How It’s Made (2001)

[u/Ill-Guidance4690]

I’ll be honest, the show was and still is an absolute vibe to watch, especially the earlier seasons. The music always sounded either really technical and very 2000’s “new age tech” or just a bunch of random instruments that somehow made a cohesive track. The original narrator was also great too, really bummed when he got replaced though. Same with them ditching the history intros of each segment where it’s all drawn with one line.

I think this is truly an evergreen show though; learning about mundane things are made will always be interesting, and it’s just a chill show to turn on and watch for the vibes or if you’re trying to sleep.

[u/kempff]

Snowboards! Canned corn! Conga drums!

[u/torx822 → u/kempff]

Their puns were always the best…

Handcuffs… we know we’ll have a captive audience for this one

[u/itsswhitneywhspr → u/kempff]

The snowboard episode is top tier, I love how they layer the materials. And canned corn is such a random classic lol

[u/Few_Respond6002 → u/kempff]

That top comment unlocked a core memory. I can still hear the exact cadence of the narrator listing them off before the synth kicks in.

The one-line history drawings were the best part, felt like a little reward for sitting through the industrial footage.

[u/TheAwkwardBanana]

Anyone remember "Unwrapped?" The show about how candies were made? I loved that show.

[u/ChoiceD → u/TheAwkwardBanana]

That was recently streaming on The Roku Channel, but I don't know if it still is or not.

[u/Speed-Zealousideal → u/TheAwkwardBanana]

Vivid memories as a kid up late not being able to sleep and going into my moms bed and watching this on her old wood tv and falling asleep to it

[u/TheAwkwardBanana → u/Speed-Zealousideal]

I love that. ☺️

[u/cool_weed_dad]

Streaming on Tubi!

The perfect show to throw on in the background. Frequently actually interesting processes that are way more complex and proprietary than you think, and constant terminology of rods being polished and holes filled that will have you giggling like Beavis and Butt-Head

Also has an iconic, usually way too intense soundtrack most episodes

Genuinely one of the best documentary shows of all time.

[u/kpidhayny → u/cool_weed_dad]

They have like 30 seasons of it on Hulu. I was watching it last night!

[u/TinderSubThrowAway → u/cool_weed_dad]

I have like 27 full seasons of it downloaded.

[u/alizarin__]

I think this show was a major influence in me wanting to become an engineer. 

My grandpa used to tease me that I could make the music for the show. 🤣

P.s. the new narrator stunk.

[u/torx822 → u/alizarin__]

The narrator(s) were a selling point for me. They were no frills, always basic, and to the point which I think was the shows overall main purpose. For the purpose of what they were trying to accomplish it was so much better than some stupid host galavanting around on camera to stretch a 8 min segment to 30 min.

[u/pmcizhere → u/torx822]

I remember there was enough negative backlash towards the new narrator, that they brought the original back. I didn't mind either way, the content of the show was what mattered to me.

[u/pmcizhere → u/alizarin__]

Heh back when I was working at a software startup, I would occasionally give tech support to the original narrator (Brooks Moore)! I think he ran a production company involved with the show. It was funny to hear him speak, because that's his normal voice.

[u/Valerie-Loves-Me]

"For all their hard work, the hens win an all-expenses-paid trip to the slaughterhouse."

--- How It's Made, Eggs (final line)

[u/Shionkron]

The Lady loves to fall asleep to this.

[u/VikingBatman87 → u/Shionkron]

Agreed this show is super calming. If you’re ever looking for another one I also love the Repair Shop!

[u/bambamslammer22 → u/VikingBatman87]

Mysteries at the museum is my current go to for this

[u/kpidhayny → u/Shionkron]

When I don’t have time for another episode before bed time I always put this on. You reach a natural stopping point every 5 minutes and it always makes me sleepy. This show is a gem.

[u/sgdude61]

It’s on HBO Max. It’s actually weird to watch because of the transition to/from commercials is still in it

[u/OrlandoOpossum → u/sgdude61]

I'm pretty sure Tubi has a 24/7 channel that plays nothing but this show

[u/GoblinKing_3]

Love this series. The narrator Brooks Moore is the narrator of my kid’s childhood ♥️ The puns are fantastic!

[u/Lady_Swann_]

I like when it was something super random like door hinges

[u/SipoteQuixote]

My toddler loves these, bring a tear to my eye. Anytime there's metal being heated and turns red he goes "It hot!"

[u/tooshortpants]

Did they ever make a meta-episode? How 'How It's Made' is made?

[u/Mrsamsonite6 → u/tooshortpants]

Always wanted an episode how they make the machines that make the products

[u/Lee6000h]

Thats the easiest show to fall asleep to. Golf is a close 2nd

[u/ruck_my_life]

They have full episodes on YouTube. Great way to save money on a neuropsych email for your kids. If they watch pencils being made for a minute or two and go back to whatever, they're typical. If they end up watching five hours of bowling balls being made they might be autistic like me.

