Customer Reviews

Penn & Teller - Bullsh*t! The Complete Second Season

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Penn and Teller can be abrasive and obnoxious but they are also quite rational and extremely funny. The BS series looks at a wide range of pop culture phenomena and debunks them from a rational point of view. They do so with humor and an intense, biting sarcasm directed at those who would harm others. To those who are merely acting foolishly or exhibiting bad judgment, they are slightly kinder.

Some think that the second season is not as good as the first but I disagree. I think it is just as good and I look forward to more episodes next season. Those for this one include the following:

PETA- exposing the animal rights organization that would rather have people die than animals; who support arson to free animals; who euthanize 2/3 of the animals they save; who object to medical research and drugs derived from animals except for their high executives.

Safety Hysteria- anti terrorist mail order goods, fear of magnetic fields, fear of cell phones, fear of toilets, school violence and some gratuitous nudity from a model are some of the features of this episode. Basically, lots of people make lots of money preying on lots of fears from lots of fools.

Business of Love - consider the proposition that monogamy is unnatural; look at schemes to meet the perfect mate; learn how to hoodwink members of the opposite sex into thinking you a better than you are; learn some of the methods of relationship books and magazines. The bottom line is that some people are looking for love and are miserable and most of the rest are in relationships and...miserable.

War on Drugs - This one does not glorify drugs and even makes the point that drugs screw up people's lives. What it does do is question the worth, effectiveness and moral rectitude of prohibition in general and the war on drugs in particular

Recycling - It causes pollution; costs extra and produces inferior products and results. It sounds counterintuitive and wrong. It goes against all of what we are taught by the popular media, school and "environmental whackos" but is it right? This program looks at the possibility that what we are taught is wrong.

Profanity - Looks at attempts to suppress profanity. This episode does not "endorse" the use of offensive or vulgar language but does question its suppression in a land dedicated to free speech. Freedom of speech comes with a price...sometimes people say things we don't like.

Yoga, Tantric Sex, Etc. - A look a new age psychobabble, this episode explores the proposition that most, if not all, new age trends is the result of a bunch of hippies with an effective capitalistic sense. It does not necessarily trash everything but it is pretty merciless on the mysticism aspect.

Fountain of Youth - The lady with all the plastic surgery was frightening in her obsession. The pricetag for all the body work was even more frightening. There are other dodges to "stay young". Salad diets, specialized art, human growth hormone, and other tricks are all tried. All of them have a cost and the cash was just the least of it. Real health problems are a big part of it and the loss of dignity might be the worst of all.

Death, Inc. - People spend a lot of money on all the stuff that accompanies death. This includes funerals, cemeteries, embalming, and all sorts of bells and whistles. It's a big industry and that means that there are lots of opportunities for profits. That means that there are plenty of opportunites for abuse. There is plenty of opportunity for exposure.

12 Stepping - This one was surprising. Twelve step programs are examined with the idea that they are a cult. The claim that that addictions are disease are completely dismissed. They take exception with the religious basis of the programs and from there tend to dismiss them. They do not say that the programs do not work at all but claim that others might be better. Perhaps the most valid point they make is their objection to the compulsory aspects of the programs when people are forced into the programs by the legal system or other authorities.

The Bible: Fact or Fiction - This one is nothing new. It pits biblical literalists against agnostics and skeptics. What is left out are most of the middle roads. The program rightly points out that there are some literal inconsistencies and goes on to try to explain some of them with rational explanations. I'm a clergyman and have no objections at all to these debates but I don't get much out of them either. Faith and theology are poorly equipped to deal with some issues. Science is also poorly equipped to deal with some issues. Both have had some spectacular failures.

Exercise vs. Genetics - This one is pretty much a rehash of one of the first season programs. In light of the craze for physical fitness, it looks at all the money and effort that is put into exercise regimens and other means of looking good but if your genetics aren't on the same page, you are doomed. That doesn't mean that exercise is not worthwhile but there is a difference between being healthy and being genetically disposed towards looking like Mr. Universe of a supermodel.

