Stuck with Hackett
Encyclopedia
Stuck with Hackett is a television show created and produced by Silver Machine
for the Science Channel . It was commissioned as a pilot in 2010 and picked up as a nine-part series which began airing on August 18th, 2011. It follows the trials and tribulations of artist Chris Hackett
, founder of the Madagascar Institute as he turns everyday trash, into new and unexpected machines or mechanisms.
is an artist who grew up in New York. He creates large, interactive art installations. He is the founder of The Madagascar Institute, an artist cooperative space based in Brooklyn, New York.
Leaving on a Jet Train - August 18
Hackett starts with an abandoned rail yard, and fabricates a locomotive of sorts.
Laundromat of the Gods - August 25
To clean his junkyard-contaminated clothes, Hackett resurrects a washer and dryer from parts and an automobile, building a welder in the process
Hospital of Horror - September 1
In an abandoned medical facility, Hackett fabricates several types of hazardous artificial illumination.
The Suburbs Are for Suckers - September 8
Hackett re-invents several types of power sources, in order to run modern electric conveniences in an abandoned desert home off the grid
.
Dirt Boat - September 22
Hackett builds a vehicle from parts at an abandoned aviation junkyard.
Really Freaking Fast Food - September 22
To prepare meals from food found in dumpsters, Hackett creates a kitchen in a machine shop.
Do Bears...? - September 29
Hackett builds a shower, a pump, and a water heater from found items in an abandoned RV camp.
Hackestivus! - October 6
Hackett invents a holiday at an abandoned munitions factory, and devices rockets and fireworks to celebrate.
Hot Tub on Ice - October 13
Hackett attempts to devise a hot tub built with snow, powered by the sun.
, Dave Giancaspro recommended the series to viewers. Common Sense Media
used "cool", "exceptional", "clear" and "compelling" to describe the science lessons embodied in the show, while cautioning that kids should be taught not to follow Hackett's example of tearing apart his environment, and occasionally blowing things up; the non-profit group rated the show as appropriate for ages 9 and up. In Media Life Magazine
, Tom Conroy found the show "fun, engrossing and informative", except for Hackett's overuse of the word "obtainium." Of the pilot episode, Conroy wondered if an abandoned rail yard would have a working pump car, a working gasoline engine, and nearby fueled-up lawn mowers, and wondered how much "support" Hackett received during the project. He found what Hackett achieved to be "amazing" nonetheless, and beyond the show's educational content, declared Hackett "fun".
Silver Machine
Silver Machine is a 1972 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single on 9 June 1972, reaching #3 on the UK singles chart. The single was re-issued in 1976, 1978 reaching #34 on the UK singles charts, and in 1983 reaching #67 on the UK singles charts...
for the Science Channel . It was commissioned as a pilot in 2010 and picked up as a nine-part series which began airing on August 18th, 2011. It follows the trials and tribulations of artist Chris Hackett
Chris Hackett (artist)
Chris Hackett, , is an American artist and television presenter. He is a co-founder of the Madagascar Institute and the current host of the Science Channel’s television show Stuck with Hackett.-The Madagascar Institute:...
, founder of the Madagascar Institute as he turns everyday trash, into new and unexpected machines or mechanisms.
Format
Each episode takes Hackett to a different abandoned location. In season one, Hackett visits a variety of places including a rail yard, a munitions factory, and a log cabin. After deciding what he’s going to create to make his stay in the abandoned location more enjoyable, Hackett begins to collect various pieces of "obtainium", a term he uses for any anything from trash to scrap metal to large pieces of machinery that are being repurposed. Hackett then proceeds to construct the desired completed object, with "off camera support" of his production team.Chris Hackett
Chris HackettChris Hackett (artist)
Chris Hackett, , is an American artist and television presenter. He is a co-founder of the Madagascar Institute and the current host of the Science Channel’s television show Stuck with Hackett.-The Madagascar Institute:...
is an artist who grew up in New York. He creates large, interactive art installations. He is the founder of The Madagascar Institute, an artist cooperative space based in Brooklyn, New York.
Episodes
Episodes broadcast in 2011.Leaving on a Jet Train - August 18
Hackett starts with an abandoned rail yard, and fabricates a locomotive of sorts.
Laundromat of the Gods - August 25
To clean his junkyard-contaminated clothes, Hackett resurrects a washer and dryer from parts and an automobile, building a welder in the process
Hospital of Horror - September 1
In an abandoned medical facility, Hackett fabricates several types of hazardous artificial illumination.
The Suburbs Are for Suckers - September 8
Hackett re-invents several types of power sources, in order to run modern electric conveniences in an abandoned desert home off the grid
Off the grid
Off the grid may refer to:*Off-the-grid, housing not connected to public utilities*Off the Grid , the first single from the Beastie Boys album The Mix-Up...
.
Dirt Boat - September 22
Hackett builds a vehicle from parts at an abandoned aviation junkyard.
Really Freaking Fast Food - September 22
To prepare meals from food found in dumpsters, Hackett creates a kitchen in a machine shop.
Do Bears...? - September 29
Hackett builds a shower, a pump, and a water heater from found items in an abandoned RV camp.
Hackestivus! - October 6
Hackett invents a holiday at an abandoned munitions factory, and devices rockets and fireworks to celebrate.
Hot Tub on Ice - October 13
Hackett attempts to devise a hot tub built with snow, powered by the sun.
Reception
New York Times reviewer Neil Genzlinger wrote that Hackett's "can-do spirit is admirable. This is the guy I want to be lost with when the [apocolypse] comes..." In WiredWired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
, Dave Giancaspro recommended the series to viewers. Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media , commonly known as CSM, is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization which serves as a guide for parents that has reviews for most media types, including books, movies, video games, music, and websites, and rates them in terms of violence, sex, and profanity. The website...
used "cool", "exceptional", "clear" and "compelling" to describe the science lessons embodied in the show, while cautioning that kids should be taught not to follow Hackett's example of tearing apart his environment, and occasionally blowing things up; the non-profit group rated the show as appropriate for ages 9 and up. In Media Life Magazine
Media Life Magazine
Media Life Magazine is an online daily magazine/newspaper that started in May 1999 by Gene Ely. The publication covers all aspects of the media.-External links:* at LinkedIn...
, Tom Conroy found the show "fun, engrossing and informative", except for Hackett's overuse of the word "obtainium." Of the pilot episode, Conroy wondered if an abandoned rail yard would have a working pump car, a working gasoline engine, and nearby fueled-up lawn mowers, and wondered how much "support" Hackett received during the project. He found what Hackett achieved to be "amazing" nonetheless, and beyond the show's educational content, declared Hackett "fun".