“A Brief History of the Future” – Executive Produced by Kathryn Murdoch, Ari Wallach, Wendy Schmidt, and Drake’s DreamCrew – Set to Premiere April 3, 2024, on PBS

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, @ 9:00PM ET on PBS (check local listings), PBS.org and the PBS App, the network announced today.

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.

“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?

Descriptions and premiere dates for each of the six episodes are provided below:

“Beyond the Now”

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET (Series Premiere)

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.

“Chaos & Complexity”

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET

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.

“Once Upon a Time”

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET

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.

“Human”

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET

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.

“Together”

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET

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.

“Tomorrows”

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 @ 9:00PM ET

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.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE will premiere April 3, 2024, @ 9:00-10:00PM ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App. The series will be available to stream on all station-branded PBS platforms including PBS.org, the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE will also be available to stream on PBS Passport and the “PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel”. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE was written and directed by Andrew Morgan and produced by Zach Morgan of UNTOLD. The series was executive produced by Kathryn Murdoch, Ari Wallach, Wendy Schmidt, and DreamCrew. The series was edited by Tyler Pharo, Joseph Volpe, and Meryl Goodwin. Bill Gardner is Executive in Charge for PBS. Fremantle is the international distributor for A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE was made possible by Rosalind P. Walter Foundation and by public television viewers.