Hypnosis - "One person is talking and another person is going along with it" That sums up the view of what hypnosis is all about. People do want they are predisposed towards wanting to do. This works even better when they are told to do what they want to do. Self delusion with some friendly but larcenous help is the key.

I consider myself to be a science-minded, libertarian-sympathetic skeptic. Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World is one of my favorite books, of all time. In short, I am in the choir that surrounds Penn & Teller's pulpit. I love this kind of thing--debunking popular claims with a healthy dose of clear thinking, evidence and reason. I only wish, having watched this season on disc, that Penn & Teller had done a better job of it.

It's likely not their fault, but it remains thus: that the series presents topics, such as the existence of fact in the Bible, profanity, New Age mysticism, recycling and P.E.T.A., which are then dealt with (pronounced "B.S.") in a slickly produced 24-25 minutes (minus the title sequence). The problem is that many of these topics, no matter how much I agree with P&T on their judgment, are too weighty and subtle to be dealt with effectively in that kind of time frame, and in the manner of the show. There's no way that they can cover it all, and so I'm forced to conclude that, given the time they take and detail they go into, they can only really convince people who were *already convinced*.

Also, the slick editing always makes the viewer wonder--are they pulling things out of context? Are they giving the other side "a fair hearing"? For instance, I whole-heartedly agree that New Age mysticism is tripe, but I cringed to see the folks that P&T dredged up to defend those beliefs. To really prove the point, in my opinion, you have to be able to debunk/impeach the best-spoken advocates of New Age, not the drugged-out psychos. Because of the format of the show, P&T are forced to strike quickly for the jugular, which means that, instead of giving us fully reasoned and evidenced positions--a true intellectual back and forth--they give us fringe looneys with a comic voiceover, pointing up the obvious that their opponents don't know what they're saying or how they come across.

But still, at least someone is out there making points that desperately need to be made: that "free speech" doesn't allow for the FTC regulations; that P.E.T.A. is hypocritical, and devalues human life (by minimizing things like the Holocaust) as it tries to elevate non-human life; that most forms of recycling acutally make pollution worse; and so on.... Whether or not P&T could convince an intelligent person who initially disagreed with them--and that really should be the goal--or not, maybe at least by raising the subjects, they will inspire people to do more investigating on their own. Maybe they'll get some people to challenge commonly-accepted ideas. Maybe they'll get some people to *think* about what they believe. And that would be very good, indeed. Three stars.

This series is one of the finest on TV! Penn and Teller have always specialized in exposing the tricks, obfuscations and downright lies people try to perpetuate on one another. This show is definitely for thinking people who are not easily suckered. Oh, and an active, functional funnybone helps!

The most important thing you can do after you watch this television show is take all of the things you disagree with, all of the things you do agree with, write them down and actually look them up. You will be surprised to see that most of the things they tell you are correct. The reason why many people avoid this show is that people are frightened of truth because with truth brings responsibility and we'd rather be told that everything is one way then look it up for ourselves. That's why I admire these fellows so much.

You know some people will say that these episodes are "slanted and biased". Anyone who ever comments on any subject approaches the subject with their own perspective. Penn and Teller do a great job of giving opposing sides the opportunity to have their say on camera. The opposing side does a great job of making themselves look bad. They don't need any help from P&T. Watch how the PETA representative squarms when confronted with the fact that PETA themselves support KILL shelters. This is another great box set from two great guys.

Comedic magicians Penn & Teller put their own spin on consumer advocacy and myth debunking with Penn & Teller: Bullsh*t! I don't watch too many TV shows, but this is one that caught my attention from the first season, and continues to be a favorite of mine.

What makes this show great is that there's nothing quite like it on the air. Who better to show the dark underbelly lying behind the lily-white facade of many of the bogus industries out there than the outspoken Penn Jillette and silent but impactful Teller (both of whom also write for the show)?

