Television

The Muppets Take the Smithsonian

Elmo, Fozzie Bear, the Count, Miss Piggy and 17 other Jim Henson puppets are coming to the American History Museum

October 2013

The Architectural History of Pepsi-Cola, Part 1: The ‘Mad Men’ Years

In the 1960s, Pepsi rebranded with a new slogan, a new look, and a cutting edge modernist building

September 11, 2013

Is the New Tonto Any Better Than the Old Tonto?

A new film revives The Lone Ranger, but has it eliminated the TV series’ racist undertones

July 2013

Microbe Hunters

Deep in the Amazon Rainforest, scientists search for the micro-organisms that lived inside ancient humans

April 23, 2013

A Peek Into the Jetsons Archive at Warner Brothers Animation

See some early sketches of the cartoon family that shaped our vision of what life would be like in the 21st century

April 18, 2013

Educating Americans for the 21st Century

The 10 Worst Teachers and Principals From Pop Culture

From Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to Mean Girls, on-screen educators have a talent for causing trouble. Here are the worst offenders.

April 14, 2013

TV Will Tear Us Apart: The Future of Political Polarization in American Media

In 1969, Internet pioneer Paul Baran predicted that specialized new media would undermine national cohesion

April 5, 2013

VIDEO: “MLK: The Assassination Tapes” now a Peabody Award Winner

The award-winning program brings to light recently rediscovered footage and offers a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest tragedies

March 29, 2013

The Jetsons Get Schooled: Robot Teachers in the 21st Century Classroom

Elroy gets in trouble with his robot teacher as we recap the final episode from its first season

March 29, 2013

Sad Jetsons: Depression, Buttonitis and Nostalgia in the World of Tomorrow

All Jane needs to recover from a case of the blues is a little bit of 19th century Americana

March 25, 2013

A Refreshing Take on Fashion Television: A Q&A with L.A. Frock Stars’ Star Doris Raymond

A new series brings high-end style to vintage wear

March 22, 2013

Mid-21st Century Modern: That Jetsons Architecture

The artists and animators working on “The Jetsons” were inspired by the futurist architecture popping up around Los Angeles

March 14, 2013

VIDEO: The Show, Lincoln’s Washington at War, Depicts the Transformation of Washington

A new documentary from Smithsonian Channel looks at how the Civil War helped transform the city of Washington, D.C.

February 22, 2013

Jane Jetson and the Origins of the “Women Are Bad Drivers” Joke

What happens when a comedy staple of mid-century sitcoms reappears as a late-century Saturday morning tradition?

February 14, 2013

Sneak Peek of “Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4”

Airing February 11, the Smithsonian Channel documentary tells the story of the lunch counter sit-in that helped to change the country

February 11, 2013

Viva Las Venus: The Jetsons and Wholesome Hedonism

What happens in the year 2063 stays in the year 2063

February 8, 2013

3D-TV, Automated Cooking and Robot Housemaids: Walter Cronkite Tours the Home of 2001

In 1967, the most trusted man in America investigated the home of the 21st century

January 29, 2013

Future Calling: Videophones in the World of The Jetsons

If there’s one thing the Jetsons came closest to nailing, its the prevalence of being able to talk with your boss or family via video

January 28, 2013

The Jetsons and the Future of the Middle Class

Living paycheck to paycheck in the techno-utopian future

January 14, 2013

How Smart Should TVs Be?

January 11, 2013