James May is, thankfully, not Jeremy Clarkson. If Clarkson is a one of the last people you'd like to meet for a drink, May, if not the first, would be high enough on 'thetvreviewguy's list. May's 'Man Lab' (BBC2) looks at stuff that us men have forgotten how to do and experience; plugs, shelves...being grown ups, the usual. Yet, there's an essential decency at the heart of May in contrast to Clarkson. May's 'bloke-ish' approach may not be to everyone's taste, but in taking us through the common trials in the everyday life of a man, we appreciate his amiable demeanour and self-deprecating humour. While 'Man Lab' is destined to be repeated on 'Dave' till eternity, it shouldn't be discounted on this basis (some of 'thetvreviewguy's favourite shows are on 'Dave'). May's always had a genuine interest in science and engineering and, unlike Clarkson, doesn't seem to get a puerile kick out of offending and annoying. 'Man Lab' may not be the most cutting-edge TV but it is watchable and, who knows, may help the modern, middle-aged male (an age which 'thetvreviewguy' is welcoming as much as the Captain of the Titanic welcomed the iceberg in his path). The item with May and producer in a 'haunted' house measuring responses to fear was one of the highlights so far; the presenter was spooked in the extreme. Men, do yourself a favour and 'man up' by tuning into 'Man Lab' - you never know when you might actually need to use all the blades on your Swiss Army knife...
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