BBC - Connections (1994) - Episode 9: High Times - Season 2

Connections is a documentary television series created, written and presented by science historian James Burke. 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.

Episode 9: "High Times": The connection between polyethylene and Big Ben is a few degrees of separation, so let's recount them: polyethylene, radar, soap, artificial dyes, color perception, tapestries, Far East goods, fake lacquer furniture, search for shorter route to Japan, Hudson in Greenland, the discovery of plentiful whales, printing the Bible, Mercator map, Martin Luther's protest, star tables, Earth as a flattened sphere, and George Graham's clock which of course leads to Big Ben.

Season 1:
Episode 1: The Trigger Effect
Episode 2: Death in the Morning
Episode 3: Distant Voices
Episode 4: Faith In Numbers
Episode 5: The Wheel of Fortune
Episode 6: Thunder in the Skies
Episode 7: The Long Chain
Episode 8: Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Episode 9: Countdown
Episode 10: Yesterday, Tomorrow and You
Season 2:
Episode 1: Revolutions
Episode 2: Flexible Response
Episode 3: Getting it Together
Episode 4: Whodunit
Episode 5: Something for Nothing
Episode 6: Echoes of the Past
Episode 7: Photo Finish
Episode 8: Separate Ways