When you were a kid, did you ever dream of creating a house made out of Lego bricks, big enough to live in? Or how about building an actual full-sized model airplane? James May, one of the hosts of Top Gear, had those same dreams and decided to make a TV series about them – hoping to make those dreams a reality.
James also produced the show to introduce the kids of today with the toys of the past, to get them away from video games and feel a sense of accomplishment from building something. And over the course of each episode, he brings together people from different communities in England to work on each project.
In “Airfix,” they build a full-scale model of a World War II Spitfire fighter plane. “Meccano,” which is kind of like the pieces of an erector set, is used to build a 75 foot working bridge in Liverpool. Other episodes are about creating a 2.95 
mile “Scalextric” race track (kind of like Hot Wheels), laying out the world’s longest model train track, and building a house out of Lego bricks. (James actually spends the night in the house, saying he got the best night of sleep in his life!)
My favorite episode is “Plasticine.” One of my hobbies is working with plasticine, or polymer clay. James and 2,000 volunteers create a life-sized plasticine garden to exhibit at the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show.
In some episodes everything works out great, other times the results are disastrous. But either way, the show is fun to watch, just to see if James will achieve his goal.
MAIN CAST:
James May
Total Seasons: 1 (6 episodes plus 1 special)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 0
In Production: 2009-2011
Viewer Discretion: Suitable for all audiences
Because I’ve been seeking out the work of Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, I watched Blackadder. I slogged through the first series hoping to see either one of them, but didn’t. It wasn’t until Series 2 through 4 that Hugh and Stephen joined the cast.
really. Had I known that beforehand, I wouldn’t have bothered with Series 1.
But by Series 2, when comedian and writer Ben Elton joined the production, it evolved into something much more entertaining. Edmund in this series is a bit more clever and witty, but at the bottom rung of the social ladder. The running gag throughout the four series is that Blackadder and Baldrick are always coming up with “cunning plans” that they never seem to pull off successfully. When Baldrick conjures them up, Blackadder usually dismisses them anyway. In Series 2, Blackadder tries to stay on the good side of Queen Elizabeth I, who is portrayed as a ditzy loon by Miranda Richardson. This is the first series where Stephen Fry plays a recurring role, as Lord Melchett.
series, Edmund tries everything he can to keep from being killed, trying to get out of the war, but his schemes never seem to work. Hugh Laurie is Lieutenant George, upper class twit of the year while Stephen Fry plays General Melchett – a definite runner-up.
Series 2: Because of the language barrier, Edmund determines his torture via charades with his Spanish Inquisitor.
Monty Python’s Terry Jones has hosted some interesting and entertaining shows about history in recent years. He’s explored ancient inventions, the history of Rome and even the history of sex. He always tries to make history fun. And since he’s such a great comedian, he certainly makes what could be a boring topic, where the number 1 came from, very enjoyable.
*Pythagoras believed that when you farted you lost part of your soul. He must have been either soulless or very bloated. Maybe he didn’t eat much fiber.
