US 1970s educational/science TV series?

April 27, 2014 9:43 AM

I'm trying to remember a series of shows broadcast in the late 1970s or maybe as late as 1980 or so. It explained science topics through the lens of recent discoveries or advancements. It might have been PBS but I think it was a "special broadcast" on network tv. I loved them and got all excited when one would be on, so I don't think it was regular or weekly. The only one I specifically remember was on the brain, told through the story of a little girl (?) who needed brain surgery. It wasn't for specifically for kids, but I recall them being very upbeat and "yay science!" They were broadcast in prime time, probably 8 PM. Also: it's definitely not Connections. Apologies - this may the the vaguest TV-related AskMe yet!
posted by JoanArkham to Media & Arts (10 answers total)

The Curiosity Shop?
Although I see this was a Saturday morning weekly, so perhaps not.
posted by dchunks at 9:52 AM on April 27, 2014

Response by poster: Nope, the opening graphics were very high-tech looking (in that 1970's way...)
posted by JoanArkham at 9:58 AM on April 27, 2014

you've probably already considered this - but was it nova? here are all the intros. they get pretty high-tech looking around the 50 second mark.
posted by nadawi at 10:17 AM on April 27, 2014

Response by poster: It might have been a special series within Nova, but it was definitely something that ran for a certain number of episodes then ended.
posted by JoanArkham at 11:15 AM on April 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Was going to recommend Connections... sounds like the more modern Nova Science Now.
posted by leastlikelycowgirl at 2:05 PM on April 27, 2014

Possibly 3-2-1 Contact? (That's the opening credits.) This was a science show on PBS in the 70's (not just the 80's like that says).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:08 PM on April 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

with the same host as Connections was The day the Universe Changed, which was also awesome.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:08 PM on April 27, 2014

Response by poster: I loved 3-2-1 Contact! But that's not it. This was not a kids show, more like Cosmos in its appeal to adults and older kids. (Which is what got me thinking of it...)

The more I think on it the more I think it was on network tv, with commercials.
posted by JoanArkham at 2:42 PM on April 27, 2014

Was it possibly Here Come The Seventies? It was shown in my area on CBC (our local Canadian channel in the Detroit area) but it apparently was broadcast under other names in different countries. The end of the opening credits showed a nude woman walking into the ocean, if that's any help.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:08 AM on April 28, 2014

Any chance it was a Nature of Things special with David Suzuki, that somehow made it across the border?

Newton's Apple is probably too recent, I'd bet.
posted by mitschlag at 3:27 PM on April 28, 2014