Junkyard Wars
The TV show said to be the most commonly recorded on a TiVo is the hackers' special, Junkyard Wars. Two teams of tinkerers race against each other to construct a working submarine, or an airplane, or a cannon, or deep-sea diving gear, all assembled from scrap found in a junkyard, and all built within a day and a half. That both sides usually succeed at some level (although only one side wins) is the first surprise of this TV series. More amazing is the easy lesson in physics and engineering each episode brings. By watching how a pump is cobbled together from motorscooter tires, one gets a visceral sense of how a pump works. By watching how geeks think around impossible obstacles, one catches the confidence to tackle an impossible project. They are educational enough that some science classes show them.
--KK
Episodes available, for example:
Junkyard Wars: Cannons Video #187435
Junkyard Wars: Flying Machines Video #187450
$20
The Discovery Store
I'm so glad someone else liked this show. One of the greatest spectacles I've ever seen on TV was the mega-wars episode. It had three teams, U.S., British, and Russian, and they mostly behaved according to stereotypes, (perhaps that was due to editing.)
What was billed as a tongue in cheek WWIII showdown turned into something wonderfully entertaining. While the British and Americans were busy chest thumping, the Russian "Bears" stole the show. From their hilarious boat/bike creation to their overall silliness, I was won over and soon rooting for them to win. This was what good TV looks like to me and I still have it taped somewhere.
Posted by tracie on June 3, 2009 at 7:44 PM