Premieres Wednesdays, April 3 - May 8, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS App + Encores Sundays, April 7 - May 12 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE is a new six-part documentary series produced by Zach Morgan of UNTOLD, Kathryn Murdoch and Ari Wallach’s newly-launched Futurific Studios, and executive produced by Drake’s Emmy Award-winning non-traditional entertainment company DreamCrew – as well as philanthropist Wendy Schmidt.
This non-fiction documentary series will help viewers imagine – and work toward – a better tomorrow. Hosted by futurist Ari Wallach, the series challenges the dystopian framework embraced by popular culture by offering a refreshing take on the future exploring potential solutions to our existential threats. The program invites viewers to imagine a world that is full of discovery, hope, and possibility – inspiring each of us to understand our power to shape the future that future generations need us too so they can flourish.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE weaves together history, science, and unexpected storytelling to expand our understanding about the impact that the choices we make today will have on our tomorrows. Each episode follows those who are working to solve our greatest challenges.
The series also features valuable insights from a wide range of thinkers, scientists, developers and storytellers including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Dame Ellen MacArthur, musician Grimes, architect Bjarke Ingels, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, legendary soccer player Kylian Mbappé, and more.
Filmmaker Quotes:
“Showing what the future can be is critical to getting there. People need to have hope and to understand what we’re capable of,” said executive producer Kathryn Murdoch. “From AI to floating cities, restoring coral reefs to deliberative democracy, there are so many exciting futures to explore.”
“We want to create an inspiring counterpoint to the doomerism and dystopia that dominates much of today’s public discourse about the future,” said host Ari Wallach, a renowned futurist, author, and founder of Longpath Labs.
"As long as humanity has existed, so has hope," said executive producer Wendy Schmidt, president of the Schmidt Family Foundation and co-founder with her husband Eric of Schmidt Futures and Schmidt Ocean Institute. "When we recall the builders of ancient monuments who never lived to see the final product, the Indigenous communities who imagined the world seven generations ahead, and the activists who fight for human rights through decades of war, we realize that we are always working for a better future, and we can only create it if we can envision it."
“Full of heart and humanity, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE will take viewers on an adventure as Ari Wallach travels the world in search of humanity’s many paths forward,” said writer and director Andrew Morgan. “Interwoven in this exploration of ‘protopias’ – the term Wallach uses to describe realistic, improved visions of tomorrow – will be insight into the multiple social, artistic, economic, and philosophical issues that impact the many decisions required to ensure that all life on Earth can continue to thrive for generations to come.”
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1: “Beyond the Now” premieres Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Join Ari Wallach on his journey to seek the individuals and ideas that can shape a better, more sustainable future for each generation to build upon.
Episode 2: “Chaos & Complexity” premieres Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Why are many of us feeling overwhelmed and afraid in this historically transformational moment in time? Ari Wallach explores how it offers unprecedented possibilities for new and needed futures we can create together.
Episode 3: “Once Upon a Time” premieres Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - How do stories shape the boundaries of belief about what is possible? Ari Wallach dives into the fundamental role storytelling plays in our lives and their potential to unleash the power of human imagination and creativity moving forward.
Episode 4: “Human” premieres Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Ari Wallach investigates the human ability to increase empathy and compassion, what values we are instilling into artificial intelligence technologies, and creating a better world for human life to flourish on this planet.
Episode 5: “Together” premieres Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Throughout history, humans’ unique capacity for cooperation has set us apart. Ari Wallach explores the internal changes we enact that have the potential to impact those around us, our broader communities, and societies.
Episode 6: “Tomorrows” premieres Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Ari Wallach examines the ways we often see the concept of the future, the crucial need to think much, much bigger about what could come next, and how we all have more personal agency than we realize.
Watch On Your Schedule: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE will be available to stream with the PBS App. Watch the best of PBS anytime, anywhere on the free PBS App. Stream your favorite PBS shows on-demand and livestream shows from your local station, all from your favorite device.
Credits: Written / directed by Andrew Morgan and produced by Zach Morgan of UNTOLD. Executive produced by Kathryn Murdoch, Ari Wallach, Wendy Schmidt, and DreamCrew. Edited by Tyler Pharo, Joseph Volpe, and Meryl Goodwin. Bill Gardner is Executive in Charge for PBS. Fremantle is the international distributor.
