Television Review: Best Evidence
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this documentary series deals with
conspiracy theories, presenting evidence from all sides of a
given subject and using experiments to help support or
undermine it. When the subject matter calls for it -- as in an
episode about the crash of TWA Flight 800 -- computer graphics
re-create explosions and fires, and video footage of mangled
wreckage is shown. Discussions of government cover-ups and
conspiracies are at the heart of the series, and kids may need
some help deciphering fact from theory. Because the series
covers such a wide range of topics, parents may want to scan
episode listings before giving tweens the go-ahead.
Families can talk about experiments. What kinds of experiments
have kids done in school? Kids: How do you identify the
hypothesis you want to test? What supplies and tools do you
need to record your data? What do you do if your experiment
fails? What theories would you like to test? What do you expect
to find? How did scientists plan the experiments they did in
this episode? Were you surprised by the results? Why?
The documentary series BEST EVIDENCE presents both facts and conjecture from all sides of long-standing conspiracy theories (the existence of Bigfoot, what really happened in Roswell, etc.). Using expert testimony, eye-witness accounts, and detailed computer graphics, the series explains each theory before subjecting a key piece of evidence to scientific experiment to test its reliability. In one episode, for example, FBI investigators described how they arrived at their official ruling that a spark in a fuel tank caused the explosion that led to the crash of TWA Flight 800 in July 1996. Witnesses shared their own versions of what they saw before the plane plummeted into the ocean, and experts on the other side of the fence explained whey they believe an outside source -- like a missile -- was the reason for the disaster. Scientists then duplicated the conditions of the fuel tank in question (fuel volume, temperature, etc.) and set off a series of electrical sparks to test whether the government's claim of an explosion was possible.
Although Best Evidence offers an intriguing look at how scientific advances bring us closer to answering established mysteries, there are no definitive conclusions to be found here, which is both frustrating and thought-provoking. Parents may want to check out the subject matter of each episode before giving tweens the go-ahead, as certain topics (like plane crashes) may be upsetting to some kids. And you may want to tune in with them so you can help differentiate between fact and theory -- and so you can explain the many references to possible government conspiracies and cover-ups.
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