Popular Mechanics for Kids

- Season 1

(1997)

Episode 1 - Underground Co-hosts Jay and Elisha go on a mysterious and eerie exploration to where the sun don't shine - underground! Elisha goes on a dark adventure into subway tunnels after closing to see where the trains sleep. Jay visits Boston to witness a massive construction project designed to move a raised highway underground. Charlie does a cool experiment to demonstrate hydraulics.

Diving down under to discover the universe's coolest submarines. Jay and Elisha find subs you paddle, subs going to Jupiter, and even the world's largest 15-story submarine.

Demonstrations of Saloon brawls, information on how fake blood is made, gun fights and boat chases.

Episode 4 - Zoos Co-hosts Elisha and Jay take a walk on the wild side at some of the world's coolest zoos and biodomes! At the Montreal Biodome, they explore a deep, dark jungle that turns out to be a man-made tropical forest built to provide animals with an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible. Jay becomes an honorary vet for the day and Elisha bathes an elephant!

Our adventurous co-hosts go on a power trip to check out the coolest cars around...from monster trucks and solar cars to cars that drive by themselves.

Episode 6 - Rollercoasters Co-hosts Jay and Elisha ride some of the most frightening roller coasters in the world! Elisha searches for the most thrilling coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. They climb the tracks with a mechanic to check for cracks, loose bolts and other hazards. Jay learns how centrifugal force makes a coaster work and that he will be weightless for six seconds!

Build your own skateboard ramp and shoot hoops with NBA Rookie of the year!

Episode 8 - Garbage Jay and Elisha plug their noses and take a trip into the smelly world of garbage! Elisha visits a recycling center in California and sorts paper, bottles and cans, and bales them for shipping. She then finds herself knee-deep in mud, feeding pigs while Jay is at Fresh Kills Landfill, waist-deep in garbage.

A very special boy, David McPhee, gets to go on a "really big boat!"

Join Elisha and Jay as they go on a building (and demolishing!) adventure when they must face any fear of heights.

Episode 11 - Aircraft Carriers Co-hosts Jay and Elisha set to sea on the most dangerous 4.5 acres on earth... an aircraft carrier! They spend three days aboard the USS Eisenhower, and learn that an aircraft carrier is a floating city! It carries up to 6000 people and 100 airplanes. There's a TV station, a jail, a library, even a barbershop! Elisha drives the carrier and Jay helps land a plane.

Get charged up with Jay and Elisha as they explore the shocking world of electricity!

Episode 13 - Food Production Co-hosts Jay and Elisha learn where our food really comes from. Jay creates a Ben and Jerry's flavor. On a request from Hillary Clinton, Elisha and Jay teach children to avoid food poisoning and contamination. They visit a gourmet chef who cooks a healthy meal - pasta with mealworms and chocolate-covered crickets for dessert!

Our young hosts explore the fascinating world of fire-fighting, both on the ground and above it. It's going to be one hot show!

Episode 15 - Aquariums On this whale of a show co-hosts Elisha and Jay explore Monterey Bay aquarium to learn about the care and feeding of whales, sea lions and other denizens of the deep. Elisha becomes a medical assistant and brushes a sea lion's teeth (bad breath!), Jay watches scuba divers as they clean a shark tank and they visit an aquarium with a window as large as a railway car.

Episode 16 - Toys and Games Co-hosts Elisha and Jay visit the Lego factory and help build a life-sized model racecar. Next they explore some of the best selling toys in history - Frisbee, Slinky, Teddy Bears, and Play-Doh. At Nintendo they watch game counselors answer questions from callers stumped by the hottest games of all - video games. Elisha and Jay have the time of their lives!

Jay and Elisha blast off for outer space and get a rare space program experience.

Jay and Elisha explore the hightech world of robots.

Episode 19 - Best Of An episode with all of the grossest, scariest and most exciting moments of past shows as our co-hosts, Jay and Elisha, travel the continent to learn how things work. They fight fires, visit sewers, eat bugs, and drive monster trucks. Amazing, embarrassing and entertaining adventures, full of action, learning and fun (including a trip to the White House). Unforgettable fun!

Jay and Elisha observe how millions change hands in the Stock Exchange and how coins are made!

Episode 21 - Air Transportation In this episode on air transportation co-hosts Elisha and Jay really take flight. In an accident simulator Elisha experiences conditions one would face in an airplane crash landing and learns how to exit a burning plane. Jay visits a jet engine factory and climbs into an F-18 jet.

Boogie into the world of music as Jay and Elisha learn how to 'scratch' like a professional DJ.

Elisha literally flies in a vertical wind tunnel.