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Thanks, Mr. Wizard
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2007
Jun 13
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Comments
6
Back before parental warnings and TV-PG ratings, there was Mr. Wizard. He was blowing stuff up and telling us how to do it way back when Nickelodeon was worth watching. I know Mr. Wizard had a show way back in the day, but I’m of the 80s Mr. Wizard generation. I was bummed when I found out about the death of Mr. Wizard, Don Herbert. Of course, I think I thought he was already dead, but nonetheless, it was a bit saddening. It was even more saddening when I exclaimed in disbelief the event and the people sitting next me didn’t recall immediately who Mr. Wizard was.
Way before Bill Nye and Beakman, Mr. Wizard brought household science to the under-aged. Mr. Wizard taught me that fire was cool and fun, and that I could make a rocket out of a pop bottle. Whereas The Science Guy and Beakman take a kooky-wacky approach to making science interesting, Mr. Wizard cut through all the shit and proved to you that science could be fun without all the production. He didn’t need sound effects or animated co-hosts…oh no…The Wiz would just blow stuff up and you knew it was cool. Mr. Wizard had my attention the entire time.
I can best relate Mr. Wizard to the Mythbusters these days. Not a lot of glitz or shine, just some good, old fashioned, entertaining hard science. Mr. Wizard also showed you that you can be average and have fun with science. You don’t need a lab coat or flasks, you just need a milk jar, a ping-pong ball, and a mouse trap. Mr. Wizard reminded you of your grandpa, that is, if your grandpa was really cool and demonstrated neat science in the kitchen sink.
I remembering envying the kids that were on his show. They were so average looking and thus I sat and thought, “hey, I’m better at it than that nerd!” But alas, the casting call never came. Words such as “wicked” started to enter my vocabulary during the Mr. Wizard days, and I longed to find out what else I could destroy with nothing more than a bicycle pump.
Thank you, Mr. Wizard, for introducing me to destructive-yet-cool science. You may be imitated, but never duplicated.
…and I make this my official first vote for having a Classic Nickelodeon channel added to cable. It would show all the 80s shows, like Mr. Wizard, You Can’t Do That on Television, Today’s Special, Pinwheel House, and some Danger Mouse, just for good measure.
I totaly agree with you on this one. Mr. Wizard was the shit. I am even more with you on the classic Nick channel. Don’t forget about Double Dare,slime was never used so with such reckless abandon. I think I would probably watch this channel all day long.
Let’s petition!
Double Dare was great until they started Family Double Dare, then it jumped the shark. Marc Summers is my game show idol.
I’d upgrade my cable just to get a Classic Nick channel.
A&E released all the seasons of Danger Mouse. Even the ones that didn’t make it state side. Personally though I am waiting for “You can’t Do That On T.V.” The ORIGINAL source of the slime.
I got one of the DM discs from the library once. I don’t think I really got to watch it though. I think Danger Mouse might be one of those cartoons that is better as a memory.
But I’m with ya on the YCDTOT collection. I would totally bootleg that!
I thought he was dead too. But that’s because I was thinking of Professor Julius Sumner Miller. Who is actually dead, very dead. He died when I was five. So I’m not really sure why I remember him. Ahh PBS reruns! I think they should bring back reruns of 3-2-1 Contact! and The Electric Company ( I also remember that from reruns, as it died well before I was born, and probably most of the people who type on this blog!)
YCDTOT was great! I watched it with my uncle, when I was in my early elementry days, and he was going through the Fire Academy. :)
Yes, Professor Julius is very dead, but I loved watching his show. He was even lower budget than Mr. Wizard.
Professor Julius was like your high school science teacher. Mr. Wizard was the old guy next door blowing stuff up in his garage.