This one-hour show reminds me of Junkyard Wars, and yet it's not like that at all. There are two four-person teams comprised of 3 guys and 1 gal. Red Team and Blue Team are the easy-to-follow team names. With color-coded outfits, this is a show you can watch while you're drinking, although you may find it more difficult to follow the science & math. Teams compete to solve puzzles and complete challenges as they race to build "insane vehicles" which they will race against each other to earn their Escape from Experiment Island.

Each episode is self-contained, and there is no prize money. Teams compete for the pure joy of being the first team helicoptered away. This week's teams include engineers, a computer repairwoman, a surgeon, automotive technicians and one guy was part of a Nobel Peace Prize-winning physics group.

Crate Challenge
First up is the Crate Challenge. A crate containing a car steering wheel, car keys, a buoy, an anchor, cargo straps & a welding mask are the clues. Teams need to figure out from that seemingly unrelated pile of crap what they will be constructing.

When they think they have it figured out, one person runs over to the hosts to state his team's conclusion. Red Team come up with an answer first, but "land and water vehicle" is wrong because teams will not be driving on land. Blue Team's guy says 'car-powered boat' and wins a 10 second head-start on the next challenge.

Key Challenge
With map and compass in hand, Blue Team begin orienteering. Host Vanessa the Engineer chats with Red Team while they wait for the minute to run out so they can get on with Key Challenge.

Both teams have to shlep their crate as they navigate their way to a set of instructions. In the small river is a pole with a key stuck on top. Materials - a pole, wire cutters and duct tape - have been left for them to use to build a means of key-retrieval.

Blue team retrieves the key first and wins the right to be first to use it to enter a crap-filled room called a Forge.

Forge Challenge
At the Forge, teams select a team member who can hopefully size up a roomful of junk and relay descriptions of what they're seeing via walkie-talkie to teammates outside, so they can offer assistance in making selections. The goal is to pick stuff in two minutes that will come in handy with building a car-powered boat.

At this juncture, viewers get a quick look at the French deuz chevaux cars teams will be using for the car/boat.

Voice-over Guy tells us that Vanessa, the Host who is also an Engineer, has placed in amongst the crap 3 items that she has convinced herself teams would be bonkers to pass up. There is a manual for the car, a blackboard with the formula 2CV = 28 BHP (meaning the 2 c.v. of the car is equal to 28 brake horsepower. I'm sure someone sees the value of that, but I don't.) The third item was pieces of plywood that could be used to make a bow. A red herring in the form of a shiny foot pump is prominently placed, but won't be of any use.

While Blue Team guy goes in and begins conversing with team-mates, the hosts are going nuts over the fact that he walked right by the fabulous materials he has no idea he ought to grab. Instead, he decides that a potful of junk, the red herring foot pump, and a pulley would be good items. As the 10 second warning sounds, Blue Guy gets out with his items with seconds to spare.

Red Team's Guy had the disadvantage of dealing with a dishevelled roomful of junk, because Production Staff did not see fit to put the room back to the original "pristine condition" that the junk was in. Just one of the downsides of being second. Stuff was left pushed over, tossed on the floor. Red Team Guy also misses even noticing the manual and the plywood, and the blackboard, being pushed forward, was not clearly visible with its oh-so-important formula. Red Team Guy grabs caution tape, duct tape and some rusty old chain. Then he gets into a big fight with the door, and the door wins.

Time is up and Red Team Guy doesn't get out so Red Team loses the dubious benefit of the items he did grab.

The most difficult part of this challenge turned out to be getting out of the room, remembering that the door swung in, not out. It is also interesting to note that even though neither team snagged the "3 best items", both teams managed to get their cars working. So much for the 3 best items shtick.

Gas Can Challenge
Before the teams go back to camp to rest for the night, they are told about the next day's challenge. In Gas Can challenge, teams have to figure out which of 6 sealed cans contains gasoline (the other cans have seawater).

We see a bit of footage of teams talking about their plans for the next day while in their respective tents. They have the evening to come up with a plan of attack. The next morning and I realize that food is not an issue for this group, because we aren't shown them preparing meals or eating them. At most I saw some cups of hot drinks. They are roughing it, and a few moments are spent on washing with the very cold water.

Blue Team has decided to go by "feel", reasoning that as gas is less dense, it will feel lighter. Red Team is going by sound, but they're still pinging cans trying to hear a difference when Blue Team sound their air horn to indicate completion of the task. Vanessa explains to us in scientific terms why the Blue Team plan was correct.

