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James May's 20th Century

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

From Bill Nye, the Science Guy to the gang from Mythbusters, television has given the tech-world a makeover and endeavours to make science sexy. James May's 20th Century attempts to capitalise on the trend but falls well short of the yardstick.

This show sees May, one of the presenters off motoring program Top Gear, strike out on his own to test drive, analyse, and deconstruct what he believes to be the most important inventions and technical advances of the previous century. Fascinating in theory... coma-inducing in practice.

The inventions in each episode are tied together with an overarching theme, looking at discoveries that have contributed to the globalised world we now inhabit. May flies in the original commercial airplane, demonstrates the difficulty of driving the Model T Ford, and records a dog race on one of the first film cameras.

The ambitious task of covering a century's worth of inventions is made simple by the superficial analysis. After 30 minutes of drivel, May comes to the mind-blowing conclusion that airplanes, cars, and fibre optic cables changed the world. That said, if you enjoy watching self-indulgent, overgrown, scruffy children playing with their toys, this might be the show for you.

James May's 20th Century premieres on SBS on Sunday, August 24, at 8:30pm.

Zoya Sheftalovich, August 2008

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