Like a weird game of Rock Paper Sissors Lizard Spock

March 17, 2013 5:10 PM

Inventions that Changed the World is a 2004 BBC Miniseries in the vein of Connections (previously) hosted by Jeremy Clarkson (yes the Top Gear guy). The Gun. The Computer. The Jet. The Telephone. The Television
posted by Mitheral (11 comments total)

I guess I know what I'm doing with my evening.
posted by cthuljew at 5:14 PM on March 17, 2013

I'll give this a shot, despite being a Clarkson skeptic, as long as someone will promise me it's better than the execrable Stephen Fry's 100 Greatest Gadgets.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:25 PM on March 17, 2013

I liked it better starring James Burke.
posted by jb at 5:40 PM on March 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

I've seen a couple of episodes of this, and it's just . . . unsatisfying. It's kind of interesting, in the same way reading lists on Cracked is interesting. The James Burke series were different. I actually learned things from them--no, I actually thought as a result of them. This series isn't bad, but it's not special either.
posted by Ickster at 6:26 PM on March 17, 2013

All of the Top Gear trio do a whole bunch of side projects, most of which are amusing, but none of which entertain me as much as Top Gear itself, even though I'm not actually much of a Car Person.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:27 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Wow, the episode on the gun has some truly horrible parts in it.
posted by Grimgrin at 6:47 PM on March 17, 2013

Clarkson is lighter than helium. I know this shouldn't be compared with connections - but world changing - the lateen sail. the chimney, flax weaving. James Burke's connections is brilliant.
posted by Mario Speedwagon at 7:04 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

the gun:
instrument of Satan, but unbelievably sexy.

he's a dickhead
posted by Mario Speedwagon at 7:07 PM on March 17, 2013

Thank you jb! My brother used to watch the Connections series with James Burke and I always wanted to find it again, but had forgotten the series name!
posted by chapps at 7:22 PM on March 17, 2013

Fascinating.
posted by spock at 10:28 PM on March 17, 2013

Watched one today. It was OK, but not remotely Connections-level, which I still think was one of the finest uses to which television has ever been put.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:32 PM on March 19, 2013