I remember this show being a huge deal when it came out - professional magicians were up in arms, sure that their livelihoods were about to disappear. Strangely, the opposite happened - people were suddenly more interested in magic than ever. In any case, it's fascinating to see the lengths to which magicians must go to produce the perfect illusion. The scantily-clad assistants are somewhat gratuitous and distracting, though perhaps that's the whole point.