It’s the late 1940s and two small toymakers are taking their first uneasy steps. The names of these young hopefuls are Hasbro and Mattel. One’s an offshoot of a pencil manufacturer. The other a husband-and-wife garage start-up.
But toy-making, they soon discover, is an unexpectedly cutthroat business. If either of these companies hopes to survive--let alon ... Show More
Dec 2020
Encore: Hasbro vs Mattel | The House of Cards | 3
<p>Sizzlers, Mattel’s new motorized Hot Wheels, were supposed to be the top toy this Christmas. But sales have fizzled, leaving Mattel $30 million below target. For the last ten years, Mattel’s done exceptionally well by its investors, but now the toymaker is facing a stock price ... Show More
24m 28s
Aug 2023
Building Lego | Out of the Ashes | 1
<p>A small Danish toy company survives World War Two thanks to its quality craftsmanship, but behind the scenes all is not well. Despite its good reputation, Lego teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, and a choice to change production methods threatens to tear the family-owned compa ... Show More
35m 40s
Jul 2023
The Disappearance of General Magic | The Pocket Crystal | 1
<p>Almost two decades before the launch of the iPhone, Apple Executive Marc Porat launches a project to develop the world’s first smartphone. But to fulfill his ambitions, he will have to launch his own company: General Magic. There, he will assemble a team of brilliant engineers ... Show More
34m 33s
Nov 2020
Classic Tides | Peasants' Rebellions and Resistance
<p>Peasants and common folk were oppressed by their social superiors, but they didn't accept that as a natural state of affairs: They resisted in small, everyday ways, and they rebelled, sometimes spectacularly.</p><p><em>This episode originally aired on September 20, 2018.</em>< ... Show More
51m 53s
Mar 2021
Thai Cave Rescue | Meet the Hosts | 6
<p>The two hosts of Against the Odds, Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol, interview each other on their lives as adventurers in this special episode. They discuss what drives them to explore, why they’re drawn to the subject of survival, and what stories they’ll be diving into on Aga ... Show More
32m 36s