Whether the topic is religion, personal trainers, the funeral industry, free speech, gun control, life coaches or hair management, nothing is safe from setting off Penn & Teller's BS detectors. And while there are times where some statements may prove to be either incorrect or opinion-based, every episode is both hilarious and educational to some degree (how's that for a combination?). In addition, while many of the topics would hint at some sort of political agenda, you may find Penn & Teller's stance on another subject to be contradictory to the leanings suggested on another subject - for instance, they are opposed to organized religion, favor the right to bear arms, and are big time free speech advocates (as the show's title perfectly attests to).

In summary: Penn & Teller: Bullsh*t! (The Complete Second Season) is a must-buy for anyone who seeks enlightenment and humor in the same place. While my stance on certain subjects may not change, they have certainly changed my perspective on a plethora of topics. This show will probably make more enemies than friends for Penn & Teller, but I think they wouldn't have it any other way. Which explains why they're still at it after 20 + years: they're true originals, and as far as Bullsh*t is concerned - you're not going to find this style of bold, fearless broadcasting anywhere else.

To any potential buyer, purchasing, renting, or borrowing season 1 of the series is highly recommended. Although it isn't necessary, season 1 adequately introduces the series to viewers.

The DVD consists of all the episodes of Season 2 in a very mediocre package. The case is horribly too big and the color scheme different from the slick high contrast white of the first season.

Bonus features are very sparse, but the episodes themselves is the main attraction. Video quality is crisp with sharp colors and the audio is adequate for a documentary-style series.

Unfortunately, the episodes exhibit the same problem they did in the first season: short duration. Depending on how you look at it, too much time is spent entertaining the argument they present instead of building their argument. On some episodes, their positions become muddled with less objective arguments and trail off. You are left wanting to hear more from the other side.

Viewers should be aware that this series focuses on entertainment and not to take their subject matter too seriously or base your opinions strictly on the statements made in the show. Penn and Teller once again cleverly introduces many controversial topics with subjective commentary likely to offend. Much like a lawyer, they take one side and voice their opinions so it is highly recommended viewers do further research afterwards as 30 minutes is not enough to adequately cover all points for or against.

If you think Jesus walked on water, do yoga because it expands your mind, think that either animal liberation or the war on drugs is a worthy goal, or believe that recycling does a lot for the planet, then you've come to the right place to have those beliefs not-so-gently cast aside.

P and T are back. While the first season of Bullsh.t was great, this season is greater. The first season focused on obvious whack-jobs like kthose who believe in alien abduction and the mystical power of ouija boards. Yes, it is fun to chuckle at, but you already knew they were nut-jobs before going in.

This season focuses on harder and more mainstream beliefs - from belief in hypnosis, yoga, and the 'animal liberation' movement, to belief in the war on drugs, regulation of profanity, and...recycling. These are beleifs that many people believe, and as such, it is harder than in the first season to make some of these 'believers' look blatantly silly.

As I mention in my review of the first season, one should not expect anything like a 'thorough' debunking with these shows. It is a half-hour entertainment show, after all. With that said, P and T still do a GREAT job doing what they can in the time they have. Also, as some of the shows debunk moral stances (i.e., avoiding profanity, animal liberation), it is hard to 'debunk' them in any strict sense, though P and T do as good a job as they can laying out good counter-arguments.

But first and foremost, this show should be looked at as edutainment. While it might educate (I imagine it does more preaching to the converted; otherwise, why would you have tuned in?), it is primarily about entertainment. In that category, it deserves all of four stars.

I have greatly enjoyed both season of Bullsh*t and would recommend them to anyone seeking a different take on the world around them.

In my review of Season One of Penn & Teller's B.S., I gave an in depth explanation of my opinion of the show. I don't want to retread that in this review, but to give you an idea of where I'm coming from, here's a short explanation. I appreciate what Penn and Teller are trying to do with this show and enjoy watching it. My problem is that they often use skepticism as a dogma rather than a method, and rarely explore the weakness of their own arguments. This leads to some heavy disagreements I have with them on a logical level, but I'm sure that they would want their viewers to be as skeptical as they are.

