James May's Man Lab

James May's Man Lab aired on BBC Two from 2010 to 2013. The highly engaging and entertaining show features James May, co-host of BBC's hit auto show Top Gear, stepping into a different kind of driving seat as he seeks to understand, unravel and explain various aspects of the modern world that most men have seemed to lose touch with.

James May's Man Lab is essentially a 'how-to' and 'do-it-yourself' guide, focused on reaffirming and celebrating the practicability that men were once associated with. The show seeks to demonstrate how men can re-skill themselves, encouraging men to be well-rounded, capable, and independent individuals. It is aimed at challenging and transforming the modern man's image from a somewhat inept individual, helpless without the aid of technology or professional intervention, to someone resourceful and self-reliant.

Man Lab is set in a vast multifunctional workshop, a very masculine space where James and his team work. However, instead of modifying cars as he did in Top Gear, James May is seen navigating a variety of practical tasks and challenges in each episode that span across a variety of themes. These include skills that, as the show suggests, were once seen as basic to being a man, such as home repair, survival skills, wine-making, and even cooking – basic life skills that have become somewhat lost in recent generations.

The premise is quite straightforward. Each episode sees May, supported by his willing team of assistants, undertake multiple projects that range from the practical to the fun, absurd, and side-splittingly hilarious. Among the ludicrous tasks attempted, viewers will see him restoring furniture, brewing beer, building a kitchen from scratch, and constructing a functioning toilet, among many other unpredictable endeavors.

The idea behind the show is not purely comedic, though there is a healthy dose of humor, often resulting from May's somewhat haphazard approach to the tasks. Man Lab is also educational, intending to inspire viewers, particularly men, to rekindle and rediscover the forgotten aspects of practical self-sufficiency and to tackle tasks with their own hands instead of resorting to outsourcing.

James May merges his natural winsome character, his engaging style, and his ability to make complex concepts engagingly simple to bring a unique sense of appeal to James May's Man Lab. Whether it's constructing an entire pub using traditional techniques, or figuring out how to perform the perfect serenade to woo a woman, May's infectious enthusiasm and curiosity bring the show to life and maintain the audience's interest.

In all iterations, the emphasis of the show is that men, and indeed humanity at large, were once able to do so much more for themselves. James May's Man Lab contends that a fundamental measure of a man's masculinity was his practical ability, the capacity to solve problems locally, personally, and with available resources. The series seeks to dramatically illustrate that these skills are not redundant but relevant even in the modern world.

On a deeper level, the show invites a critical reflection on how modern society has evolved, arguably deemphasizing the value of hands-on skills and practical knowledge in favor of more technological expertise. It suggests that part of us has lost touch with the physical world and the joy derived from manual tasks.

Whether you watch the show to laugh at May's enthusiastic attempts to recapture traditional masculinity, to learn some valuable life skills, or simply to enjoy an entertaining hour of television, it's undeniable that James May's Man Lab is worth watching. As both a lighthearted entertainment piece and potentially eye-opening commentary on modern masculinity, it successfully blurs the line between humor, practical tips, and educational content, making it a unique and worthwhile viewing experience on BBC Two.