Mythbusters final season - 2016 will be last.

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
Mythbusters was a very fun show to watch, but especially during the later seasons I became more and more dissatisfied with their declarations of "Busted". They're special effects professionals, not scientists. Their attempts at the scientific method grew poorer and poorer and I began to dislike certain episodes. While it was still fun to watch, I ended up disagreeing with a lot of their results.
Well you made it further than I did. I stopped watching so far back I didn't even know those people were gone.

Personally I just got tired of what I saw as being over all poor scientific and general research on the aspects of what ever myth they were working on. Sure they weren't scientist s or engineers but they surely could have used the internet to find out what is or is not a scientifically plausible way to test something being we do it here all the time to show certain peoples declarations of facts to be nothing more than just fools opinions. :rolleyes:
 
Well you made it further than I did. I stopped watching so far back I didn't even know those people were gone.

Personally I just got tired of what I saw as being over all poor scientific and general research on the aspects of what ever myth they were working on. Sure they weren't scientist s or engineers but they surely could have used the internet to find out what is or is not a scientifically plausible way to test something being we do it here all the time to show certain peoples declarations of facts to be nothing more than just fools opinions. :rolleyes:
Yeabut... It's entertainment -- what'cha gonna do?:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
I thought the science was pretty good. They did a good job of defining what was to be tested, methods to be used, equipment and supplies that would be required and who would be doing what. They researched the myth before proceeding with their test, although I only saw them "researching" the internet, which isn't always the best source. But they always had a pretty detailed plan, and planned for safety as well. They often crunched a few equations to determine if their method is valid. At least when it involved kinematics. Then they proceeded with their plan and did followup discussions, which included what went wrong and how could the tests be done better. Often, they used the first test to learn a better way to test the myth, and would then follow with a second test.

It was "every man's" science. They did alot of pretty good work without the luxury of a big budget or access to any well funded lab. That aspect was both part of the show's success and a means to invent the tools they needed. In fact, I watch just as much for the way they conceived, designed and built much of what they needed for the show. There was much to learn from how they managed their resources and organized their efforts.

I know Jamie is involved in the Maker's community, and I can't help but to think their show was, at lease in part, a vehicle to the community's growth. They were making things before it was popular to do so.

So, for the way they conducted their research to how they designed their experiments to how they organized and managed their resources, I think the science that was done was pretty good, and I believe there was much for young, and older, scientists to learn.
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I thought the science was pretty good. They did a good job of defining what was to be tested, methods to be used, equipment and supplies that would be required and who would be doing what. They researched the myth before proceeding with their test, although I only saw them "researching" the internet, which isn't always the best source. But they always had a pretty detailed plan, and planned for safety as well. They often crunched a few equations to determine if their method is valid. At least when it involved kinematics. Then they proceeded with their plan and did followup discussions, which included what went wrong and how could the tests be done better. Often, they used the first test to learn a better way to test the myth, and would then follow with a second test.

It was "every man's" science. They did alot of pretty good work without the luxury of a big budget or access to any well funded lab. That aspect was both part of the show's success and a means to invent the tools they needed. In fact, I watch just as much for the way they conceived, designed and built much of what they needed for the show. There was much to learn from how they managed their resources and organized their efforts.

I know Jamie is involved in the Maker's community, and I can't help but to think their show was, at lease in part, a vehicle to the community's growth. They were making things before it was popular to do so.

So, for the way they conducted their research to how they designed their experiments to how they organized and managed their resources, I think the science that was done was pretty good, and I believe there was much for young, and older, scientists to learn.
Whether they did a good job or a bad job to prove or disprove something, they did science. Science is meant to be pondered over, tinkered with, documented, discussed (argued over), re-examined, modeled, repeated, abandoned and restarted and eventually (hopefully) agreed upon until future evidence raises doubt.

They brought us into the process, explained their theories and methods, did the experiments, presented their conclusions. They even rehashed some experiments if they the viewers pointed out gaps in methods or logic. The whole point of doing Research is to search. The whole point of publishing research is to put it in front of the community for critical review and discussion. Adam and Jamie published their work and the committee reviewed it. Good reviews or bad reviews, it was science.
 

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,875
Mythbusters is my favorite show of all time. The only show in the past decade that I memorized the day/time it came on because watching it off the DVR wasn't soon enough.

When I try to pick a "favorite episode," these come to mind:
Archimedes death ray
The juggernaut truck with the wicked snow plow creating a wake of overturned cars
the sword swinging machine

I liked in the beginning how they would "consult with experts," as in, bring them on the show and interview them. They stopped doing that years ago.

I also liked the welder chick (Bobbie, was it?) they let go years ago.

And of course, the show won't be the same without the 3.

EDIT:
also like the ducted fans adam made from stryofoam
 
Last edited:
Top