What's your favorite TV documentary/series?

  • Thread starter Entropy
  • Start date
In summary, my favorite TV documentary/series is "Black Holes: The Ultimate Abyss", followed by "Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe", "Ancient Inventions with Tery Jones", "Modern Marvels (series)", "Blue Planet: Sea of Life", "Understanding (series)", "Walking with Dinosaurs", "Bill Nye The Science Guy", and "Myth Busters".
  • #1
Entropy
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Just bummin' around and thought I'd start a topic with an interesting question: what's your favorite TV documentary/series? I'll start by listing my favorites.

1. Black Holes: The Ultimate Abyss- first show I ever saw on black holes back in the forth grade. I loved it and still watch it every time it comes on. It's not only informative but funny. Gotta love those clips from the Simpon's halloween episode! The graphics where excellent for the time. Good music (especially the chorus) to go along with it and I like the guy's voice who narrates it. Best space show I've ever seen.

2. Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe- do I really need to explain myself? This show is awesome.

3. Ancient Inventions with Tery Jones- a humorous look into some of the neatest ancient inventions. From catapults to ancient steam engines, flame throwers to explosives! Gotta love it!

4. Modern Marvels (series)- probably the most interesting series on TV, in my opinion. Discusses the roots of tons of modern inventions, discoveries, and distasters (don't know what's marvelous about those though).

5. Blue Planet: Sea of Life- I'm not really a biology buff but I really like ocean shows for some reason. This one is the best I've seen. My favorite is the one on deep water animals.

6.Understanding (series)- love this series. I learned so much as a kid from it. Every night when I was young I'd watch it. My favorite episode is the one on the universe. I really love the ending quote on that episode.

7. Walking with Dinosaurs- dinosaur running around killing stuff. Need I say more?

8. Bill Nye The Science Guy- favorite kids program. I'd watch it every day after school.


Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. Any shows you particulary enjoyed? List'em here.
 
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  • #3
Entropy said:
3. Ancient Inventions with Tery Jones- a humorous look into some of the neatest ancient inventions. From catapults to ancient steam engines, flame throwers to explosives! Gotta love it!
I love anything Terry Jones does with history! He is quite amazing. :approve:
 
  • #4
Myth Busters. not really a documentary, but awesomely entertaining.

For documentary Modern marvels isn't bad, hidden history was ok, I'm trying to remember the name of my favorite one on the history channel...ah yes, Histories Mysteries.
 
  • #5
ditto ditto ditto ditto...

Also, there used a be an pretty good show called The Mechanical Universe. It was put out by Cal Tech and did a nice job of providing some historical context to, and introducing concepts in physics. Before I returned to college I would rush home from work everyday to watch the show while drinking my hot chocolate. ...in fact, [I love the internet] here it is http://www.its.caltech.edu/~tmu/
 
Last edited:
  • #6
Ivan Seeking said:
ditto ditto ditto ditto...

Also, there used a be an pretty good show called The Mechanical Universe. It was put out by Cal Tech and did a nice job of providing some historical context to, and introducing concepts in physics. Before I returned to college I would rush home from work everyday to watch the show while drinking my hot chocolate. ...in fact, [I love the internet] here it is http://www.its.caltech.edu/~tmu/

I've seen that show, my AP physics teacher would show it too us a few times during the year.
 
  • #7
I'll bet that you didn't get to drink hot chocolate. :tongue:
 
  • #8
Ivan Seeking said:
I'll bet that you didn't get to drink hot chocolate. :tongue:


No :cry: :cry:
 
  • #9
extreme home makeover
 
  • #10
Myth Busters. not really a documentary, but awesomely entertaining.

I wasn't sure if that was a documentary so I didn't list it. But still really funny show. I loved the episode with the chicken cannon.

Also, there used a be an pretty good show called The Mechanical Universe. It was put out by Cal Tech and did a nice job of providing some historical context to, and introducing concepts in physics. Before I returned to college I would rush home from work everyday to watch the show while drinking my hot chocolate. ...in fact, [I love the internet] here it is http://www.its.caltech.edu/~tmu/

Sounds good, I'll have to watch it when I get the time.
 
  • #11
Entropy said:
I wasn't sure if that was a documentary so I didn't list it. But still really funny show. I loved the episode with the chicken cannon.

They did the chicken cannon a couple times. First launching it at a small plane (on the ground), then at a steel plate. IN the return episode they launched frozen and thawed chickes and twelve stacked panes of glass, to officially determine which had the greatest penetrating power. The frozen chicken won by 3 panes i think.

It was pretty spectaculr when they shot the plane though, frozen or thawed chicken (the pumpkin too) didn't matter, it just tore through that plane. So remember folks, if you ever want to shoot down a cessna, all you need is a load of fowl, and an air pressure powered cannon. *KWABOOOM*
 
  • #12
i loved Carl Sagan's COSMOS series, it's pretty old i guess, but i was a kid when i watched it...
 
  • #13
bill nye was great, i got his autograph because we had to send out letters in school lol. i think the best thing on now is mythbusters
 

1. What makes a TV documentary/series your favorite?

As a scientist, I am drawn to documentaries and series that are based on factual information and have a strong emphasis on research and evidence. I also appreciate documentaries that present complex scientific concepts in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner.

2. Can you recommend any educational TV documentaries/series?

Absolutely! Some of my favorite educational TV documentaries/series include "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", "Planet Earth", "The Blue Planet", "The Brain with David Eagleman", and "The World's Most Extraordinary Homes". These documentaries cover a wide range of topics from space and nature to the human brain and architecture, providing valuable knowledge and insights.

3. Do you have a favorite TV documentary/series that focuses on a specific scientific field?

Yes, I do. I am particularly interested in documentaries/series that delve into the field of genetics and evolution. Some of my favorites in this category include "The Gene: An Intimate History", "The Incredible Human Journey", and "Your Inner Fish". These documentaries provide a fascinating look into the origins and development of life on Earth.

4. How do you think TV documentaries/series contribute to society?

TV documentaries/series play a crucial role in educating and informing the general public about various scientific topics and issues. They help increase awareness and understanding of complex scientific concepts and encourage critical thinking and curiosity. They also have the power to inspire and spark interest in science and its impact on our everyday lives.

5. Can TV documentaries/series be biased or inaccurate in their presentation of scientific information?

While most TV documentaries/series strive to present accurate and unbiased information, there is always a potential for bias or inaccuracies. As a scientist, it is important to critically evaluate the information presented and seek out multiple sources to verify the information. It is also important for filmmakers to ensure that their documentaries/series are based on solid research and evidence to maintain credibility and avoid spreading misinformation.

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