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British science series "Look Around You"
TurnpikeLad
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I just came across this wonderful series of videos on Youtube. I'm sure many of you have already seen them but if not, they are a great laugh and a really skillful period piece. They're made in the style of those old educational film reels that used to be shown in class when the teacher felt like taking a day off. Each of them focus on a particular subject that they then expound in absurd detail, with weird experiments and demonstrations.
Here are the links to the videos by subject:
Maths: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiMWJ1xBo8w
Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LqYBncyKpM
Germs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLeNU3RIm4o
Ghosts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y070jbJuVs
Sulphur: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0dyvoVV5Tk
Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYfBTXiurDs
Iron: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVQOGbPevR0
The Brain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tQVnQ-kuWk
Each of these videos has some absolute gems, I recommend watching a couple of them and then saving the rest for a rainy day when you need to be cheered up.
There was also a second series that you'll see if you look in the related videos tab, but they tried to completely change the focus of the show and I don't think it worked very well. There are still some funny bits though.
Oh yeah, and they were made in 2002 although everything about them seems to indicate that they are from the early 80s. Look and you'll recognize a couple actors from Shaun of the Dead.
Here are the links to the videos by subject:
Maths: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiMWJ1xBo8w
Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LqYBncyKpM
Germs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLeNU3RIm4o
Ghosts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y070jbJuVs
Sulphur: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0dyvoVV5Tk
Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYfBTXiurDs
Iron: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVQOGbPevR0
The Brain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tQVnQ-kuWk
Each of these videos has some absolute gems, I recommend watching a couple of them and then saving the rest for a rainy day when you need to be cheered up.
There was also a second series that you'll see if you look in the related videos tab, but they tried to completely change the focus of the show and I don't think it worked very well. There are still some funny bits though.
TurnpikeLad on
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Is there really a ruleset for a checkers vs chess game? Epic.
Uncyclopedia, that Dave Eggers book about giant squids, and these videos—is it funny because it's stupid? Or because it's mocking a particular form of expression? Or because it's factually incorrect in inspired and interesting ways?
Edit:
To simplify it to the most basic of levels, I'd say it's funny because it juxtaposes two total opposites (complete lies, and forms of media that usually convey dry and boring facts).
To be fair, this is a much more subtle crack at it than something like Uncyclopaedia. There's hardly any of the annoying wink-nudge; it's presented very seriously in all aspects. It's less like the book on giant squids than it is like John Hodgman's almanac.
I think the joke was that the narrator says nonchalantly "The gas mafipulates out of the tube" and you don't question it, but then by actually putting it up on the screen it draws your attention to the fact that mafipulation is in fact a very silly word.
But I don't get the weird box that they put the tube into afterward.
This is a very good explanation.
And this is the other reason, when combined with Taximes' reason, why it's funny
These episodes mimic the style of the old educational BBC programmes perfectly! Including the countdown at the very beginning.
I wouldn't compare it to Monty Python, though. It's nothing alike and Monty Python certainly isn't the gold standard of comedy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ryAAWJOujoI
Never give a Gypsy calcium.
Yeah, what Janson said.
I would've loved to try and get one of these shown in a science lesson back in school, and seen how long before one of the teachers caught on. The style is immaculate.
One of my claims to fame is that I repaired his mums Mac when it had an internet problem. Lovely lady.
My other claim to fame is that I shook Johnny Ball's hand...
*cough*
A couple of years ago in a particle physics lecturer the lecturer was talking about spin symmetry and other exciting nonsense and said,
"Spin Partners. Spartners."
At which point the half of the hall who had seen Look Around You fell into laughing fits while the rest of the room looked around bewildered."
Hahahaha! Thanks Ants. Thants. Was this mostly a Season 2 running joke? And speaking of Season 2, it saddens me that it's held in such low regard by some people. I was initially put off by the format change, but some of the moments in it are genuinely hilarious, moreso than the first. I especially love the pre-show 'tonight on bbc 2' program previews; the narration is perfect, especially the wet macaroni mouth noises. Ah, gold. And the inventor of the female computer with the silent surname. Hah!
I have the series on dvd, it is one of the best things i own, but i don't show it much. "Hey, watch this spoof documentary on paedophilia, it's really funny!"
I know exactly what you mean!
I normally just seat people down and don't tell them what they're about to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh7UgrHMjbQ
SoogaGames Blog
I desperately want to watch, but YouTube is blocked on campus.
i felt bad enough showing it to my housemates, reassuring them that "no, seriously, it's funny.."