Doing Da Vinci (Discovery Channel)

The show's premise is fascinating, especially if you've ever seen Da Vinci's drawings of the various inventions/machines -- including siege towers, a circular tank that could fire in all directions, and a chariot with blades. Since there's no evidence that these designs were ever built before, there's always been some speculation among historians about whether the designs were plausible.

That the team includes artist Flash Hopkins adds an element of good-natured conflict, especially since he goes with the flow, while engineer/effects designer Valek Skykes is much more precision-oriented. But even more fascinating than the interpersonal relationships is the way the series sheds light on how things get built in general. Bottom line? It's a fun hour, and kids who watch might learn a few things to boot.