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| Big, Bigger, Biggest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Carlo Massarella |
| Narrated by | John Michie |
| Theme music composer | Alasdair Reid Rohan Stevenson |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 20(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Ian Duncan (Series 1 &2)[1] Carlo Massarella (Series 3)[2] |
| Running time | 45–50 minutes 1 hour (inc. commercials) |
| Production companies | Windfall Films
SBS Kompas TV |
| Original release | |
| Network | Five[3] National Geographic Channel |
| Release | 1 April 2008 (2008-04-01) – 2 August 2011 (2011-08-02) |
| Related | |
| Monster Moves | |
Big, Bigger, Biggest is a British documentary television series which began airing in 2008. A total of 20 episodes have been produced across three series.[4]
Each episode explores the engineering breakthroughs that have made it possible to develop the largest structures of today. Episodes describe the landmark inventions that have enabled the engineers of today to construct the world's biggest structures, including computer generated imagery. The imagery shows the size of the object in meters, the various designs that were considered, and what might have happened if the engineers had made a mistake, complete with animated figures running in panic.
It is also available on DVD:[5]
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired (U.S. and E.U.) | Originally aired (Australia) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | First aired | Last aired | ||
| 1 | 4 | 1 April 2008 (2008-04-01) | 28 October 2008 (2008-10-28) | 6 November 2010 (2010-11-06) | 27 November 2010 (2010-11-27) |
| 2 | 10 | 28 July 2009 (2009-07-28) | 29 September 2009 (2009-09-29) | 4 December 2010 (2010-12-04) | 12 February 2011 (2011-02-12) |
| 3 | 6 | 5 July 2011 (2011-07-05) | 9 August 2011 (2011-08-09) | N/A | N/A |
| # | Title | Original (Five) air date | Alt air date | SBS air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Skyscraper" | 1 April 2008 (2008-04-01)[4] | 1 April 2008[4] | 27 November 2010[8] | |
|
This episode looks at the history of skyscraper breakthroughs, culminating in the construction of the 828-metre (2,717 ft) tall Burj Dubai (now Burj Khalifa). The other buildings discussed are the Equitable Life Building, the Flatiron Building, the United Nations Headquarters, the original World Trade Center towers, the Sears Tower and Taipei 101.
| |||||
| 2 | "Aircraft Carrier" | 15 April 2008 (2008-04-15)[9] | 15 April 2008[4] | 20 November 2010[10] | |
|
One of the largest warships in the world, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), would not have been possible if it weren't for seven landmark inventions. The other aircraft carriers discussed were USS North Carolina, HMS Ark Royal, USS Hornet, USS Midway, USS Forrestal and USS Enterprise.
| |||||
| 3 | "Bridge" | 8 April 2008 (2008-04-08)[11] | 17 April 2008[12] | 6 November 2010[13] | |
|
This episode reveals how several suspension bridge breakthroughs (The Iron Bridge, Menai Bridge, Niagara Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge) made it possible to construct the 2-mile (3.2 km) long Akashi Kaikyō Bridge.
| |||||
| 4 | "Airport" | 25 March 2008 (2008-03-25)[14] | 28 October 2008[4] | 13 November 2010[15] | |
|
Heathrow Airport is the busiest international airport in the world. This episode follows the construction of Terminal 5, an additional terminal to cater for an additional 30 million passengers, and contributions of its forerunners - Croydon, Gatwick, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas Love Field, Atlanta International (actually the busiest international airport in the world) and Los Angeles International.
| |||||
| # | Title | Original air date | SBS air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Tunnel" | 28 July 2009 (2009-07-28)[4] | 15 January 2011[16] | |
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The world's longest tunnel at 57 kilometres (35 mi) in length is the Gotthard Base Tunnel in the Swiss Alps. The episode lists Thames Tunnel, Box Tunnel, Mersey Railway Tunnel, Simplon Tunnel and Channel Tunnel as its predecessors.