I think Season Two is a bit more of a mix bag than Season One. One of the most interesting episodes of the Season was the "Death" episode. I had heard before about the racket that the "Managed Death Corporations" were running to exploit grieving families, so I was happy to see this issue brought to light. The episode on "Yoga, Tarot, and Tantric" was a return to exposing the false claims New Age con artists. Same with the "Hypnosis". It was amazing to see the one person claiming to be able to fight Cancer with hypnosis! This person advertises frequently on the radio, and I have to turn it off every time I hear her add. The "Love", "12-Step", and "Youth" episodes were focused along the same line of exposing those who exploit the depressed, lonely, etc.

The Bible episode was interesting; though, I think the episode was a little weaker than it could have been. Why didn't they go into the history of the Bible? The time that each book was written, followed by the rewrites, edits, translations, and changes made through history is a very fascinating story that is only touched upon in the show. The point to remember is that many people have forgotten how to read that book as a religious text. As Joseph Campbell said, "Read it as literal as a newspaper, then it is meaningless. Read it as stories, myths, and poems; then it can be enlightening."

They delved more into political topics this season, which is where I think they are their weakest. The "War On Drugs" episode focused on marijuana. This was an interesting episode, but could have been made stronger by a little more history on marijuana prohibition. The profanity episode shows scary people who wish to control what we say and what they hear. They did a great job doing a mini-review of profanity and free speech struggles, as well as pointing out that people are getting all worked up over nothing more than a particular grouping of phonemes.

The recycling episode was eye opening, but I think needs a lot more research on the part of the viewer. First off, there's Daniel K. Benjamin, their professor who argues against recycling. I did a little research and it turns out that he was a Reagan economic advisor, and much of his research was funded by the ExxonMobil corporation. This may not mean that he's wrong, but he might be biased. Then, as in season one, they make the ridiculous argument that without the paper industry, there would be no trees. What? If we stopped using paper we would just chop down all those unsightly, space taking plants? Yeah, right. (is my sarcasm coming across?). Definitely take this episode with a grain of salt.

The Safety Episode was o.k., but I think they were a little easy on all the people who were cashing in on the nation's fear over 9-11. They quote the Cato institute in this episode, and quite frequently throughout their series. The more I look into them, the less I like them. Though they claim to be a "libertarian" organization, they are not. Don't trust me, though. Look into them for yourselves, and make up your own minds. Also, towards the end of the episode they take a swipe at Michael Moore, and then argue for the whole point of his "Columbine" movie. It's odd that people who agree with Michael still have to hate him, just because it's the thing to do.

Finally, there's the PETA episode. This is the first episode on the discs, and in my opinion the worst one. I am a scientist/statistician, and I can't stand PETA; which is why I'm going to be so hard on P&T for making swishy arguments. First off, they mix two independent organizations (the ADL and PETA). The often show examples of one organization doing bad things, and then apply their conclusions towards the other. This is a really weak practice. Next, on their panel of experts the get a radio host. To me, his credentials are about as valid as someone demanding respect because they are a blogger. He said something along the lines of, "That statement was so dumb that only a college educated person would say that." So...all those scientists and academics in the episode should pack their bags and go home? Finally, we get The Nudge. Fighting left wing fundamentalist wack-o's with a right wing fundamentalist wack-o just shows that we can be as bad as they are. After reading some of his book, and hearing some of his quotes, Nugent is not someone I want speaking for my side.

In conclusion, for all my nit-picks, I still enjoy and recommend this show. I really appreciate what they are doing; but it is important to remember that even though P&T are funny and charismatic, we still need to be skeptical of our skeptics. Occasionally they use biased sources or make weak arguments. Occasionally they use exaggeration when the true facts would have been helped them just as much untouched (like the PETA example). Also (like Fox news) they often mistake an angry, loud, declarative statement for a factual and informed opinion. These are pretty easy to recognize when they happen. So, get this and enjoy watching them take issues apart, but then research them for yourself before you make you final decision.