NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie Review

Not exactly ground-breaking stuff...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown May 7, 2011

Between the Science Channel, History, the various Discovery channels, BBC Broadcasting, PBS and every other network with educational programming, television isn't taking the proliferation of the internet lightly. Information isn't just a key stroke away, it's been promoted to primetime. Want to know How It's Made? There's a show for it. Itching to investigate the world's Modern Marvels? Fire up those DVRs. Looking for a few good MythBusters? No need to search too hard, they're looking for you. But it's NOVA, one of the longest running and most successful PBS series on television, that continues to unravel the mysteries of the world and universe more and more with each passing year. Sadly, not all NOVA productions are created equal. Making Stuff, though entertaining and reasonably informative as four-episode miniseries go, doesn't dig as deep or cover nearly as much ground as it could.

"Materials are the basis of our civilization, and materials are what will take us into the future."

NOVA: Making Stuff arrives in four easy-to-digest segments that examine advances in a variety of materials and technologies. The first, "Making Stuff Stronger," follows good-humored New York Times reporter and miniseries host David Pogue as he tracks down some of the strongest substances, both natural and engineered. From aircraft carrier cables to raw steel, toucan beaks to mollusk shells, and Kevlar to bioengineered silk, Pogue goes on location with University of California materials scientist Marc Meyers, United States Navy crewman Scot Vannorman, Ellwood Technologies general manager John Paules, author and metallurgist Mark Eberhart, Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist Jim Bales, chemist Ray Baughman, ballistics scientist Tucker Norton and others to determine what it is that makes certain materials so sturdy and durable. From there, the miniseries turns its attention to "Making Stuff Smaller," delving into the latest and greatest in computers, microchips, cell phones and nano technology as Pogue speaks with medical professionals, robotics engineers, watchmakers, and experts like Intel vice president Stephen L. Smith, IBM researcher Frances Ross, physicist Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and chemist Chad Mirkin.

In "Making Stuff Cleaner," Pogue embraces his inner Al Gore and looks into what it really means to go green, asking with a wink and a nod, "can innovations in materials science help clean up our world?" The answer, it seems, involves clean energy, outside-of-the-box thinking, and several scientists and corporations whose goal is nothing less than to save the planet. Joining the so-called clean energy revolution, Pogue interviews auto enthusiast Jay Leno (who earns far too much screentime), KillaCycle CEO Bill Dube, scientist Richard Wool, materials scientist and bacteria expert Jay Keasling, Yokohama Tire Corporation rep Sam Kwa, Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineer Donald Sadoway, and inventors K.R. Sridhar and Nate Lewis, among others. The miniseries concludes with "Making Stuff Smarter," an introduction to materials that respond to unique situations and, in some cases, learn from their environments and adapt accordingly. And while that may sound like the setup to a future dystopia film, Pogue's fourth episode is his most fascinating. (If only every episode were this captivating.) He examines materials that change shape, ferret out dangerous particles, function as super adhesives, eliminate bacteria, heal and reseal themselves, and make objects invisible. That's right... invisible. Along the way, he talks with chemical engineers Shravanthi Reddy and Bob Langer , biomaterials engineer Tony Brennan, biologist Kellar Autumn, mechanical engineer Mark Cutkosky, polymer engineer Lynn Yanyo and theoretical physicist John Pendry.

Making Stuff doesn't hinge on an original concept, nor does it separate itself from an already overcrowded pack. Pogue is bit of a goofball, and while his corny antics won my affection in the end, he spends far too much time trying to make the miniseries amusing and accessible. But the result is more all-ages television than engrossing educational programming, gets sidetracked at demolition derby tracks and tech conventions, and tends to explain, re-explain, and eventually over-explain everything placed in front of the cameras. Lengthy animated sequences detail the mechanics of a computer circuit and other fundamentals, dissecting the basics ad nauseum. Don't get me wrong, I don't like to feel lost or overwhelmed when watching a series like Making Stuff. But I also don't like to be spoon fed. Likewise, I'm a sucker for a sharp-witted host who can keep my attention through even the driest demonstrations. But Pogue's cheesy jokes, well-intentioned hands-on approach, and unwavering exuberance began to wear thin fifteen minutes into "Making Stuff Stronger."

No, Making Stuff isn't a waste of time, especially if you can't get enough of programming of its ilk. And no, Pogue isn't an annoying host, even after four hour-long episodes; just one that some people will need to administer in small, single-serve doses. There's still a lot of fun to be had with the miniseries, plenty of interesting tidbits and factoids to be unearthed, and one episode in particular that's worth the cost of admission alone. (Invisibility cloaks? Sold. Put me down for two, please.) But Pogue meanders a tad and doesn't ask the sort of burning questions that kept swirling in my mind. The implications and inherent dangers of some of the inventions and innovations he uncovers warrant serious concern; something Pogue rarely expresses in his near-feverish celebration of all things futuristic. Ultimately, Making Stuff isn't bad at all. It piqued my curiosity on more than one occasion and rolled out things I didn't even know existed outside of science fiction. But the miniseries never went as far as I wanted it to and I walked away with the unmistakable sense of been-there, seen-that.

NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

PBS's 1080i/AVC-encoded presentation is actually quite good. I expected a rash of artifacts, anomalies and other unsightly unmentionables, but didn't encounter anything that gave me serious pause. Colors are warm, skintones are rather natural, and black levels are suitably well-resolved. Granted, detail isn't going to leave anyone with a dislocated jaw, but between the series' decidedly decent edge definition, more than adequate fine textures, and modestly budgeted broadcast roots, it hardly matters. Likewise, while soft shots and source inconsistencies will surely disappoint anyone with lofty expectations, those familiar with documentary programming will shrug off any inherent shortcomings and count their blessings. The technical encode isn't beset with any debilitating macroblocking, errant noise or aberrant issues (other than ringing), and the aliasing and banding that creep in from time to time (mainly during computer-animated sequences) seem to trace back to the miniseries' source. All in all, the presentation will satisfy fans and newcomers alike.

NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Making Stuff also boasts a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix; it just doesn't set itself apart as much as the miniseries' video presentation. Pogue's narration and nearly every on-location voice is bright, clear and neatly prioritized in the two-channel soundscape. There are moments when noisier environments wreak havoc on the journalist's interviews, but never so much that it compromises the information being shared. And while LFE and rear speaker support have been left off the sonic agenda, effects and music sound fine. As it stands, PBS's lossless stereo track isn't going to elicit high praise, but it gets the job done and then some.

NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 2-disc Blu-ray edition of NOVA: Making Stuff doesn't include any additional... wait for it... stuff. I know, I know. Go ahead and groan.

NOVA: Making Stuff Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

NOVA: Making Stuff may not hit its stride until it's much too late, but that doesn't mean the series has nothing to offer fans of PBS documentary programming. Pogue is an ultimately endearing host (at least in small, episodic doses), the miniseries offers four diverse episodes and, at the very least, "Making Stuff Smarter" makes the 2-disc release worth renting. There aren't any special features to be found, but PBS's strong 1080i video presentation and above average DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix will be appreciated.