The Works (History)

With the guidance of Daniel Wilson, a hip smartypants with a Ph.D. in robotics, THE WORKS looks behind the everyday experience to explore the history and science of things like garbage, tattoos, skydiving, and more. Wilson takes a hands-on approach to learning as he does things like spend a day with a garbage collector in New York City to understand what goes into managing the globe's 251 million annual tons of trash. He walks viewers through the entire process of each topic he investigates, tossing out interesting statistical tidbits along the way. Viewers will see how, for instance, recycled paper is converted into new pizza boxes within 12 hours of being collected at the curb.

The Works doesn't break any new ground. We've seen other reality shows go into great (and sometimes disgusting) detail on the behind-the-scenes processes that make up our daily life. But while the show isn't revolutionary, it's educational and goes a little deeper than some other shows that just skim the surface. Graphics and analogies help tell the stories. For example, the show about garbage tells us that the average human produces 4.6 pounds of trash per day -- which equals the weight of eight elephants per year.

TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: History
Cast: Daniel Wilson
Genre: Educational
Where to watch: History