How We Got to Now

Production Note - Limited Series

How We Got to Now is a standalone Limited Series that concluded its 6-episode run in November 2014. Developed as a joint venture between PBS and the BBC, the production utilized high-end visual effects and global location filming to trace the history of innovation through six specific themes including clean, time, and glass. The series was designed as a finite educational journey based on Steven Johnson's book, ensuring that each installment provided a comprehensive look at how specific inventions shaped the modern world without the need for seasonal renewal.

The production involved an extensive research phase to link disparate historical events through the lens of long-zoom history, a concept that required a completed narrative arc to be effective. By focusing on the unintended consequences of great ideas, the creators built a self-contained experience that functioned more as a televised encyclopedia than a recurring program. The definitive nature of the subject matter allowed the production team to exhaust their thematic goals within the initial order, solidifying its status as a complete historical document.