Impossible Moves
How the pros move homes, churches, and more.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this entertaining docuseries spotlights feats of human ingenuity and mechanical resourcefulness that allow the transport of massive buildings and machinery. Impressive computer graphics detail the stages of the moving process as well as the imagined worst-case scenarios (some of which involve the collapse and violent dismantling of the object), making it easy to understand even for the uninitiated. Tweens and teens who like to know how things work will enjoy the series.
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What's the Story?
IMPOSSIBLE MOVES documents the planning and execution of colossal moving projects -- like moving an 85-ton church wth a 92-foot steeple 12 miles across town. Each episode covers two similar moving projects, whether it's subway cars, mansions, or entire towns. Viewers get background information on the soon-to-be-uprooted subjects, hearing about their history, construction, and the factors necessitating the move. Then industry professionals outline their reasons for choosing one transport option over another and talk about the challenges they foresee and their plans for overcoming them. Time-lapse photography speeds up the process for viewers, who watch in fast-forward as the subjects are prepped.
Is It Any Good?
What makes Impossible Moves so enjoyable is its use of pristine computer-generated images that illustrate the narrator's explanations of the physics behind the process. Even viewers who don't know much about either construction or the science behind it will find the show easy to follow, making it fun for tweens and teens as well as their parents.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how documentary series like this one encourage learning and inspire an interest in related subjects. Kids: What did you learn from this show? Could you have learned the same thing in a classroom? How can TV bolster education? What are some of your favorite educational shows? Does TV ever have a negative effect on learning? How so? Families can also discuss problem-solving skills. Have you ever faced a problem that seemed insurmountable? What was it? What resources did you use to work through it? Did you ask for help from anyone? How did they guide you?
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 24, 2005
- Cast: John Michie, Mark Keller
- Network: National Geographic Channel
- Genre: Educational
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: December 8, 2022
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