For those unfamiliar with the series, Penn and Teller (the famous Las Vegas magicians) spend each episode explaining why some bit of our screwed up culture is, well, bullshit. Unlike the very scientific Discovery Channel series, B.S. doesn't really offer a fair and balanced perspective before giving their view; instead, they start off each episode declaring unequivocally that something is B.S. and then spend the next half-hour or so showing their perspective in a very clear manner while making fun of the opposing view. While this obviously isn't the most fair and balanced approach, they do get their points across in an entertaining fashion.
The Complete Fifth Season has 10 episodes that cover obesity in America, Wal-Mart hating, the fad of detoxing your body, exorcism, immigration laws, handicap parking, Mount Rushmore, the Energy Crisis, anger management and America's odd views to exposed breasts in public.
In the episode "Exorcism," Penn and Teller interview several supposed exorcists from around the country. One has a large group of people coughing and sneezing into paper towels in order to expel their demons, while another does only one-on-one sessions involving a charm on a necklace that swings around to answer his questions about the demon. As followers of these magicians would expect, our hosts verbally tear these people a new one over the absurdity of their claims.
In "Wal-Mart," Penn discusses people's general dislike of the major corporation but shows several case studies of people whose lives are better for working there and towns that refused to let Wal-Marts into their city limits, but still had all the same mom-and-pop shops close down some 10 years later.
One of my favorites was the discussion on the Energy Crisis entitled "Nukes, Hybrids & Lesbians" where the show discusses the various forms of alternative power, the supposed problems with nuclear energy and the fact that while technology makes nuclear plants better, we haven't been able to build a new plant since that technology was developed. Oh, and they also give a pair of lesbians on a blind date a hybrid to drive around California to see what kind of gas mileage it gets.
Another good episode of B.S. discusses how the Americans with Disabilities Act tends to do more harm than good, while another one talks about the fruitlessness of building a wall between America and Mexico.
I have to warn any readers who are considering this that, because it's Penn and Teller, and because the series is on Showtime, they are allowed to show nudity, and they do. If you aren't familiar with the show, then I would warn anyone who is easily offended away from it, because all episodes have some bit of gratuitous, and typically pointless, nudity in it. Not to mention the strong language and very... atypical views on our society. That all being said, I personally enjoyed this season of the show and learned quite a few facts (though the data presented is very slanted). Penn and Teller themselves are very entertaining (as always) and while each episode is short, it is packed full of debate-club level goodness. This show isn't for the easily offended, but besides that (if you are of age), at least check out the series.
