Adam Savage holds a remote controller for a gizmo on his new TV series, “Savage Builds.” (Discovery)
Adam Savage has been a nerd’s nerd for a long time. It’s not his thick glasses, his sci-fi cred or even the obsessive attention to detail that has made this TV personality endearing to other enthusiasts. Instead, his overwhelming sense of curiosity and fun have made him such a star. During the run of “MythBusters” on the Discovery Channel, the engineer and special-effects designer built a fan base as excited about technology, discovery and science as he is.
Now, fans can reunite with their favorite geek on the same channel. “Savage Builds,” a show devoted to testing the limits of Savage’s ingenuity, pairs him with celebrities and experts as he tackles seemingly impossible creations.
On the show, Savage builds everything from his own version of the sword Excalibur (forged, this time, from a meteorite) to a flying, 3-D-printed suit of armor inspired by Marvel’s Iron Man films.
Savage enlists scientists and other experts as he tries to fulfill each challenge. He brings some high-profile friends along, too. Actor Gary Oldman, filmmaker Peter Jackson and even a familiar MythBusters co-worker come along for the ride, with cameo appearances by everyone from NASA engineers to noted inventors.
The show doesn’t shy away from the silly: think food fights and ridiculous inventions inspired by beloved science-fiction films.
But “Savage Builds” reveals unexpected depths as it engages with technology, history, chemistry and human ingenuity. It’s an explosive mix that might just inspire the next generation of makers, DIY enthusiasts and, yes, nerds.
The eight-episode series premieres at 10 p.m. this Friday on the Discovery Channel.
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