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Episode: Buster Special Original Air Date: February 2, 2005 Myths: No Myths - Rebuilding Buster and Special Memories. Clips from Exploding Toilet, Barrel of Bricks, Hammer/Bridge Jump, Raccoon Rocket, Mad Trombonist, Forest Fire SCUBA Diver, Elevator of Death, Boom LIft Catapult, Plywood Builder, Ming Dynasty Astronaut.
This special episode highlights all the "lowlights" of the Mythbusters' "Ultimate Fall Guy", Buster the Dummy. Even the regular opening sequence has a special introduction by Bob Lee as scenes were shown of some of the more painful myths that Buster was put through.
Opening scene shows what's left of Buster and the guys describing what happened to him and how he got this way. They also describe the first day that Buster arrived at the shop as "pink and perfect" and as "fresh as a newborn baby"
Buster 1.0 moment #1: The unpacking
Memorable quote: Jaime: "It's all I need is another dummy around this place." Adam: "Yeah but you can kick this ones' a**!"
Buster is delivered to the shop and Adam is all giddy and describes the newly delivered dummy as the "new star of Mythbusters". He is unpacked and ready to go! But not before getting a ceremonial kick in the head from Adam.
Buster 1.0 moment #2: The exploding toilet
Memorable quote: Narrator Bob Lee: "He was about to learn two valuable lessons. First, even for a crash test dummy, smoking is bad for your health. And second, you really should ask a few questions before signing on for T.V. stunt work"
For Busters' first assignment, the MythBusters place him on a toilet filled with a half canister of black powder, drop a lit cigarette between Busters' legs and BOOM!, Buster has his first mythbusting battle scars and survived the mother-of-all initiation hazings!
Buster 2.0 moment #1
The guys are in the "Bone Room" to get some bones to rebuild Buster. They purchase some human arm and leg bones to test for strength to help with the rebuild. They describe that the punishment they put Buster through was far worse than the car crashes he was originally designed for. Jaime says that they came down on him like a barrel of bricks.
Buster 1.0 moment #3: The Barrel of Bricks
Memorable quote: From Narrator Bob Lee: "Testing the Barrel of Bricks myth was Busters' first real taste of just how evil the Mythbusters can be!"
The Mythbusters construct a scaffolding over 30 feet high and tie Buster to one end of a barrel containing 500 pounds of bricks. The experiment works perfectly as the barrel of bricks breaks and Buster gets launched, lands hard on the ground then has the empty barrel land on top of him!
Buster 2.0 moment #2
Memorable quote: Jaime: "Somebody's been eating his Wheaties!"
The guys test the strength of the human femur bone. First try: 200 pounds. Second try: 225. And so on as they continue to ad weights to their weight machine. They are up at 600 pounds and the bone still won't break! They go up to 625 pounds and finally, the bone breaks in spectacular fashion! They now need to find a material that can take 600 pounds but not 625 pounds because it's happened before and it's likely that they'll deliver that kind of force to Buster again...and again...and again...
Buster 1.0 moment #4: The hammer jump
Memorable quote: Narrator Bob Lee: "Bridge jumping! What a joy for Buster."
The guys prepare Buster for this myth by installing an accelerometer in his head and testing the device by dropping him off the lift. The guys are at the crane site and drop Buster on a test run but end up losing a leg. A second test drop losses the other leg and does additional damage to Buster. Legless, they attach the hammer to Buster and let him go! Hammer made no difference. Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #3
Jaime describes that he had to go back and search for Busters' legs with a clam rake. Adam tests poplar spar that he feels will make a great pair of arms and legs for Buster 2.0. Adam tests the piece of poplar with their weight machine and it breaks at the same weight as the human femur bone did. Adam says that if you are shot out of a large drainage pipe, the poplar will show whether or not the landing will break any bones.
Buster 1.0 moment #5: Raccoon Rocket
The guys set up a large drain pipe on a large mound of dirt. First try, they pour five gallons of gas at one end of the pipe, light the gas, but no explosion. Then, they test the myth the "Mythbusters" way, by using ten, one pound cans of gunpowder, a sabot for Buster to fit into and a large plug for the pipe. They load Buster in the pipe, set the charges and BOOM!, Buster gets launched from the pipe. Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #4
Buster 2.0 is coming along nicely. Bob Lee describes that hardly anything will be left of Buster 1.0. The gang has constructed a custom made skeleton that will closely resemble a human body. Adam "poses" with the new skeleton and asks "Dr. Jaime" if he'll be able to play the piano after the operation is complete. "Dr. Jaime" says to look at the next "safety" film on the dangers of playing the trombone.
Buster 1.0 moment #6: The Mad Trombonist
Memorable quote #1: From pyrotechnician Jack Morocco: "Just another day of blowing something up"
Memorable quote #2: From narrator Bob Lee: "Notice how everyone moved behind the safety screen. Some nights, Buster dreams of doing that!"
