Thursday 10 March 2011

Bang goes Bang With the Weather

I just suggested watching Bang Goes the Weather with Ram. We gathered our things and turned on the TV. As the presenters introduced themselves, Ram looked disappointed: "Oh, it's this lot. I thought the title was some clever pun that I didn't get. I don't like that kind of enthusiasm. I like people that are really interested in what they are doing, not just trying to look interested."

So much for the government's attempt to make science exciting. Mind you, from listening to the young people giving evidence at the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, my son is not the only one that despairs about about the dumbing down of science on TV. Most of them said that they get more information from reading the New Scientist, and talking to real scientists.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=7888

Maybe it is time that Bang Goes the Theory goes bang and we can get some real science on prime time TV.

3 comments:

Carlotta said...

I agree with Ram completely about Bang and about Horizon too. The fake enthusiasm of the Bang presenters exhausts me, and Horizon often stretches a simple idea to breaking point.

Abbie Green said...

Ram will be glad to hear he isn't the only one that feels this way! Thanks!

Angela said...

I have to take issue with you about Bang Goes the Theory - I really enjoy watching it with my nearly-3-yr-old daughter! She gets very interested in what they're doing, and just needs me to interpret it a bit for her.

More seriously, though, I would also disagree with the fake enthusiasm thing, as I know that at least one of the 3 main presenters is a serious scientist as his day job.

I think it's probably better at interesting younger children (like mine!) than teenagers. I was pretty young when I was into its predecessor, the wonderful (and probably equally exhausting for adults) Tomorrow's World!