James Burke is a genius.

I’m kind of obsessed with a show he did for the BBC called Connections, which had its first incarnation in the 1970’s, but had two later incarnations in the 1990’s as well.  I saw the 90’s versions when they originally aired, and was mesmerized by them, so today I went back and found the original series online, and I’ve been slowly but surely watching them.

They’re all about various inventions that have changed the history of civilization as we know it, but his masterful storytelling makes each episode like a mystery, where we only know have as much information to go on as people at the time did.   He starts by showing us the modern invention, and takes us clear back to the beginning, showing us the salient points of progress that happened along the way.

It’s really brilliant.

Here’s the first part of the first episode of the first incarnation of the series.  I have no doubt that you’ll find them riveting as well.