Ep 2. Water

Look Around You is a British comedy television show that parodies educational science programs and was created by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz. The show's main conceit is that it is a Danish public educational program from the 1970s or 1980s translated into English, with outdated commentary and visuals.

In season one episode two, titled "Water," the show explores the properties of water and its many uses. The episode begins with an introduction to the substance, including footage of water in nature and everyday life, such as watering plants and washing hands. The narrator, played by Peter Serafinowicz, asks the audience to contemplate how much they really know about water and proceeds to delve deeper into the topic.

First, the episode explores the molecular structure of water using colorful animations and diagrams. The narrator explains how water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, which gives it its chemical formula (H2O). He then goes on to demonstrate commonplace uses of water, such as boiling it to make tea, and how water can exist in three physical states: solid, liquid, and gas.

Next, the show examines water as a source of power. It introduces a fictional scientist named Dr. Lanyon, played by Mark Heap, who demonstrates the power of a water turbine in generating electricity. The episode features a comical scene in which Dr. Lanyon repeatedly falls into the river while trying to test his turbine, which is situated on a raft. Despite his unsuccessful attempts, the segment manages to educate the audience about hydroelectric power and its importance in generating renewable energy.

The episode then shifts its focus to water as an agricultural resource. It features interviews with fictitious farmers, played by Robert Popper and Olivia Colman, who highlight the essential role water plays in food production. The show discusses irrigation systems and the importance of maintaining water quality in farming practices, all while employing humorous visuals and voiceovers.

The next segment of the episode discusses the science of buoyancy. The narrator uses simple experiments, such as dropping a steel ball into a jar of water, to demonstrate how buoyancy works. This leads into a sketch about an imaginary diving bell, which is constructed by Doc Brown (Mark Heap), a character who previously appeared in the first episode of the show. The diving bell is comically impractical, but it serves to educate viewers about the principles of buoyancy and how they can be applied in engineering.

Finally, the episode tackles water as a habitat. It features footage of various aquatic creatures, from fish to crabs, and discusses how they live and feed in underwater environments. The humor in this segment comes from the narration's casual acceptance of absurdities, such as a sequence in which a diver wrestles an octopus in order to demonstrate its tentacle strength. It ends with a humorous advertisement for a product called "Aqua Vita," a fictional brand that claims to "give you the power of the ocean in a bottle."

Overall, "Water" is an entertaining and educational episode of Look Around You that manages to find humor in scientific concepts. The show's use of retro aesthetics and dry humor, combined with its attention to detail, create a unique viewing experience that is both informative and engaging.