Sport Science (TV program)

Last updated
Sport Science
Directed by John Brenkus
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes24
Production
Executive producersDavid Leepson
John Brenkus
Original release
Network ESPN (series 3), FSN (series 1–2)
ReleaseSeptember 30, 2007 (2007-09-30) 
October 20, 2009 (2009-10-20)
John Brenkus, the Host of Sport Science, in May 2010. John Brenkus 2010 Indy 500 Practice Day 2.JPG
John Brenkus, the Host of Sport Science, in May 2010.

Sport Science is an ongoing television series that explores the science and engineering underlying athletic endeavors. Originally filmed as a 12-part series that was broadcast on FSN from September 9, 2007, to April 20, 2008 (Series 1), the second series (2009) also appeared on FSN. Series 3 (2010) was picked up by ESPN. ESPN, who has changed the name of the series to SportScience, has yet to air new episodes. Instead, the network has chosen to air various SportScience vignettes during programs such as SportsCenter. Sport Science is a spinoff of its predecessor Fight Science on National Geographic. [1] Season 1 of Sport Science is currently available for streaming from TVNZ OnDemand.

The series is filmed inside a Los Angeles airport hangar or on location using a mobile laboratory. Each episode on series 1 focused on testing certain aspects of athletics (such as human flight and reaction time), while series 2 either poses more questions from previous episodes, or tries to re-analyze sporting moments or trials and tribulations, puts a human against animals or machines, or even checking against other sports or challenging the odds with data gathered using motion sensors and accelerometers. Professional athletes are featured prominently and are used to test the limits of the human body. In addition, host John Brenkus also participated in cases where an "average Joe" was required.

The Lead Engineer throughout the Sport Science series has been Dr. Cynthia Bir, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Using methods that have been developed to understand human injury biomechanics, and developing new techniques to address the unique challenges found when studying live volunteers in high impact and high speed activities, Dr. Bir helps viewers to understand the forces (internal and external) sustained and generated by the body during high level athletic activities.

Sport Science was nominated for four Sports Emmy Awards in 2008 for Series 1, [2] winning for Outstanding Graphic Design. [3] Series 2 received even more accolades in 2009, being nominated for five Emmys [4] and receiving two awards, for Outstanding Graphic Design and also for Outstanding New Approaches in Sports Programming. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Flannery</span> American actress

Susan Flannery is an American actress and director. She made her screen debut appearing in the 1965 Western film Guns of Diablo and later appeared in some television series. From 1966 to 1975, Flannery starred as Laura Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives for which she received her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Young</span> American actor and producer

Jacob Wayne Young is an American actor and producer. He is a five-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 2002 for his role as Lucky Spencer in the soap opera General Hospital (2000–2003). He is best known for his roles as Rick Forrester in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful and JR Chandler in the soap opera All My Children (2003–2011).

Mitchell Donald "Mitch" Hurwitz is an American television writer, producer, and actor. He is best known as the creator of the television sitcom Arrested Development as well as the co-creator of The Ellen Show. He is also a contributor to The John Larroquette Show and The Golden Girls.

Paul Rudish is an American animator, storyboard artist, writer, and voice actor, originally known for his art, writing, and design work at Cartoon Network Studios on series created by Genndy Tartakovsky. He went on to co-create the series Sym-Bionic Titan and, in 2013, developed, wrote, storyboarded, executive produced, and directed a revival of Mickey Mouse short cartoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series</span> American television award

This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1988 the category was not gender specific, thus was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, are not presented at the Primetime Emmy Award ceremony, but rather at the Creative Arts Emmy Award ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series</span> Award for actresses

This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1989, the category was not gender-specific, and, thus, was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. It is given in honor to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest-starring role in a television comedy series. The current recipient is Judith Light for Poker Face. Since the category change in 1989, a total of 34 actresses were awarded for their performances. The most awarded actress is Cloris Leachman, with 3 wins, followed by Tina Fey, Colleen Dewhurst, Kathryn Joosten, Jean Smart, Tracey Ullman, Betty White, and Maya Rudolph, with 2 wins. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, were previously not presented at the Primetime Emmy Award ceremony, but, rather, at the Creative Arts Emmy Award ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series</span> Annual award

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance is a Creative Arts Emmy Award given out by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. It is awarded to a performer for an outstanding "continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or a special." Prior to 1992, voice-actors could be nominated for their performance in the live action acting categories. The award was first given in 1992 when six voice actors from The Simpsons shared the award. From 1992 to 2008, it was a juried award, so there were no nominations and there would be multiple or no recipients in one year. In 2009, the rules were changed to a category award, with five nominees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series</span> Emmy award

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.

A Chef's Life was an American documentary-style cooking show created by Cynthia Hill and Vivian Howard. The series was produced by Markay Media and was broadcast by PBS. The series premiered September 7, 2013, and its final episode, a series special called The Final Harvest, aired on October 22, 2018.

Cynthia Bir is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Wayne State University and also an Emmy-award-winning television producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Brenkus</span> American producer, director, and television personality

John Brenkus is an American producer, director, and television personality. He is the co-founder and co-CEO of BASE Productions, a production company that specializes in creating reality television programs for channels such as Spike, National Geographic and ESPN. His company's most popular programs include Fight Science and Sport Science, the latter of which he served as host. He also formerly hosted his own podcast, The Brink of Midnight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Abbott (director)</span> American film director

Robert Abbott is an American film director and TV producer, known for his work in sports journalism and documentary films. Abbott has worked for CNN and ESPN, before starting Hey Abbott! Entertainment in January 2009. Abbott's most recent work is the 2022 documentary on Eli Broad- the first American businessman to found two Fortune 500 companies in different industries, Eli Broad’s success was defined by keen vision, an appetite for risk-taking and an instinct for strong partners. Abbott also directed a 2018 documentary titled Port of Destiny: Peace. The film focuses on former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner, and his work in ending the five-decade civil war between far-left rebel group FARC and the government of Colombia. Prior to Port of Destiny: Peace, he produced, directed, and narrated ESPN's 30 for 30 entitled The Last Days of Knight (2018), where Abbott tells the story of his investigation that led to the 2000 firing of the longtime head coach of Indiana University men's basketball, Bob Knight.

References

  1. "How She Does It: Cynthia Bir, Biomedical Engineer". workingmother.com. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  2. "The Emmy Awards - THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY PRESENTS THE 29th ANNUAL SPORTS Emmy® AWARDS". Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  3. "The Emmy Awards - WINNERS OF THE 29th ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS". 2008-05-02. Archived from the original on 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  4. "The Emmy Awards - THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY ANNONCES THE NOMINEES FOR THE 30th ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS". Archived from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
  5. "The Emmy Awards - THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY ANNONCES THE WINNERS FOR THE 30th ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS". Archived from the original on 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2010-04-09.