Narrator Bob Lee describes the myth of a wacky trombonist who thought it would be fun by shooting his mute out into the audience by placing a firecracker in his trombone mute and setting it to go off during the crescendo of the 1812 Overture. Unfortunately, it doesnít go as planned.
The gang set up Buster in front of the explosives filled trombone and BOOM!, the trombone explodes in spectacular fashion. Buster is still standing after the final big explosion so Adam has to knock some sense into Buster by kicking him into the audience. Myth busted.
Buster 1.0 moment #7: Forest Fire Scuba Diver
Scenes of Scottie and Kari getting Buster into a wet suit. Then of the pump the gang built to test this myth at the Encinal High School swimming pool. They attempt the myth with Buster in full SCUBA gear, then without the cowling and the SCUBA tank but the pump was unable to pick Buster up. Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #5
The guys describe that thanks to Buster 1.0, SCUBA divers now feel safer swimming near forest fires. They then describe that people riding in elevators now know what to do in the event of a falling elevator.
Buster 1.0 moment #8: The Elevator of Death
The gang rig the elevator in the old Royal Hotel in Oakland, CA for it to free fall to the bottom, with Buster inside. Scottie is constructing a "turbo" pogo stick that will launch Buster in the air before the elevator hits the bottom. After three tugs of the quick release mechanism, Adam releases the elevator with Buster in it down to the bottom. Buster jumps on cue. In the aftermath of the fall, Adam has a good laugh when he and the rest of the gang see that Buster has fallen to pieces. Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #6
Adam and Jaime describes Buster 2.0's new flesh called "dragon skin" that is supposed to be tough and resistant to heat. Adam takes a torch to the test piece to show its fire resistant abilities. Adam says that the new Buster has to be able to take a pretty hard hit like in the boom-lift catapult. In a homage to Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, the guys alternate hitting the dragon skin with hammers of increasing size.
Buster 1.0 moment #9: The Boom-Lift Catapult
Memorable quote: Narrator Bob Lee: "And so a simple little myth turned into a magnificent, stupid, monstrous challenge!"
Bob Lee comments that because of Scottie's "metal maiden skills", she's perfect as Busters' personal physician. Kari even gives the newly repaired dummy a heart made of duct tape. They find a used boom-lift, attach it to a car engine and...nothing happens. Then, the gang decide to construct a trebuchet with the boom-lift by lifting it on two shipping containers and Scottie welding on two axle extensions to the front wheels. The boom-lift is cocked, with Buster in the lift and the gang, in unison, pull on the quick release. Buster is catapulted for about 60 feet and suffers in the landing. The boom-lift didn't fare so well either. Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #7
The guys inspect some of Buster 2.0's newly molded dragon skin flesh. They comment on how bouncy and fleshy it is and that if Buster 1.0 had this kind of flesh, he would have bounced instead of crashed in Plywood Builder. Adam thinks that Buster would've been toast anyway.
Buster 1.0 moment #10: Plywood Builder
Memorable quote: Adam Savage: "What a fat lot of good that did!"
Bob Lee describes the myth as a construction worker being blown off a building while holding a sheet of plywood who gets blown off of a building but lands safely on a lower floor. Adam and Jaime create full sized wood rigs for Buster to try out. They first try it as originally stated in the myth. Buster crash lands in spectacular fashion. The gang strap Buster to Adam's rig and...the crash is even more spectacular. They strap him to Jaime's rig and he crashes in a large heap, leaving Adam in hysterics! Myth busted.
Buster 2.0 moment #8
The guys are just about completed with Buster 2.0. They are putting the finishing touches on him. They are about to put some clothes on him when Adam says "finally, something for female fans" and taps Busters' newly attached posterior. He's dressed in a nice orange jump suit. He's now ready for" high impact, highly flammable, highly improbable situations." Like simulating an ancient Chinese guy going into outer space on a throne with a bunch of rockets strapped to it.
Buster 1.0 moment #11: Ming Dynasty Astronaut
Memorable quote: Adam Savage: 80 pounds of gunpowder, 22 idiots, 1 crash test dummy...priceless!"
Narrator Bob Lee: With 22 idiots to choose from, Buster was again entitled to wonder why he was the one being strapped to the rocket chair"
The gang builds two "kinda, sorta" authentic Chinese ancient thrones. One will be strapped with bamboo rockets powered with Adamsí dubious home brew gunpowder. The second throne would be powered with conventional, high-powered rockets. The first launch attempt sees Buster get blown up. Jamie comments that there is hardly a single patch of skin that was left un-charred. The second try actually launches Buster a few feet off the ground but lands upside down in a heap. Myth busted.
Final Buster 2.0 moment:
The guys describe all the horror that they put Buster 1.0 through. Adam and Jaime bring Buster outside for all the world to see. Before he is put into service, Adam pulls out a bottle of Mythbusters champagne and attempts to christen Buster 2.0 *THWACK*. He christens him Buster 2.0 *THWACK*. He christens him Buster 2.0! Success! |
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