Did you know that the largest number is believed to be 45 billion? That under the surface, the true color of milk is black? Or that germs originated in Germany, and their sole purpose is…to spread germs? These and other fascinating facts can be learned by watching Look Around You, the BBC’s answer to those cheesy educational films inflicted upon 1970s school kids. Two DVDs collect the series’ short episodes. Season 1 is a spot-on parody of science class reels, packed with straight-faced lies and elaborate experiments that range from somewhat odd to outright ridiculous. Season 2 alters the format, taking on the feel of early-80s edutainment programs like Real People and That’s Incredible. Each installment focuses on a different theme, such as Music, Sports, and the futuristic world of Computers. What helps to make the show so side-splittingly funny is how the writers always follow through on their absurd jokes. In a Health report, we learn about a dieting system that includes a “special picture” designed through years of scientific research to scare the dieter into sweating off loose fat cells. When the hosts warn viewers to prepare themselves for the most terrifying image known to man, they don’t just leave us hanging, they really deliver the spine-tingling goods. And when the Med-I-Bot robotic surgeon spends an entire show transforming a cast member’s face into the most handsome possible visage, we get to judge its work by the show’s end. The punchlines are rarely what I expect, and the dry British delivery makes comedy gold out of what could be a disaster in snarkier hands. The attention to detail is inspired, from the retro vision of technological progress, to the cringe-inducing wardrobes, graphics, and synthesized score. It’s not for all tastes (Karen had to leave the room anytime I put it on), but I was literally falling off the couch in laughter. I hope a third season is in the works!

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