It was also IMO a demonstration that PBS could produce masterpieces beyond the $-rich/intelligence-filtered mass media pabulum (including drama,
though Hallmark Hall of Fame was also excellent in that arena.)
I doubt that anyone seeing the first episode ever missed watching any later ones.
Can watch series online; it says 'free':
http://topdocumentar...om/ascent-of-man/
(James Burke's Connections was similarly memorable, but style perhaps a bit slick)--lots of good stuff on in '70s
--but Bronowski's was, I thought the Gold Standard.
Such work as this, for many filled-in blanks omitted from school texts; maybe also made the case against Murican rote teaching, memorizing of 'facts' + dates.
(Not that these examples cured any of that bad design..)