Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
History's greatest ideas are smart fun for curious families.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
How We Got to Now
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In HOW WE GOT TO NOW, science author and host Steven Johnson studies how some of history's greatest ideas were born and how their legacies continue to affect our lives today. This series covers topics such as refrigeration, sound, and light, drawing connections between ancient quandaries and the remarkable innovations that solved them and eventually ushered in modern times. Along the way he introduces viewers to the people behind inventions that revolutionized lives centuries ago and still play a role in how we live today.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary mini-series is educational TV at its best. Johnson investigates subjects whose scope and historical impact are deserving of their own individual series (the history of time, for instance) and masterfully condenses them down to hour-long segments that touch on the highlights, pay homage to the unsung heroes, and make fascinating connections between troubles of old and triumphs of today. If you're the type who wonders where the link exists between the age-old battle against dirt and the creation of the modern marvel that is your flat-screen TV, then this is the show for you.
As for its content, there's nothing here that's worrisome for families, but the subject matter isn't likely to strike a chord with kids and tweens. Not even Johnson's conversational delivery and obvious enthusiasm for the subject matter can entirely mask the fact that the series is a glorified history lesson. But for older viewers with an interest in these kinds of things, How We Got to Now is well worth the time.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how inventions like the ones explored on How We Got to Now improve our standard of living. On what modern inventions are you reliant on a daily basis? What problems do they solve? Do any further complicate matters or create new problems altogether?
Is it important to study and learn from history? What, if any, lessons from the distant past can we apply to our lives today? How do the politics compare, for instance? Race relations? Social problems?
A famous quote is, "History is written by the victors." How do our own convictions influence our telling and interpretation of factual events? Is it ever possible to remain unbiased about an event or a situation? How does this affect the nature of education or governance?
How does How We Got to Now promote curiosity? Why is this an important character strength?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 15, 2014
- Cast : Steven Johnson
- Network : PBS
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : STEM , History
- Character Strengths : Curiosity
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate