Penn and Teller's Bullshit-- 29/10/04
FatDJ thinks you may want to read this.
Penn and Teller's Bullshit is one of the most provocative shows on television today. Every episode will evoke an interesting idea, or shed some new light on popular urban myths. Inevitably, each episode takes one asshole exploiting others, and nails them to the wall. After watching this show, you'll hate so many people. You really can't help it, as these morally vacuous fucks are some of the most easily hateable people on the planet. Almost always promising a better life, the people that Penn and Teller make examples of are out to fuck over the average citizen in order to make a quick buck.
Enter Penn and Teller. They're well researched libertarian Atheists who debunk the urban legends that have shaped, and to a great extent, mollycoddled the populace. They are looking at things that most people (or on the converse in some episodes, some crazy people) consider to be gospel truth. However, Penn and Teller, maintain an aura of skepticism (which is notably different from cynicism), and approach a lot of these issues from an unbiased, well educated view. This isn't Penn and Teller pulling bunny rabbits out of hats. It's Penn and Teller making very good points, in an interesting, elaborate, and entertaining way.
Anyway, episode summaries:
Episode 1:Talking to the dead: The first episode that Penn and Teller created, and easily among the most emotional in the first season. Personally motivated by the loss of his parents, Penn cuts a beautiful emotional rant on the so called "psychic mediums" who can "talk to the dead". They debunk the myths with a logical explanation based firmly in science.
Episode 2:Alternative Medicine: Penn and Teller will give you a medical expert's view of reflexology, chiropracty, and magnet therapy. They explose the shocking and potentially crippling effects of chiropracty, as well as the (obvious) bullshit thought behind reflexology and magents. They also debut their first (hilarious) "not scientific" experiment.
Episode 3:Alien Abductions: P & T crash an alien abduction/culture convention, and give us one of the funniest moments in television history. They paint a dildo grey, and ask people who've been "abducted by aliens" what, exactly, that alien technology was used for. They also debunk the "regressive hypnosis", support groups, and all that shaz.
Episode 4:End of the world: Batman and Robin Penn and Teller dismantle the idiot thoughts behind the "end of the world". Primarily, it rips apart the book of Revelations, and other such Christian philosophy. It also destroys Nostradamus in the process. Which is good.
Episode 5:Second hand smoke/baby bullshit: This episode came as quite the shock. I mean, after years of "Second hand smoke=you dying young" who would have thought that there was zero scientific backup to that. The "Baby Bullshit" part of the episode is also very good, as it exposes the stupid shit that will suck in parents who care so much about their kids that they'd do anything not to fuck up the kid's life.
Episode 6:Sex, sex, sex: Alright, this episode has boobies in it. Lots of boobies. It also has lots of cocks. Don't sit down and watch this one with the kids. Anyway, this episode shows what shit penis pills, pumps, and excersizes are. Also, it wrecks the "breast enlargment culture", pheromones, and aphrodisiacs. Really, really solid episode.
Episode 7:Feng Shui/Bottled water: Feng shui, the "Science" of rearranging furniture in ways to improve your health, quality of life, and all sorts of other horseshit. Point of the story, it's shitty interior decorating that costs a whole lot more. "Bottled water" makes up the second half of the episode, and they prove that that's all shit, too.
Episode 8:Creationism: This looks at those wacky Christians who try to pass Creationism off as "science". Basically, it's Penn and Teller blowing the Creationist argument out of the water, then followed with explaining why it's not a science. (Here's a tip, paranormal things? Not science.)
Episode 9:Self-Helpless: This foray into the world of self-help gurus (like Dr. Phil) finds that it's totally viable and perfectly reasonable. Snarf. What it really says? That it's all Bullshit. They follow Tina, a pretty young woman, through various "mind over matter" challenges, which are really nothing more than very good looking parlor tricks.
Episode 10:ESP: Well, if you had it, you could read my mind, and figure out what it's about. But you don't. Why? Because it's bullshit. This episode looks at transgressing into past lives, reading other's minds, and bending spoons with your mind. (With a little help from your hands.)
Episode 11:Eat this!: This episode looks at the assholes that oppose genetically engineered food. It also showcases the work of Norman Borlaug, a man who has engineered crops that have allowed poor countries to feed their citizens. By the mid 70s, they estimated he had saved a billion lives. I'd call this the best episode in season one.
Episode 12:Ouija Boards/Near Death experience: Remember that game you played when you were 8 or 9, and got really scared by it? Well, some people do it for a living. Sad people in black clothes. Much like "talking to the dead", it's bullshit. Also of note is the feature on near death experiences, which are those delusions your brain makes when it's dying.
Episode 13:Environmental hysteria: Basically, Penn and Teller fuck up some hippies.
The box set of DVDs also comes with a plethora of interesting bonus things. Outtakes and bonus scenes, of course, feature prominently. Also of note is the feature where someone who is not Penn and Teller (whose name escapes me at the moment) do a Bullshit-esque episode disproving a popular host sighting. It was the precursor to Bullshit, and is worth watching. Then there's an interview with James Randy, who helped Penn and Teller get their show off the ground.
All in all, Bullshit! has usurped Family Guy as my new favorite TV show. It's hard hitting, yet very entertaining. The official site of Bullshit! is linked just off the left there, and I suggest you check it out. (Sorry Canadians, our fucked up broadcasting laws means you'll get a message saying "Sorry, you can't see this page"). Overall, I'd recommend the purchase of the DVDs, simply because it's an awesome show. Of course, you could get the episodes off of Winamp or Bittorrent, but you'd be a filthy stealer. I give Bullshit, Season 1 a 9.75/10.