By Tony Raap
Today’s News-Herald
Forget MTV. “Smash Lab” has now left its footprints on Lake Havasu.
More than 40 Cast and crewmembers of the newly premiered TV show spent the past week and a half shooting parts of three episodes in several locations around the city. Today is the last day of shooting as the crew films its last episode of the show’s first season.
Described as “MythBusters” on steroids, “Smash Lab,” which premiered Jan. 16th on the Discovery Channel, is a “visual feast of fireballs, explosions, crashes, collapses, collisions and impacts-because sometimes destruction is good for you,” according to the shows website.
Jason Edwards, one of the show’s producers, said the premise of “Smash Lab” is to take existing technology and refocus it to “make the world a better place.” The show’s four hosts-a designer, and engineer, and ideas guy and a scientist-study the technology to see how it works and then apply the knowledge they acquired in an explosive fashion.
Could bulletproof Kevlar protect an airliner from bombs? Could an airbag be reinvented to prevent a nose-diving helicopter from sinking into the sea?
“Some of these things are far-fetched,” Edwards said, but added that the concepts make for compelling television.
Although Edwards was careful not to divulge too much about the episodes filmed here, he did say one involved throwing a rowboat out of an airplane and another had something to do with an ejector seat. “Stay tuned,” he said.
On Monday, the crew filmed at an empty workshop next to Craig Plumbing on Holly Ave. Edwards said the rest of the week was mostly spent shooting on the water. So why, of all places, did “Smash Lab” pick Havasu?
“It’s a beautiful location, and we needed a location with water. Havasu had everything we needed,” Edwards said.
Series producer Nathaniel Grouille agreed, saying he was pleased with the location even though the weather was a little chillier than he hoped for.
“I’ve been surprised. It’s been great,” Grouille said on Monday in between takes.
“It’s going very well. Filming on water is tricky, but so far it’s been very good.
“Smash Lab” was not Havasu’s first foray in television. In the mid-1990’s, MTV filmed its spring break special here. This past spring, the network revisited Havasu when it filmed an episode of its popular reality show “Road Rules” at the Nautical.
“Smash Lab” airs on Wednesday nights. Check local listings for time and channel. |
