circumstances for the flight crew, gun at head as mentioned above; had there been more of a chance to plan it might have been less violent.
Re Richard Quest, even if he were God's gift to the aviation industry that chalk-on-a-blackboard grating voice would turn me off.
As for briefings, I make a point of putting down the newspaper and showing that I'm listening. Because I'm tall I usually get a seat with legroom i.e. near an exit. Just by making eye contact with the guy/gal who's going through the safety speech I reckon there'll be a better chance that, come the time and if it's survivable, we'll know what to do.