"I'm attempting to be the Episcopalian Guy Fieri."

July 30, 2014 8:14 AM

Going Deep with David Rees (yes, that David Rees) is a TV series about mundane things examined in a far from mundane manner. Episodes to date have explained how to tie one's shoes, how to make ice, and how to dig a hole, among other things. In an interview in The Atlantic, Rees explains his philosophy for the show: There are NO fake facts in our show. The humor comes from my interactions with the experts, who have all been incredibly good-natured and (sometimes) silly without compromising the integrity of the information they're sharing with me. That's important to us, because we really do want this show to be a celebration of everything that's right under our noses—and for that mission to succeed, we need to honor the topics by not bullshitting our way through them.
posted by Cash4Lead (31 comments total)

#respect
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 8:27 AM on July 30, 2014 [1 favorite]

This is my favorite new show. The "How to Flip a Coin" episode was hilarious. Really well done all around.
posted by Ike_Arumba at 8:30 AM on July 30, 2014

So good.
posted by mike_bling at 8:31 AM on July 30, 2014

David Rees is the Twelve Dimensional Chess Master of comedy.
posted by gwint at 8:35 AM on July 30, 2014

Or, you know, the Episcopalian Guy Fieri.
posted by gwint at 8:36 AM on July 30, 2014 [1 favorite]

This guy has no idea what a "party hole" is. He got the wrong expert.
posted by cjorgensen at 9:12 AM on July 30, 2014

I love this show. My father also loves this show, which is great because his Alzheimer's keeps him from watching most narrative shows since he has trouble keeping track of characters/plots. But this show is very simple and straightforward and has a quick pace that is perfect for him. I'm so glad it exists.
posted by dogwalker at 9:19 AM on July 30, 2014 [3 favorites]

We just watched the first episode of this (the one about ice cubes) the other night. The show was pretty amusing throughout, but it really became identifiably the product of Rees' sensibility in the last few minutes: having visited various experts on the subject of ice, and as a result now equipped with all the expertise needed to produce a beautiful ice cube, he's frustrated by the knowledge that the ice cube won't last: it will melt.

So he goes to consult with a Buddhist monk for advice on coping with the transient nature of all things. And gets some fairly blunt, down-to-earth talking to.

I'm not sure how to even explain the mechanics of that joke, but I got it immediately, like the funny just did an end around my conscious thought process. 12-dimensional chess master of humor, sure.
posted by Ipsifendus at 9:23 AM on July 30, 2014 [8 favorites]

"I'm attempting to be the Episcopalian Guy Fieri."

....He's going to talk about bad food, except it's all going to be boiled instead of fried?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:26 AM on July 30, 2014 [5 favorites]

I'm super proud that I wasn't tying my shoelaces in a granny knot before I saw this (or, actually, Jesse Thorn's similar Put This On video). It's probably the best thing about me.
posted by mullacc at 9:27 AM on July 30, 2014

My kids (8 and 10) and I love this show. They still can't tie their shoes right, though.
posted by pmbuko at 9:28 AM on July 30, 2014 [1 favorite]

All I know is His New Television Technique Is Unstoppable.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:49 AM on July 30, 2014 [3 favorites]

....He's going to talk about bad food, except it's all going to be boiled instead of fried?

Also it will be heavily spiced with well-seasoned passive aggression.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:55 AM on July 30, 2014

I like the premise of the show, and so far the topics he's chosen are excellent. But it doesn't feel like cable TV, it feels like a really well edited youtube channel. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I hope he keeps it up.
posted by closetphilosopher at 9:58 AM on July 30, 2014

My 4 year old loves this show. We have been enjoying watching each episode together and laughing at David's 'facts'. The way he says them, kind of as a side bar, is hilarious.
posted by LightMayo at 10:07 AM on July 30, 2014

His new tv-show-making technique is unstoppable.
posted by grumpybear69 at 10:09 AM on July 30, 2014 [2 favorites]

it doesn't feel like cable TV, it feels like a really well edited youtube channel

That's because the host segments were all shot in his house. I've seen the ice episode and enjoyed the concept and the humor a lot.
posted by mroben at 10:23 AM on July 30, 2014

So this is like the new Fishing with John?
posted by kenko at 10:31 AM on July 30, 2014 [4 favorites]

The show reminds me of an instructional show as directed by Wes Anderson. I mean that in a good way.
posted by Flexagon at 10:53 AM on July 30, 2014 [2 favorites]

I first heard about David Rees via his pencil-sharpening video, which is hilarious.
posted by Sassenach at 11:02 AM on July 30, 2014

I really didn't know how to tie my shoes correctly before I saw this. Seriously.

He made me feel no shame and this, among many reasons, is why I love David Rees. Really real love.
posted by basicchannel at 11:10 AM on July 30, 2014

they're wrong about the shoelaces though.
I've just got back from a >1000km walk and my Iron Laces look exactly the same as when I left. They *really* won't break. The only problem with them is that they don't stretch either - even a tiny bit - so I think they may cause bruises sometimes if your boots don't have any elasticity to help cushion things a bit.
posted by silence at 12:11 PM on July 30, 2014

Actually it seems to be unlike Fishing with John but still fantastic and amazing. I love David Rees and all his works.
posted by kenko at 12:13 PM on July 30, 2014

Previously.
posted by NemesisVex at 12:20 PM on July 30, 2014

Is this available anywhere (legally) other than the NatGeo channel? It doesn't even appear to be on iTunes.
posted by Ian A.T. at 1:11 PM on July 30, 2014

I think they just put some episodes up on Amazon Instant Video, although admittedly I have no idea how that service works.
posted by dogwalker at 2:05 PM on July 30, 2014

This guy is funny, wildly talented, charming and good looking to boot. I kinda want to hate him, but all I want to do is hang out and have a few beers with him. Good show, and only going to get better, I suspect.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:39 PM on July 30, 2014

I can never decide whether he's actually interested in knowing more about trivial things, or making fun of the whole idea of knowing more, or of wanting to know more, or even of making fun. There are layers upon layers of hipster meta-snark, and his bland insincerity makes me suspect if I peeled that onion I'd find nothing in the center but nothing.

I really liked the trebuchet builder in the coin-flip episode, though. I'd watch a whole TV show about him.
posted by panglos at 3:05 AM on July 31, 2014

I am completely confident that he is totally sincere.
posted by kenko at 9:35 AM on July 31, 2014 [2 favorites]

I know David personally and he's very sincere.
posted by YoungAmerican at 6:43 PM on August 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

Every episode of this show just gets better and better. I had no idea I'd been lighting matches incorrectly the whole time.

It looks like they've started pre-orders of the DVD on Amazon, though it's the semi-sketchy "we will burn a DVD/R for you when you order this" service I've seen for a few other edge cases. I want commentary with John Hodgman, dammit.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:25 PM on August 14, 2014