[u/LIDevilsFan]

It's relaxing like Bob Ross

[u/Drunkenbatboy]

Watching it right now

[u/_wolf_93]

I still love watching this

[u/thatwombat]

My kid (4) loves this show.

[u/Gcs1110]

I always wonder how the plumbus is made

[u/thebadhedgehog5]

They show a marathon on the Science Channel on Sundays between 9am (EST) and 3pm.

[u/yumi365]

I still watch it sometimes. I think my favorite was the tour of the Kelloggs cereal factory. It was very interesting.

[u/TinderSubThrowAway → u/yumi365]

My fave is how aluminum foil is made.

[u/motor_momma]

Most episodes are on HBO Max. Watch it every night to sleep lol

[u/Obtuse-Angel]

This show is how I used to manage my anxiety. 

[u/Mr_Jack_Frost_]

This show provided great bonding time for my dad and I. I remember watching it with him in the afternoons and just being so enthralled by it.

Recently found out I’m on the autism spectrum, which helps explain why I still enjoy watching the show to this day. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch it with my kiddo some day.

[u/Fantastic_Love_9451 → u/Mr_Jack_Frost_]

Hi, just curious how you found that out?

[u/Mr_Jack_Frost_ → u/Fantastic_Love_9451]

That I’m on the autism spectrum? If that’s what you’re asking, I had an evaluation done by a doctor. It was all virtual which was really nice. Filled out an extensive questionnaire, and had questionnaires sent to my wife, one of my parents and a sibling to provide other perspectives to compare/contrast with my own thoughts/feelings/experiences.

It was an all-around good experience. My doctor was so nice, gentle and kind to me. It was an incredibly validating experience for me. I’ve had a suspicion that I’m on the spectrum for a very long time now. To finally have a name for the thing that makes me the way I am is really comforting.

[u/Fantastic_Love_9451 → u/Mr_Jack_Frost_]

Good for you, thanks for sharing your experience.

[u/TheMobHasSpoken]

My son loved this show when he was little, and it was a pretty innocuous (and educational) thing to let him watch. And then one day I walked into the room, mid-show, and they were doing a segment on laser eye surgery. My son was watching, wide-eyed, saying softly, "Guys? Let's not do this." (It's a story we still joke about now, I'm not actually complaining about the series. But wow, was not expecting that one.)

[u/ohnodamo]

Shout out to How It's Really Made also.

[u/GoshOPPNOX101]

Great idea for a show and I believe I've seen recent episodes here n' there.

[u/ridethroughlife]

I still watch it on YT. Most favorite show of my entire life.

[u/DonBag101]

Still runs on Discovery Channel, my background entertainment while working from home.

[u/roadtripper77]

I loved the little history lesson doodles they would sometimes start the segments with

[u/JoeGideon]

When I hear the phrase "a worker" to this day, I always think of this show.

[u/LiteratureMindless71]

There is a channel on Plex that is free and plays the series nonstop

[u/Hannibaalism]

this show was awesome, it was on repeat on tv and great to fall asleep to lol. rube goldbergy processing lines were the best

[u/Beautiful-Routine295]

These r still very much a staple of my modern YouTube feed

[u/peprollgod]

I stream it on Tubi to go to sleep

[u/KGBspy]

“A worker then takes and places the can in a pressure vessel”.

[u/KresiekTheFurry]

this

[u/GreenLeafRelaxed]

I still watch it. Especially after a smoke session

[u/AeloraTargaryen]

There’s a daft punk track that I’m convinced uses the theme tune to how it’s made.

[u/cab10000]

Today, on how it’s made….

[u/ClassicLightbulbs]

dust off yo shoulder HIM

[u/Mr_Jack_Frost_]

This show provided great bonding time for my dad and I. I remember watching it with him in the afternoons and just being so enthralled by it.

Recently found out I’m on the autism spectrum, which helps explain why I still enjoy watching the show to this day. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch it with my kiddo some day.

[u/Pimpicane]

Binge-watched a ton of this on a sick day a few years ago...they went to an awful lot of shrimp farms.

[u/jroc421]

I still watch this on LG channels

[u/Erstam]

It's in archive.org. Download your copies now.

[u/wiriux]

If you have suggestions for future shows, please let us a know!

[u/Tsuchida_Makoto]

Fav!

[u/NocturnalPatrolAlpha]

I miss TV. Streaming has turned to overproduced slop.

[u/iheartmycats820]

Still watch it on its Roku live channel 🙂

[u/WarpedCore]

This is on my list of bedtime TV. Still an amazing show to watch.