It's Effin' Science

As a big fan of Mythbusters, I was less than impressed overall with this show. It's not bad, but it is also not original in any way. The host is fun, but the two science guys are somewhat underwhelming. So far all the experiments have just been another version of something other shows have already touched on. Now that in and of itself does not make it horrible, but the overall presentation seems rushed, like they are trying to fit too much into every 1/2 hour. They quickly explain the science, and then show the highlights of the experiment. None of the experiments seem well controlled, and seem some have a hard time finding the end point.

All in all it's not a horrible way to spend 30 minutes, but I won't be DVR'ing it anytime soon.

I'm not going to say this program is awful, because it's not. It's actually a tad better than many edutainment programs out there that have tried to mimic the success of "Mythbusters". However, like most of those failures, the producers seem to have screwed up one minor detail: the cast.

If you look at successful science programs, such as "Mythbusters", "Bill Nye the Science Guy", "Bang Goes the Theory", etc., all of these programs have one thing in common: they are hosted by creative, science/engineering-minded people. Sure, Adam Savage doesn't have a degree, but prior to "Mythbusters" he had years of experience as a special effects artist and model maker, demonstrating a passion for invention, engineering and creativity. Both he and Jaimie Hyneman are modern renaissance men, both having acquired a huge range of skills working at a diverse range of jobs.

Now compare that to "It's Effin Science", hosted by Angie Greenup, an actress/TV presenter whose previous credits consist of: "Get Sexy! Workouts: Learn, Firm & Tone" and "Smash Cuts", a show that's basically a mash-up of YouTube videos. Sure, Angie gets some help from Marc Horowitz and Chad Zdenek, but Chad, the only scientist of the trio, has the least lines and is often overshadowed by comedian Marc Horowitz's John Heder routine.

I will give them this; they do not try to pass themselves off as a serious educational program the same way that "Smash Lab" tries to and fails terribly at. In fact, the sparse educational content in the program is always relevant to the experiments and presented in a natural, unaffected fashion. That said, much of the "science" is so diluted that there doesn't seem to be much of a point. The show also tries too hard to be "edgy", seemingly placing more emphasis on cheap hooks (explosions, girls, etc.) than the eponymous science the program is supposed to be about.

"It's Effin' Science" is definitely easier to watch than "Smash Lab", "Doing DaVinci" or the "Re-Inventors" (US), just because the hosts aren't so annoying, and there isn't an affected "science-y-ness" to the program, but still falls short of shows like "Prototype This", which, while not as good as "Mythbusters", is at least hosted by genuine nerds.

Maybe this program's frenetic pace and accessible content will be enough to hold the attention of today's hyperactive teenagers. But there are much better options for entertaining experiment-based shows.