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| 2 | "Submarine" | 4 August 2009 (2009-08-04)[4] | 4 December 2010[17] | |
|
The biggest submarine in the U.S. Navy is the USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) at 171 metres (561 ft) in length. Her predecessors explored in the episode are Turtle, H. L. Hunley, U-66, USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and USS George Washington (SSBN-598).
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| 3 | "Aircraft" | 11 August 2009 (2009-08-11)[4] | 29 January 2011[18] | |
|
The Antonov An-124 is one of the largest aircraft in the world with the ability to carry 50 family-sized cars. The episode also discusses Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, Junkers G.38, Boeing Clipper, Messerschmitt Gigant and Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
| ||||
| 4 | "Oil Rig" | 18 August 2009 (2009-08-18)[4] | 5 February 2011[19] | |
|
The Perdido oil platform is located in an area of water that is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) deep. From first offshore drilling at Grand Lake through Grand Isle platform and Beryl Alpha platformtoCognac platform and Auger, the episode follows the evolution of oil-drilling platforms.
| ||||
| 5 | "Ferris Wheel" | 25 August 2009 (2009-08-25)[4] | 19 February 2011[20] | |
|
The tallest Ferris wheel in the world was the Singapore Flyer (at the time of this airing), standing 165 metres (541 ft) high. From the original Ferris Wheel, followed by Earls Court Gigantic, London Eye and Star of Nanchang, the episode explores technical breakthroughs related to growth of Ferris wheels.
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| 6 | "Space Station" | 1 September 2009 (2009-09-01)[4] | 18 December 2010[21] | |
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This episode reveals the technological inventions – Salyut 1, Skylab, Apollo–Soyuz, Mir – that made the construction of the International Space Station possible.
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| 7 | "Dam" | 8 September 2009 (2009-09-08)[4] | 11 December 2010[22] | |
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The world's first hydroelectric power station, Debdon Dam, followed by Marèges Dam, Hoover Dam, Grand Coulee Dam and Krasnoyarsk Dam, led to construction of the largest hydroelectric dam – the Three Gorges Dam in China.
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| 8 | "Cruise Liner" | 15 September 2009 (2009-09-15)[4] | 8 January 2011[23] | |
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Independence of the Seas is a 160,000-metric-ton (160,000-long-ton; 180,000-short-ton) cruise liner, succeeding Great Western, SS Great Britain, Conte di Savoia, SS Normandie and Queen Mary.
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| 9 | "Dome" | 22 September 2009 (2009-09-22)[4] | 12 February 2011[24] | |
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The dome roof evolution is explored via Pantheon, Florence Cathedral, West Baden Hotel, Astrodome, Georgia Dome and the Ōita Stadium.
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| 10 | "Telescope" | 29 September 2009 (2009-09-29)[4] | 22 January 2011[25] | |
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The Large Binocular Telescope would not have been possible if it weren't for a variety of breakthroughs in the construction of telescope: Newton's reflector, Parsons' telescope, Hooker telescope, Hale Telescope and Bolshoi telescope.
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| # | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Canal" | 5 July 2011 (2011-07-05)[4] | |
|
Features the Panama Canal expansion project. Explores the technological development of canals including the Briare Canal, Bridgewater Canal and Manchester Ship Canal
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| 2 | "Icebreaker" | 12 July 2011 (2011-07-12)[4] | |
| 3 | "Metro" | 19 July 2011 (2011-07-19)[4] | |
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From City and South London RailwaytoNew York City Subway, Paris Métro and finally London Underground again.
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| 4 | "Prison" | 26 July 2011 (2011-07-26)[4] | |
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From Tower of LondontoEastern State Penitentiary, Alcatraz and building the most advanced prison in the USA - the North Branch Correctional Institution
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| 5 | "Tower" | 2 August 2011 (2011-08-02)[4] | |
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Washington Monument, Eiffel Tower and CN Tower made possible building of Canton Tower, the world's tallest tower (currently 2nd tallest).
| |||
| 6 | "Train" | 9 August 2011 (2011-08-09)[4] | |
