Mythbusters, Part II
In the last post, I discussed the "parent" level of the family model of mind, body, and spirit as it relates to the popular science show, Mythbusters. Now, I will take a look at the "children" level of the model.
What's interesting about this show is that it's been on the air long enough to see the "children" mature into an independent team. In the beginning, the team did a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work, but were rarely in front of the camera. Their responsibilities were simply to build whatever was necessary. Somewhere around season four, the team moved to the front of the camera, but their responsibilities were still limited. Now, they share almost equal on-screen time and develop tests for their own myths, independent of their "parents," Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage.
Grant has a background in robotics. On the show, he is often responsible for calculations and scientific experimentation. In season four, episode one (Confederate Rocket), Grant explained how to produce liquid oxygen, conducted the experiment, and then explained why it wouldn't work for the purposes of the myth being tested. Later, he did the experiment to produce nitrous oxide.
When the team tries to jump a bus for a movie-related myth, Grant writes out all the equations and does the math for the experiment on the side of the bus. In another episode, Grant's mathematical precision is displayed when he is asked to rate an odor on a scale of 1 to 10. Rather than using whole numbers like "1" or "2," Grant uses "0.5" and "0.75."
Within the team, Grant is the one most likely to explain scientific principles
The first thing a regular viewer should recognize about Tory is that he is more proficient in physical tasks than his teammates. He has a better golf swing, he is more proficient with firearms, and he is most often seen building rigs. In the Confederate Rocket episode, while Grant was explaining the science of combustion, Tory was cutting and welding steel to build a launcher. In the same episode, he was responsible for "beefing up" a storage container to create an in-house bunker.
Tory typically comes up with solutions that are practical, but not well thought out. When the team discovers wasps in storage container they are using as a bunker, he quickly goes for a makeshift flamethrower to get rid of them. In a classic scene, he tries to jump a bicycle over a small wagon and crashes quite spectacularly.
Tory is very often so focused on the immediate task that he loses sight of the "big picture." He says as much when the team tries to crash a compact car between two big rigs with trailers. It's only after setup is done that he realizes the scale of the experiment.
Kari's language really helps define her as the spirit character. In one episode, she talks about "the heart of this myth." It "breaks her heart" to think of a cute compact car being crushed. She often speaks in superlatives like "Awesome!" "Bizarre!" or "Yes!" Kari also laughs more than the other members of the team.
Kari is the most animated of the team. While they all react wildly to explosions and crashes, Kari is animated even during the planning stages of their experiments.
Of the three, Kari is the most goal-focused. She is a bit of a cheerleader, in that respect, and often brings the team back from "side trips" that are typical of mind or body characters.
What's interesting about this show is that it's been on the air long enough to see the "children" mature into an independent team. In the beginning, the team did a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work, but were rarely in front of the camera. Their responsibilities were simply to build whatever was necessary. Somewhere around season four, the team moved to the front of the camera, but their responsibilities were still limited. Now, they share almost equal on-screen time and develop tests for their own myths, independent of their "parents," Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage.
The Mind Character: Grant Imahara
Grant has a background in robotics. On the show, he is often responsible for calculations and scientific experimentation. In season four, episode one (Confederate Rocket), Grant explained how to produce liquid oxygen, conducted the experiment, and then explained why it wouldn't work for the purposes of the myth being tested. Later, he did the experiment to produce nitrous oxide.
When the team tries to jump a bus for a movie-related myth, Grant writes out all the equations and does the math for the experiment on the side of the bus. In another episode, Grant's mathematical precision is displayed when he is asked to rate an odor on a scale of 1 to 10. Rather than using whole numbers like "1" or "2," Grant uses "0.5" and "0.75."
Within the team, Grant is the one most likely to explain scientific principles
The Body Character: Tory Belleci
The first thing a regular viewer should recognize about Tory is that he is more proficient in physical tasks than his teammates. He has a better golf swing, he is more proficient with firearms, and he is most often seen building rigs. In the Confederate Rocket episode, while Grant was explaining the science of combustion, Tory was cutting and welding steel to build a launcher. In the same episode, he was responsible for "beefing up" a storage container to create an in-house bunker.
Tory typically comes up with solutions that are practical, but not well thought out. When the team discovers wasps in storage container they are using as a bunker, he quickly goes for a makeshift flamethrower to get rid of them. In a classic scene, he tries to jump a bicycle over a small wagon and crashes quite spectacularly.
Tory is very often so focused on the immediate task that he loses sight of the "big picture." He says as much when the team tries to crash a compact car between two big rigs with trailers. It's only after setup is done that he realizes the scale of the experiment.
The Spirit Character: Kari Byron
Kari's language really helps define her as the spirit character. In one episode, she talks about "the heart of this myth." It "breaks her heart" to think of a cute compact car being crushed. She often speaks in superlatives like "Awesome!" "Bizarre!" or "Yes!" Kari also laughs more than the other members of the team.
Kari is the most animated of the team. While they all react wildly to explosions and crashes, Kari is animated even during the planning stages of their experiments.
Of the three, Kari is the most goal-focused. She is a bit of a cheerleader, in that respect, and often brings the team back from "side trips" that are typical of mind or body characters.
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