Wheels on Cars Challenge
The teams' next challenge is put wheels on their cars. The benefit of winning the gas can challenge is that Blue Team gets first pick of the equipment to use to raise the car. Their choice is between air pump supplies, or supplies for an A-frame and block & tackle.

Teams are told that from here on out, every time a team loses a challenge, they'll receive a 10 second penalty to be tacked onto the start of the final race.

Blue Team picks the inner tube, with plans for a quick and easy air jack. Red Team are left with "the rest". Now teams are allowed an Escape Conference, and they're given pens and large paper on which to draw plans for their car-jacking methods.

Challenge is underway and both teams are busy digging out around the wheel rims, so they can put the tires on. Each team has only one shovel. The tide is coming in, the true measure of how much time they have. If neither team completes this task before the tide is fully risen, they'll both be left to starve on the island. (not really, but I wanted to say it.) But the cars do have to be started and have crossed a seaweed line in the sand before the water reaches them in order to win this round.

Both teams have the wheels on, Blue Team is putting gas in, and now is raising the car up to get the chocks out. They attach the inner tube to the exhaust of the car to inflate it. Red Team also has the chocks out, but both teams run into the problem of their wheels spinning in the freshly dug sand. Blue Team uses a piece of plywood to provide traction, and although Red Team follows their lead, Blue Team wins and gets dibs on which set of supplies they'll use for the propulsion system. Red Team gets a 10 second penalty.

Having driven down to the beach, both teams see for the first time the pontoon the car will sit on. Looking over the materials, Blues figure a propeller-driven system will be faster to build and faster in the water. Their supplies also contain a drive shaft and material for a rudder. Reds are stuck with the paddle-driven system.

For now, it's back to Base Camp to relax, get something to eat & drink, and begin formulating plans as to how to use their materials.

Building Propulsion System Challenge

The next day teams are in separate workshops.
The hosts mention that now is the time when the Car Manual that was in the Forge would have been good to have. The two hosts talk together about the dynamics of the teams. Each team has a player who thinks their opinion is the only one that counts.

Once the propulsion system is built, teams have to select and pack the tools they think they'll need for assembly. Then they may sound the airhorn.

Blue Team is melting down a bit. Reds are getting on with their work while Blues have to have a group therapy time-out to sort out their difficulties. Reds finish first and Blues receive an escape penalty, which means teams are again even. Back to the tents at Base Camp and time for those last-minute doubts. Reds are worried their paddles are too narrow and won't push enough water. Blues are worried that their system just won't work.

Propulsion System Attached & Running Challenge
It's Day 4. Teams are told that if they have to go back to the workshop for any reason, they'll incur a 10 second penalty, so better hope you packed all the tools you'll need. Vanessa's last minute instruction is to think carefully about the order of assemblage, bearing in mind the rising tide. The water is 40 degrees. The cars are on the pontoons and both teams are putting their propulsion systems together.

Blue team get their propulsion system running first and Reds' penalty means they'll have a 10 second disadvantage for the next day's Final Race start-time.

While resting at Camp, Reds tell us their plan involves using the extra fuel cans containing saltwater to help their paddle system, by altering weight displacement as needed.

Day 5. Judgment Day on Experiment Island.
Insane escape vehicles. With two hours til final challenge, minor and major adjustments are still being made and both teams work furiously.

Blues are using a conventional rudder, while the Reds are using fiddle brakes, having rigged the handbrake to turn left and the foot brake to turn right. Fiddly, indeed!

15 minutes until race time and teams get to test their systems. Both work and things look good, but which craft will really work? A rescue craft will be passing the island. Teams have to slalom round the marker buoys and race back along a straight run beside the buoys to be the first team back to the start line in order to be the team that wins and gets rescued.

Blues get their 10 second head-start. Only 2 people from each team may be on the vehicles, so the other 2 are on the shoreline cheering for their team-mates. Blue Team gets a good lead.

Both teams struggle with steering, but Blue Team is way out in front. Red Team's steering system has a perhaps unforeseen downside: every time steering is engaged, the craft slows because the brakes are also being activated.

Blue Team wins. Here comes their helicopter. They get rescued! Woohoo. They leave the island and enjoy champagne in the helicopter. The Red Team is just left standing there as the credits roll and we aren't told what happens to them.

The ending will hopefully improve, but it's a minor quibble. I found the show very entertaining and plan to watch more episodes.