This season, the duo takes on everything from the 2012 Apocalypse to lie detectors, the IRS, organic foods and even orgasms (or more precisely, the industry that seems to surround enhancing this experience). One of my favorite episodes from this season, though, was the one focusing on Astrology. Penn and Teller take their usual skeptic approaches to this practice of divining the future based on where the stars and planets were when you were born. Not only do they discuss the inaccuracies in the formation of the various astrological systems, but they also follow around a couple of astrologers as they attempt to predict various people's futures and uncover just how they do this (typically with a system called "cold reading").
In an episode focusing on the lawn care industry and neighborhood regulations, Penn and Teller talk with people hired to inspect lawns, as well as a few individuals who have actually been sent to prison for not maintaining a lush green lawn, even though other restrictions by the neighborhood (like water consumption) made it nearly impossible to keep the grass up to snuff. While amusing, I found the episode focusing on organic foods far better. Here, a couple who has restricted their purchases to organic products falls under the duo's scrutiny, while random consumers at a farmer's market are asked to do a taste test between normal and organic foods. In this episode, Penn and Teller debunk not only that they are supposed to taste better, but the other beliefs that buying organic helps small farmers, it's better for the environment and they doesn't use pesticides.
While these episodes were great, one really hit close to home and currently holds a place in my heart as the best episode yet. I am, of course, referring to the one about videogame violence and it's supposed influence on our kids. In this episode, not only does the show interview several people who are up-in-arms against these "murder simulators" (one of them none other than attorney Jack Thompson), but also a young gamer who plays a lot of first-person shooters. Besides the standard amount of abuse they throw at the guest opposing their view, they also test out exactly how well trained a gamer is with guns by taking the aforementioned boy to a shooting range and letting him try his hand at an assault rifle (under close supervision, of course).
Penn & Teller Bullshit! is a good show that does exactly what it sets out to do, expose a lot of preconceptions the general public has about various topics. For those viewers who haven't seen an episode of Bullshit! before, it needs to be stated that the show is very biased. These aren't the impartial, scientific judges of MythBusters. They have an opinion, they will tell you their belief, and they will make sure you understand what that belief is before the episode is over. The other aspect of the show that needs a bit of warning for those not familiar with the series is that they are not above full-frontal nudity (both male and female), and not necessarily to prove a point (though it does sometimes enter into the equation), so I wouldn't recommend showing this series to any kids out there, unless you want them to learn more than just what the episode professes to teach. Outside of that though, Penn & Teller Bullshit! is a good series, and The Seventh Season continues that tradition. The show is both a funny and skeptical look at our culture that anyone, who doesn't get too offended, should enjoy watching. If only it included some special features.
