As someone who has watched hundreds of documentaries, few moments have been as satisfying as seeing James Burke return in Connections (2023) - a long-awaited third act to his legendary series from 1978 and 1994. Against all odds, Burke not only picks up where he left off - he elevates the entire format.
Each episode is a brilliant, mind-bending journey across centuries of human ingenuity. In his trademark style, Burke connects seemingly unrelated inventions, events, and ideas - from 18th-century coffee to the discovery of DNA to the ethics of genetic engineering - and he makes it all feel effortless, even inevitable.
At age 86, Burke's clarity, wit, and intellectual agility are still unmatched. He's not just a historian; he is, without exaggeration, the king of explaining how technology and society shape one another through "accidental connections." Watching him trace the web of causality between tools, culture, and power is as entertaining as it is profound.
This third series may be the best yet. Not because it's flashier - but because it distills 45 years of thinking into six beautifully structured episodes. A true masterclass in systems thinking, historical narrative, and human curiosity.
10/10 - Required viewing for anyone interested in how we got here and where we might be going.
