So some Veep of Discovery Communications got air that their “science” show Smash Lab sucks a big one and wrote an open letter to Discovery Channel viewers on “what to do” with the show. Everyone has the same idea: can it. I watched the first episode, and only the first one, it was truly abysmal. No science, casting call actors, stupid experiments (”Hey, let’s hurricane proof a house! But we have to make sure that it’s NOT built to Florida state building code for hurricanes because it has to fall down”), quick cut editing and (mis)direction. It reminds me of another piece of crap show they have called Invention Nation.
They hired three “hack mechanics” (read engineering students who need work) to travel around the nation looking for green oriented inventions. The problem with this show is, again, they hired people with zero personality like on Smash Lab. The three hosts go to each interview location and practically show no interest in what’s being shown except for the made-from-algae syngas powered remote controlled car. I think they liked that because it was a simple toy. I think the show would do better with a Mike Rowe-esque host — or hosts — who would actually care about what’s being presented. It’s a very hard pill to swallow, I know. I enjoy the technology presented but the hosts simply kill the show altogether. When introduced to “green roofing” in Chicago, it’s as if they just wanted to talk to the company rep because she was fairly attractive. I don’t think they realized they were talking about putting plants on roofs.
I hope that Discovery Green doesn’t suck this hard when they launch it later this year. Since Discovery Communications turned The History Channel into The Boogieman Channel, I’m losing faith in them.
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4 responses so far ↓
Totally agree. I also share your feelings about “Invention Nation”. If I wanted to see a bunch of hippies zone out on a bus I’d put on a Jefferson Starship record.
Check the results for Google on Smash labs sucks. Your blog is #2. #1 is a blog dedicated to it.
I’m heartened to know that I am not alone in the disappointment of the discovery channel brand. I would always say to myself that they are apparently not making for me. The sad thing is, I’m an engineer, whole heartedly proud of what our profession has achieved and I know how cool it really is.
Smash lab was junk, I never made it through the first episode. It reminded me of the episode(s) of mythbusters rocketcar where they took 30 minutes to figure out to put the rocket thrust vector pointed at the center of gravity. But, as stupid as it was, at least they had some enthusiasm.
I am continually keeping abreast of renewable energy, I read every power/renewable trade magazine front to back word for word. I love it and I get psyched at the level of research and development happening today. Watching Invention Nation was like getting salmonella. The whole show is framed incorrectly and that starts the bellyache and the forehead sweats. Next comes the hosts, not even engineers!!! and they obviously have no clue about what it is they are looking at (now I’m getting the turd button pressure). The final blow out spasm is that they aren’t excited and have zero personality. They obviously have no interest in the material other than being on TV… I guess its hard to imagine but I’m like a combination of Billy Hayes (sp?) from oxyclean and Tony Little on the gazelle about this stuff. (Throw in a little hulk hogan and mr. t and you’ve pretty much nailed it).
In case someone from the network is reading this, no, do not actually put hulk hogan or mr. T on the network. They are cool, but you’d have to find the personalities that can fire up a tv show.
Too bad Beyond Tomorrow is gone, that show and its predecessors was(were) great. Those hosts (who were in reality physicists and such) knew how to present the material in such a manner that you were really looking forward to what might be ‘beyond tomorrow’.
Cheers!
Smash Lab is the Stupidest show on tv. They actually think the problems are worth solving…give me a break! SMASH LAB IS FUCKING STUPID
@Bill
Judging by the fact that they renewed the show for another season despite the fact that a lot of devoted Discovery Channel watchers complained endlessly lets us know that Discovery doesn’t really care. They saved a show that was failed from the start, and only focuses on explosions and “solving” mundane problems. What have they ever ever really solved that was both a poignant problem and a viable one? In the entire first season, that answer is nothing. This season? Fairly sure it’s nothing so far.
Something like Project Discovery Earth is so much better and more inviting because it’s focusing on real problems with viable, if oddball, solutions. Figuring out how to keep a semi from tipping its load of logs while barreling around a turn isn’t a problem (this week’s episode). There’s a solution: braking. I just saved myself from wasting an hour of my night watching their dumb experiments.