Episodes
Monday Jan 25, 2021
The Prime Minister, The Comedian and The Insurrection
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
What happens when violence is used in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate democratic government? In 1930s Japan, violent insurrectionists were intent on change, adopting the slogan “dialogue is useless”. Their attacks, against both political leaders and some unusual targets, foretold the future of Japan and present lessons that are still relevant today.
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
The Prophet and The Judgement Day
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
After a divine revelation on the battlefield in the War of 1812, William Miller sets out to examine The Bible. His calculations, based off the Book of Daniel, pinpoint October 22, 1848 as Judgment Day. His prophecy sets off consequences big and small that reverberate to this very day, and make us think about beginnings, endings and the importance we attach to individual dates.
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
The Caliphate and "The African"
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
In 869, a poet arrives in Basra, part of the Abbasid Caliphate. Taking on the moniker “The African”, he leads the slaves in a revolt that threatens the world’s most powerful empire. Can this ambitious challenger upset the world order, or will the side with more money win out in the end?
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
The Canadians and the Cavalry Charge
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Late in World War One, cavalry charges have become an outdated mode of fighting. Yet a group of Canadian soldiers find themselves in a desperate charge, straight into the teeth of German machine gun fire. On Remembrance Day, we remember a story of courage and sacrifice from Lieut. Gordon Flowerdew and the men under his command.
Tuesday Nov 03, 2020
OBWAT Mini: The Communists and the Warplane
Tuesday Nov 03, 2020
Tuesday Nov 03, 2020
A special mini episode of O Brother When Art Thou! In 1948 Israel is in desperate need of warplanes for their war of independence. Czechoslovakia is in desperate need of money to rebuild their economy under a new Communist government in the wake of the Second World War. It seems like a perfect match, but they just need to find some planes to actually sell!
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
The Journalist, The Judge's Son and The Duel
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
In Nova Scotia a convoluted legal dispute leads to a simple outcome, two bullets fired in a duel. Little do the combatants know that the fate of the entire country hangs in the balance.
Thursday Sep 17, 2020
The End of the World
Thursday Sep 17, 2020
Thursday Sep 17, 2020
In Connecticut in 1780 the sky suddenly goes pitch black in the middle of the day, leaving nothing visible until a blood red moon appears that night. The only logical explanation is that end of the world is nigh. And coming up with a better explanation will take over 200 more years.
Tuesday Aug 25, 2020
The Politician, the Spy and the Scandal
Tuesday Aug 25, 2020
Tuesday Aug 25, 2020
A cryptic reference in the Canadian Parliament to a top-secret file sets off a worldwide investigation involving two high-ranking Canadian politicians and a German housewife. The scandalous allegations of sex, politics and KGB espionage make headlines around the world, but how much of it is true?
Friday Jul 31, 2020
The People, The Senate and The Dictator
Friday Jul 31, 2020
Friday Jul 31, 2020
With foreign wars dragging on, growing economic inequality and leadership that’s seen as out-of-touch and willing to cheat to stay in power, the Roman Republic falls into a state of constitutional crises. Could the solution be less democracy? Or will the rise of a dictator spell disaster for the people? And what can the political machinations from nearly 2400 years ago teach us about the politics of the 21st century?
Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
The Lessons From History
Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
Our fiftieth episode special on our 2nd anniversary! We recap 50 lessons we’ve learned from 50 episodes of O Brother When Art Thou!