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Individuals and ideas that can shape a better, more sustainable world in A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE – starting April 3 at 9 pm
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STARTING APRIL 3, 2024, AT 9:00 PM
NEW SIX-PART PBS SERIES EXPLORES INNOVATIVE WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE;
FUTURIST ARI WALLACH CHALLENGES DYSTOPIAN VISION, LOOKING AT HOW RE-THINKING TOMORROW CAN BRING LONG-TERM CHANGE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE, 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, Kathryn Murdoch and Ari Wallach – will premiere Wednesdays, April 3 – May 8, 2024, at 9:00 p.m. on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App.
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 to 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, sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, musician Grimes, architect Bjarke Ingels, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, legendary soccer player Kylian Mbappé, and more.
“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.
Credit: Better Tomorrows
“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.”
“At PBS we are focused on storytelling that highlights solutions,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. “We want to share how people can make a difference, and together build a brighter and better future. By opening a window to the worlds of possibilities, we seek not just to educate our audiences, but also to inspire and empower them. In this spirit, we are excited to share A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE with our viewers.”
“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.”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE asks us all – how can we become the great ancestors the future needs us to be?
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 9:00 p.m. ET (Series Premiere)
“Beyond the Now”
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.