movielib

Showtime 9:00pmCDT. Repeated one hour later.

Nessie and Bigfoot are big fat easy targets but I think this episode could be quite entertaining.

Next week: Ground Zero

Tazwolff

"Here's a hint: Crypto means "hidden" while zoology stands for the study of animals. Put them together and what do you get? BULLSHIT!"

I call Bullshit on their bullshit, before the ep even airs. It was only 2-3 months ago when it was well publicized that 20-something unknown (hidden) species of animals where discovered on some portion of an island we've never explored. Not to mention that we're discovering new animals all the time that were previously "hidden" from us.

Yeah, Bigfoot and Nessie may be bullshit. But their generalisation of it all, is bullshit.

clckworang

Yep, I agree with you, Tazwolff. But I'll reserve judgment about just how much bull shit Penn and Teller are tossing around until I see how they handle the show.

Groucho

Sure. But those animals were discovered by legitimate scientists, not cryptozoologists, who are too busy mounting multi-million dollar expeditions in Loch Ness to do any sort of useful scientific work.

But really, I don't see the harm in cryptozoology. If some eccentric millionaire wants to blow his money funding these silly "expeditions" more power to them.

movielib

Well, you've got a winkie so I assume you're not entirely serious.

I have no doubt P&T are not talking about "new" species being discovered from time to time or the rare thought-to-be-extinct species turning up very alive. Those species have not been claimed to exist for years without any evidence. They just... are found.

I'm sure P&T are referring to the supposed species that are claimed to exist for a long period of time with no solid evidence. As well as Nessie and Bigfoot, there's a creature said to live in Lake Champlain (Champ). There is, of course, the Asian counterpart to Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman. There are many others.

So if no one is claiming some species exists (either previously unknown or thought to be extinct) and it happens to show up, that's not Cryptozoology. If people are organizing expeditions to search for animals they claim exist but for which there has never been any solid evidence (especially if that lack of evidence has gone on a long, long time), that's Cryptozoology.

movieking

Their topics are way too easy to criticize this year. Like shooting fish in a barrel...

Tazwolff

Yeah, I'm just calling BS on the generalization of the study of, in their words, "hidden" animals.

No doubt though, there are some major nutballs out there. Like this guy who says Nessie is now on the Sun. That's why we haven't found it yet.

das Monkey

Wow. A real flood of posts on this one.

I enjoyed it for the most part. I sometimes like these episodes where nothing of real consequence is actually up for discussion. There's no political agenda or compelling philosophical debate; it's just Penn & Teller mocking some schmucks with little mercy. Fun stuff.

I did think it was awkward to share how independent cultures came up with similar dragon myths and then cavalierly disregard that as inconsequential. Were they presenting the opposite viewpoint, they'd have jumped on that info as support for their claim. Not that I believe dragons ever existed, but it seemed really weak to bring that up and then toss it aside.

das

clckworang

I thought this was an OK ep, but not really much to be learned from it. As someone else said, it's pretty easy to take shots at the people who were featured in this ep.

GuessWho

Bumbles bounce!

Deftones

I laughed my ass off. The best part was when they dressed up like those guys and were reading the cue cards.

movielib

Pretty much my feelings on it too.

Seeing as how they're Penn & Teller, crusaders against belief in the paranormal and the pseudoscience, they probably should eventually do an episode on every major subject that fits into one of those categories, regardless of how hard or easy they are to shoot down. Cryptozoology is just one of the easier ones.

I think it's a good mix to have a few of those types of programs every season along with a few each on political, religious and social topics. It's a good mix but they still have to pick good topics. No more "Hair" or "The Best" or screwing up good topics like "Endangered Species" please.

killershark

Is there a list of what the topics will be this season?

Xander

I liked it. It was a nice change of pace. Heavy last week, and looks like heavy next week. So it's good to have the fluff in between.

Red Dog

Can any Comcast viewers tell me if all the S4 episodes already aired are now available OnDemand?

Also, how many more S4 eps are there (and is there a broadcast schedule)? I just want to sign up for SHOW for a month to catch them all; just need to pick the right day to start.

Tazwolff

That was hilarious!

movielib

I don't know if that's all of them (last season had 12 episodes and the first two seasons had 13. If they have a new one every week the 11th episode will air on 6-12-06.

A-aron

yep - the latest showed up on mine the morning after.

Red Dog

Thanks. I wonder if they will break up the season as they have before.

movielib

I'm quite sure they're not going to break it up this year. TV Tome has episodes through 409 listed on May 29.

A correction to my above post: Season 3 also had 13. If S4 goes through 13 episodes it will end on 4-26.

das Monkey

, Red Dog

das

Red Dog

Hi.

This one was a snorefest.