
Watch Mr. Wizard
Standard Definition DVD (NTSC)
90 Minutes, black and white
Digiview Entertainment
Original Price: US$1.00
What I Paid: US$1.00
The smokers at my local Wal-Mart know patience. There’s only one register at which a customer may purchase tobacco products; and the local policy is to put the slowest, meanest, or least experienced employee at that station. This means a lot of standing around, while the checker wrestles with the complex operations involved in ringing up items and accepting money for them.
The other day, trapped in this unmoving line of the damned, I wound up looking at a pile of $1 DVDs. There were a lot of the things you’d expect to see for that price — terrible, unwatchable movies, and collections of terrible, unwatchable movies. And, a three episode collection of the old, “Watch Mr. Wizard” show.
Now, I know Mr. Wizard pretty well, but I’m not old enough to have seen the original program, which ran from 1951 to 1965. But I did see the later, “Mr. Wizard’s World” version that played on Nickelodeon. (Can you believe it? Educational shows on a kids’ cable channel?) I loved that show, which says a lot about me. (NERRRRRRRRRD!) But, feeling nostalgic, and willing to throw away a dollar, I added it to my other purchases. And so, for the first time ever, we present a very special 100 Penny Review: Our first video.
So, how was it? Um… kind of dull.
Look, I don’t want that to color your impression of this particular DVD with a pat, snap judgment, but it’s true. Yet, in spite of the dullness, I watched this thing with rapt attention. The world of science that we grown-ups have to deal with is complex and confusing. It’s kind of fun to recall all the things we learned in 3rd grade science class, and I was pleasantly surprised about how much I remembered. It’s nice to feel smart.
How strange it was to see this relic of 1950’s television, and to be reminded of how gentle and slow-paced it once could be. “Watch Mr. Wizard” was interesting not just because of the demonstrations (which only made up something like 10% of the episodes), but because the facts themselves were interesting. And kids used to sit there and watch this stuff. Well, why not? What else was on? The kids of today have constant 24 hour cable networks vying for their attention, which might be more exciting, but what have you ever really learned from, say, the Jonas Brothers? Aside from the fact that bad music can occur at any age?
Don Herbert, by most reports, was a pretty good guy. Of course, as a children’s television host, he was often the butt of a number of off-color insinuations. But there’s nothing sinister to be found, thank goodness. Mr. Wizard is a kindly, but stern figure here. In later years (especially for those of us who saw his demonstrations on Letterman) he became a good deal more avuncular.
Back in the 50’s, though, he didn’t let up on the kids a bit. Question after question after question — and the kids held their own. Sure, there might have been some hemming and hawing, some wrong answers here and there, but they gave as good as they got in a sportsman-like way. Nowadays, of course, you’re more likely to get a, “Hey, fuck you, man!” than a, “Gee, Mr. Wizard!” out of even the most well-behaved school-kid.
(Before you get too nostalgic about the “olden days”, don’t forget that back when these shows were taped, homosexuality was considered a mental illness, mixed-race couples could be arrested for being together, smoking was advertised on television, and women had only gotten the right to vote a scant 30 years prior.)
It does bother me a little bit, thinking that this might have been some cheap attempt to capitalize on Don Herbert’s death; There are indications that the makers were in a bit of a hurry:

So, ultimately, the question is this: Is it worth a buck? Well, that depends.
People who fondly remember Don Herbert, but have never seen the old, 50’s era version of Mr. Wizard would probably enjoy it. That makes it very much a product for adults, I’m afraid. Kids, I suspect, would be bored to tears, break the disc out of frustration, and sneak over to a friend’s house to get loaded on the Bacardi Silver in the fridge in his garage. But, if you’re a member of the former group, go for it.