"The Genius of Design" is a five-episode BBC documentary showcasing design from Wedgewood china, to the Ford Model T, to plastic chairs of the 1960s, and to the computers of today. Well, their predessors, at least (Apple IIe, anyone?). Each hour-ish long episode gave the viewer a fun and pleasantly-paced tromp through design history. You get to see how some manufacturing has evolved over time (e.g., car making) while others were almost perfect to begin with and not much has changed with its production (e.g., Wedgewood China).

The five episodes included are:

• Ghosts in the Machine: Wedgewood to Henry Ford
• Designs for Living: Post World War I living to consumer goods
• Blueprints for War: War design (guns and tanks)
• Better Living through Chemistry: User-friendly functional products and the invention of plastic
• Objects of Desire: Digital inventions and sustainability
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The series is sprinkled with designer interviews where some of them even provide insight into their design thought processes. Michael Graves, for one, explained his design of a tea kettle which was, while simple in concept, was complex in getting to the simplicity.

The Genius of Design" is engaging, informative, fun, and narrated by Denis Lawson, one Wedge Antilles, and real-life uncle to Ewan McGregor. Recommended.