Connections (British TV series)

Connections
James Burke, the creator and host of Connections, explains the Haber-Bosch Process
Genre	Science education
Written by	James Burke
Directed by	Mick Jackson Mike Slee Charles Mapleston Anthony Willis Luke Bellis
Presented by	James Burke
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	46
Production
Running time	50 minutes (22 min, Series 2)
Original release
Network	BBC
Release	17 October (1978-10-17) – 19 December 1978 (1978-12-19)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Connections is a science education television series created, written, and presented by British science historian James Burke. The series was produced and directed by Mick Jackson of the BBC Science and Features Department and first aired in 1978 (UK) and 1979 (US). It took an interdisciplinary approach to the history of science and invention, and demonstrated how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and historical world events were built from one another successively in an interconnected way to bring about particular aspects of modern technology. The series was noted for Burke's crisp and enthusiastic presentation (and dry humour), historical re-enactments, and intricate working models.

The popular success of the series led to the production of The Day the Universe Changed (1985), a similar programme, but showing a more linear history of several important scientific developments.

Years later, the success in syndication led to three sequels. Connections² (1994) and Connections³ (1997) were made for TLC. In November 2023, the six-episode series Connections with James Burke, premièred on Curiosity Stream, again with Burke as the on-screen presenter. ^[1]

In 2004, KCSM-TV produced a program called Re-Connections, consisting of an interview of Burke and highlights of the original series, for the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast in the US on PBS.^[2]