With MTV becoming dumber by the second, really good reality TV has now been left to the folks at PBS, who we all thought would have been dead by now. Case in point -- "Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist," a documentary hitting the public airwaves this month, is what a smart version of "The Real World" might look like -- with less sex and booze, and more nerding out over crystallized protein structures.

"Naturally Obsessed" stars Larry Shapiro and the folks in his Columbia University lab who are researching an "AMP-activated protein kinase," a confusing string of words that has something to do with obesity and diabetes.

His crew includes Kil, a driven PhD student whose girlfriend isn't very supportive, and Rob Townley, an eccentric former Naval sailor loose cannon and rock climber who sports Knicks jerseys and Hawaiian shirts.

Shapiro's gang works tirelessly toward their goal, exploiting sci-fi technology like the Synchrotron and abiding by the good-luck powers of the classic Flaming Lips album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots."

We spoke to husband-and-wife directors Carol and Richard Rifkind about the obsessive-compulsive star of their show, how his obsessions get in his way with the ladies and, of course, what scientists think of George W. Bush.


The OCD PhD
Lab boss Larry Shapiro jokingly mentions that having obsessive-compulsive disorder is a good thing for a practicing scientist. That level of focus is necessary to keep you coming back, day after day, to the benches. "It doesn't have to be psychiatric," Richard Rifkind clarifies. "[It's that] you're not really happy unless you're doing it. That level of obsession."

Life after PhD (The Hustle)
It used to be that most PhD scientists were funneled back into the halls and labs of universities. Now, as the Rifkinds explain, there are more PhD graduates than there are academic spots -- and there are also tons of non-academic opportunities to practice science (and make a good amount of cash.)

"A scientist has a huge range of career possibilities," Carol says. "Only 10 percent now go on to academic science. PhDs are hustling entrepreneurs in our economy. It's a new paradigm for thinking about scientific education -- in the new economy, you're going to need to have this kind of advanced education in order to open up new entrepreneurial avenues."

And, of course, we agree -- we're going to need a full fleet of PhDs ready when we finally launch the American Institute for Megan Fox Cloning.

Married to the lab
Science can be hell on relationships, as the Rifkinds' documentary proves. Life in the lab requires a level of dedication that often doesn't leave any room for things like emotional attachments.

"It's an intense period of training," Carol says. "It's like what a baseball player does, or what a dancer does -- those years of training when you're young and ambitious and have talent and dedication. You're making mileage in those years that pushes you ahead for quite a while."

That said, a PhD-staffed lab is a much better place to meet women than it was a few decades ago. The Rifkinds confirm that the percentage of female scientists has exploded in recent years.



Dubya: "Blind and deaf"
It's no secret that George W. Bush wasn't the most adamant supporter of the sciences. (And if the science in question was global warming or stem cells, fuhgettaboutit.) But with Obama in office, it's a kinder, gentler time to be a practicing scientist or PhD student.

"The previous administration was blind and deaf to science," Richard says. "That was reflected in budgets. Science was starving during that time. We now have a very different Washington attitude toward science. It makes the students feel like it's worthwhile -- the country's behind them."

That's right, go get 'em, nerds and geeks of America! And seriously, call us about the Megan Fox thing when it's ready.

"Naturally Obsessed: Making of a Scientist" premieres this week in certain markets. For showtimes, or to purchase the DVD, visit the Web site.