3-2-1 Contact

3-2-1 Contact
Original Opening title of 3-2-1 Contact
Created by	Samuel Y. Gibbon Jr.
Starring	Varied, see article
Theme music composer	Tom Anthony
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	225 and 8 Specials
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Children's Television Workshop
Release
Original network	PBS
Audio format	Mono (1980–1984) Stereo (1985–1988)
Original release	January 14, 1980 (1980-01-14) – November 18, 1988 (1988-11-18)

3-2-1 Contact is an American science educational television show that aired on PBS from 1980 to 1988, and an adjoining children's magazine. The show, a production of the Children's Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop), teaches scientific principles and their applications. Dr. Edward G. Atkins, who was responsible for much of the scientific content of the show, felt that the TV program wouldn't replace a classroom but would open the viewers to ask questions about the scientific purpose of things.

3-2-1 Contact was the brainchild of Samuel Y. Gibbon Jr., who had been the executive producer of The Electric Company for CTW from 1971 to 1977. (Gibbon had left CTW before Contact's production officially began, though he was still credited as "Senior Consultant."). The show was based on the original concept of The Curiosity Show, an Australian science-based children's educational TV show that had been running since 1972. That program was hosted by Australian scientists Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton, who were consultants to The Children's Television Workshop in the early planning stages of what became 3-2-1 Contact. CTW wanted to make a version using American scientists as presenters, but PBS didn't think that middle-aged scientists would engage a young audience (despite the popularity of the format in Australia) and insisted that any science show be hosted/presented by young people. CTW eventually reworked the concept into 3-2-1 Contact.

The first season of 65 programs began airing January 14, 1980 on select PBS member stations; it featured a cast of three college students who socialized and discussed science in an on-campus room known as "the workshop." This season came to an end on April 11, 1980 and continued in reruns (or removed entirely from scheduling on some stations) for the following three years, as funding for additional episodes was not yet sufficient.

When production finally resumed for the second season, which premiered on October 17, 1983, the show presented a more realistic appearance, as the new cast convened in a suburban basement (these segments were shot at Reeves Teletape, which also housed Sesame Street at the time). This cast continued until October 18, 1985. Ozzie Alfonso was Contact's new director and Al Hyslop its executive producer.