"Brainiac: Science Abuse" (2003) TV series 2003-2008

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

29 August 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Stupidity | Microwave Oven | Electricity | Scientific Experiment | Human Experiment

Cast

Jon Tickle	...	Himself (38 episodes, 2003-2007)
Neil DuCran	...	Brainiac Neil (38 episodes, 2003-2007)
Moira Kan	...	Brainiac Moira (38 episodes, 2003-2007)
Joe Rowntree	...	Brainiac Joe (38 episodes, 2003-2007)
Richard Hammond	...	Himself - Presenter (37 episodes, 2003-2006)
Tom Pringle	...	Dr. Bunhead (37 episodes, 2003-2007)
Ed Arriens	...	2 Brains (37 episodes, 2003-2006)
Rachel Grant	...	Professor Myang Li (31 episodes, 2004-2007)
Daniel Norris	...	Brainiac Dan (31 episodes, 2004-2006)
Stefan D'Bart	...	Dolly Boy (31 episodes, 2005-2008)
Charlotte Hudson	...	Herself (28 episodes, 2004-2006)
Richard Greenwood	...	Brainiac Richard (28 episodes, 2003-2005)
Karen Naiker	...	Brainiac Karen (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Peter Dickson	...	Himself (19 episodes, 2005-2007)
Sonal Patel	...	Brainiac Sonal (18 episodes, 2004-2005)
John P. Kilcoyne	...	Himself (18 episodes, 2005-2007)

Runtime:

UK:45 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Netherlands:AL

Company:

British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB)

Trivia:

The show courted mild controversy when it emerged that at least one of the experiments was faked by a pyrotechnics department. The alkali metals are known to react rapidly with water, producing hydrogen gas and energy, with potentially explosive results. An experiment was set up to demonstrate how these metals reacted by dropping them in water, with the expectation that the heavier alkali metals would be more potent. Lithium, sodium, potassium and rubidium reacted with increasing potency. However caesium (the heaviest of the alkali metals commonly available) simply sank to the bottom of their "tank" (a bath) before it could react significantly, which was far less dramatic than the other reactions suggested. The producers had the bath wired with explosives and blown to pieces, and presented this instead. According to a statement issued by the production company, they frequently used pyrotechnics in this way.

Quotes:

Richard Hammond: [introducing Jon Tickle walking on custard] Now, science has proven the following - man cannot walk on water. Jesus did, but he was the son of God, giving him an unfair advantage.
[pushes Jon into the pool]
Richard Hammond: As you can see, Jon Tickle cannot walk on water.
Jon Tickle: But I can walk on custard!
Richard Hammond: ...but he can walk on custard.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Brainiac: History Abuse" (2005)

Its fun, frivolous, but there is some science in it....

I suspect from other reviews that some overseas viewers are not seeing the full show which (with ads) runs to an hour in the UK, not half-an-hour.

Yes there is some silly stuff. Indeed some really stupid and utterly pointless stuff. But buried in there are the occasional titbits of real science - generally science of the more pyrotechnic variety, but nonetheless it is there. They do often explain why the bang happens, for example! A rip off of Mythbusters? No. Brainiac aired in the UK before the latter show arrived. Actually its rather more clearly a development from Richard Hammond's other show - BBC's Top Gear - which frequently includes utterly pointless and silly items, like - well - playing conkers with caravans and seeing how much damage a Toyota pick-up truck could take before it died. Such items would not be out of place on Brainiac.

The great thing about it is that it makes science fun and accessible - even cool. Which is no bad thing.