SciCast Notes:

Every time I read a description that shouts ‘dramatisation!’, I get worried. It’s a slippery slope, see, between staging something that’s fun to watch, and having minute after tedious minute of incomprehensible flight-of-fancy. I know because I’ve written more than my fair share of the latter.

This film skirts that edge to surprisingly good effect. The experiment itself is quite clear (though the word ‘magnesium’ is a bit swallowed, and thus easy to miss), and the drama adds a touch of quirk rather than getting in the way too much.

Good camerawork too: my only advice would be to move the lit bunsen to one side, rather than have it in front of the performer — on camera it looks more alarming than it was, I’m sure.

The team have also sneakily fixed a tricky sound problem. We’ve had lots of press of late about television fibbing to us, but you know, most of the time, as here, it’s benign.

Good job, all. Staging something like this can be complex and time-consuming, so well done for making it through to the end, and thanks for sending us a classic bit of chemistry.

— Jonathan.