Popular Mechanics For Kids –

Radical Rockets & Other Cool Cruising Machines

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: D     Episodes: B-

 

 

One of the most enduring of all great magazines is Popular Mechanics, a high-quality science magazine that has made significant contributions for decades, so any TV show with its name has much to live up to.  Science TV has not always been successful.  For every Mr. Wizard, there has been the limited success of something like 3-2-1 Contact.  With that said, Popular Mechanics For Kids has had a decent run of it.  Now coming out on DVD with four shows a piece, the award-winning series has installments that are about 23 minutes, tragically considered enough for half-hour spots.

 

With that said, Radical Rockets & Other Cool Cruising Machines is a decent set, offering shows on Submarines, Cool Cars, Boats and Spaceships.  They are for a slightly younger age, but even though all the humor, offer facts adults can appreciate and the four child hosts do travel around.  Four DVDs are out as of this posting and they are worth having as educational alternative DVDs for the target audience.

 

The full frame 1.33 X 1 image is from professional NTSC video, though there is the addition of archival film and tape throughout.  This is not bad and the sources are clean.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has just enough Pro Logic surround information to not be considered simple stereo, though the music score is sometimes too simple.  There are no extras, except weblinks to Koch and the magazine’s site, which is unfortunate, as more could have been offered on these discs.  Maybe a bibliography of the magazine, perhaps?

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo