The Men Who Built America

Update: Part 4 of The Men Who Built America is now scheduled to air Sunday, November 11th rather than November 4th. The marathon is still set to take place prior to the final episode.

(My original intent was to write this post Monday night so that people would have the chance to check out the new episode which aired last night, Tuesday October 30th, however Hurricane Sandy had different plans. Oh well. Better late than never.)

This week's Real Television is taking a different route than normal. Rather than spotlighting a particular episode of a television series, I will instead be showcasing the History Channel mini-series, The Men Who Built America. This is not because I ran out of material, mind you. This Sunday's Boardwalk Empire was excellent. The Walking Dead took a big risk by not showing any of the core cast for a whole episode, reminiscent of my favorite episode of Lost, although falling way short of the same results. The Dexter story lines are more interwoven and complicated than ever giving the writers a challenge that will be difficult to overcome, but if successful, can result in a fantastic overall season. No, I certainly did not run out of material. The truth is, I stumbled upon this mini-series a couple weeks ago and have been hooked ever since.

The Men Who Built America chronicles a period in time where ruthless business moguls were able to run free with virtually no limitations or regulations as the golden age of capitalism shaped America, and ultimately, the world. The show's production values are top notch. Most, but admittedly not all, of the historical reenactments avoid the all-to-common pitfall of coming off as corny or unrealistic. The actors who play the likes of Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, and Carnegie do a good job delivering believable performances, while the environment and lighting effects create a nostalgic look for the audience. What makes this show so great, however, is the incredible true stories of these big name players who had such a large role in shaping the world we live in today. In today's financial world full of worker protection laws and unions, it is almost unimaginable to think that one single man could have such a huge impact on the world around him. As an example, J.P. Morgan was so rich and so highly respected as a banker that he loaned money to the United States of America to help them get out of debt. These people are economic superheros unlike any of the big name money makers of today. It is also important to note that in order for a person to rise to this level of fame and fortune, they must have a dark side as well. Difficult and often times downright cruel decisions have to be made along the way that separate the elite from the rest of the pack. Every mogul shows some shred of an insatiable appetite for power and success, acting as the driving force behind their rise to the top.

Possibly my favorite part of this show, however, is that I simply did not know any of this. Well, perhaps that is an exaggeration. I had heard of most of the people at some point in my schooling and had a simple understanding of what each of them did. For example, I knew that Rockefeller was the oil guy. I certainly did not learn anything close to this level of detail. I was also unaware of how interconnected each of these men were. The show does a masterful job at connecting the stories and explaining the motives and relationships that play such a huge part in the decisions that were made during this time, rather than simply stating a bunch of facts and events. Each episode features a movie-quality story line ending with a cliffhanger that grabs the audience and refuses to let go. The show normally airs every Tuesday, however, the finale of the four part series will air this Sunday, November 4th. In case you missed the first three episodes, most if not all can be found OnDemand. The History Channel will also feature a marathon starting at 2pm on Sunday leading up to the series finale, an episode featuring the inventor and innovator of arguably the most influential creation of the modern era, Henry Ford. For those of you who watch the show but didn't have power last night, like me, the most recent episode can be found on www.history.com. I strongly encourage everyone to check this show out. If you take to it, like I did, History Channel has been promoting an upcoming mini-series, entitled Mankind: The Story of All of Us that seems like it will be in the same vane with a focus on a broader spectrum of history. Definitely something to look forward to.

(The Men Who Built America: Traits of a Titan)

(MANKIND The Story of All of Us)