2008

S2.E1 ∙ Why Vagina

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

An actor is a black body suit stands in the middle of a sea of colorful and unique penises made of paper, each as tall as she. She explains that eggs are precious while sperm are cheap, so a female body is designed to protect eggs, to them in a hole that's hard to reach. In addition, she explains that every penis and vagina pairing is species-specific, a cozy fit like hand in glove. Who wants to be screwed by a bear? she asks coyly.

7.2 /10

S2.E2 ∙ Whale

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

An actor in a light-blue hood and body suit swims in dark-blue water. She makes the case that a penis in water presents a challenge: it produces drag and might be snagged. She demonstrates how a right whale tucks his penis inside his body until erect. We watch more than one erect male appear around a female, who turns on her back keeping her vagina at bay while the males determine who is strongest. Then, the strongest male, ready to mate, waits until she needs air and turns over.

7.6 /10

S2.E3 ∙ Starfish

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

An actor in a red body suit stands legs apart and arms extended representing a five-armed starfish. She explains that starfish reproduce sexually and asexually. She demonstrates the asexual process: she breaks off an arm, which grows into a new starfish. She does this a second time with a leg. Then, with an offspring on either side, she suggests that starfish can mate, no penis required.

7 /10

S2.E4 ∙ Limpet

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

An actor in a coolie hat represents a young sexless limpet, attached to a rock, its hat visible to other limpets that might float by. After it's been stuck to the rock for awhile, it becomes a female. A sexless limpet attaches itself on top of her and becomes male. More hat-like limpets collect one on top of another into a pile: these limpets are sexless when they arrive, then become male. The female dies; the first male atop her becomes female, and the cycle continues. The chorus of limpets in the stack exclaims, "We're hermaphrodites!"

7.1 /10

S2.E5 ∙ Anglerfish

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

An anglerfish, ugly, hides in the abyss where there is no light. She hangs a luminous lure by her mouth to attract fish. The husband arrives: he's smaller, with a big nose to smell her out and a sharp tooth on top of his head. We watch him use the tooth to penetrate her belly and fuse himself to her, providing her own personal sperm bank.

6.5 /10

S2.E6 ∙ Barnacle

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The mating strategies of two species of barnacle. An actor in a loose, baggy, pale-blue sheet appears and explains that if she were a male semibalanus balanoides, one of 1220 species of barnacle, she would have a shapeless body and be stuck to a rock. To reach and penetrate a nearby female, this male would need a long, long penis. We watch how it works. She shows us another barnacle's method: a male larvae climbs up the side of a sexually mature female, drops himself into her, and degenerates into a sexual organ releasing sperm.

6.7 /10