Hey, remote control mavericks. Enjoy these talks, full of thoughts on how TV shows pique our fascination and reflect our cultural values.

TV executive Lauren Zalaznick thinks deeply about pop television. Sharing results of a bold study that tracks attitudes against TV ratings over five decades, she makes a case that television reflects who we truly are -- in ways we might not have expected.

You've heard about slow food. Now here's slow ... TV? In this very funny talk, Norwegian television producer Thomas Hellum shares how he and his team began to broadcast long, boring events, often live -- and found a rapt audience. Shows include a 7-hour train journey, an 18-hour fishing expedition and a 5.5-day ferry voyage along the coast of No...

Writer, producer and free-speech champion Norman Lear defined decades of US popular culture with his groundbreaking TV shows.

Individuals who have shaped society and culture in homes around the world and on the big screen.

When we think about a movie or TV show's unique visuals, we tend to associate it with directors or cinematographers. But who picks the furniture that sits in your favorite character's home -- or decides whether a palace is brutalist or minimalist? In this eye-opening talk, "Game of Thrones" production designer Gemma Jackson explains what goes in...

Can children learn about critical topics via seemingly incongruous media like cartoons or oral storytelling? In this moving talk, screenwriter and director Fernando Salem champions the lasting power of storytelling, speaking to the ways in which a well-crafted narrative can help kids learn and retain history.

Soap operas and telenovelas may be (ahem) overdramatic, but as Kate Adams shows us, their exaggerated stories and characters often cast light on the problems of real life. In this sparkling, funny talk, Adams, a former assistant casting director for "As the World Turns," shares four lessons for life and business that we can learn from melodramas.

Explore some cultural phenomenons from across the globe. Some touching, some silly — and all very intriguing.

Reflecting on his remarkable life and career, Nick Offerman (best known for his iconic portrayal of Ron Swanson on "Parks and Recreation") shares his insights on acting, marriage and the current state of the world. This is an episode of Design Matters with Debbie Millman, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective. Every week, Debbie has a conv...

The voices of these speakers are sure to gently pull you in with their warm delivery.

Beginning around 1377, medieval England was shaken by a power struggle between two noble families, which spanned generations and involved a massive cast of characters, complex motives and shifting loyalties. Sound familiar? Alex Gendler illustrates how the historical conflict known as the Wars of the Roses served as the basis for much of the dra...

"We all feel a compelling need to watch stories, to tell stories ... to discuss the things that tell each one of us that we are not alone in the world," says TV titan Shonda Rhimes. A dominant force in television since "Grey's Anatomy" hit the airwaves, Rhimes discusses the future of media networks, how she's using her narrative-building skills ...

Between television, the movies and top 40 lists, ballroom culture was appropriated by pop culture decades ago. With the spectacular support of a team of dancers, community leader Ronald Murray reclaims the subculture's narrative for queer communities of color.

What does it take to cultivate a culture of innovation and reinvention at work? Tracing his journey from math teacher to honesty-seeking executive, Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings describes three key elements of a successful work culture, sharing how to design a company around inspiration, creativity and candor. (This discussion, hosted by head of ...

Aliens have invaded ancient history: they've cropped up in humanity's past through popular television and movies, displacing facts with absurd yet commonplace beliefs like "aliens built the pyramids." Archaeologist Sarah Kurnick illustrates why these misconceptions perpetuate racist and xenophobic notions of history and culture -- and demonstrat...

In this absorbing look at emerging media and tech history, Peter Hirshberg shares some crucial lessons from Silicon Valley and explains why the web is so much more than "better TV."

Shonda Rhimes, the titan behind Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, is responsible for some 70 hours of television per season, and she loves to work. "When I am hard at work, when I am deep in it, there is no other feeling," she says. She has a name for this feeling: The hum. The hum is a drug, the hum is music, the hum is G...

Light, bright, and cheerful, "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi is some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music, featured in numerous films and television commercials. But what is its significance, and why does it sound that way? Betsy Schwarm uncovers the underlying narrative of this musical masterpiece. [Directed by Compote Col...

In 1960, composer John Cage went on television to share his latest work. But rather than using traditional instruments, Cage appeared surrounded by household clutter, including a bathtub, ice cubes, a toy fish, a rubber duck, several radios, and performed "Water Walk." Most people watching had the same question: is this even music? Hanako Sawada...

TV news anchor Lee Thomas thought his career was over after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder that left large patches of his skin without pigment and led to derision and stares. In a captivating talk, he shares how he discovered a way to counter misunderstanding and fear around his appearance with engagement, dialogue -- and...

Experience TED on the big screen, or even from the comfort of your own home. Learn more about our live simulcasts, archival offerings, television specials and more. TED India TED TALKS INDIA: NAYI SOCH is a groundbreaking TV series showcasing new thinking from some of the brightest brains in India and beyond. Spoken entirely in Hindi and hosted ...

In the debut of TED's new "On the Spot" rapid-fire Q&A format, Emmy-winning television superstar and drag icon RuPaul Charles answers questions about bravery, brilliance and more — all with his signature wit and wisdom. Get a glimpse inside RuPaul's head and hear his thoughts on the power of drag, the best way to slay, the most important per...

Does collecting more data lead to better decision-making? Competitive, data-savvy companies like Amazon, Google and Netflix have learned that data analysis alone doesn't always produce optimum results. In this talk, data scientist Sebastian Wernicke breaks down what goes wrong when we make decisions based purely on data -- and suggests a brainie...

What do Game of Thrones' Dothraki, Avatar's Na'vi, Star Trek's Klingon and LOTR's Elvish have in common? They are all fantasy constructed languages, or conlangs. Conlangs have all the delicious complexities of real languages: a high volume of words, grammar rules, and room for messiness and evolution. John McWhorter explains why these invented l...

What does it take to be a sports hot-take artist? And, could Jody do it? Sports debate shows aren't always about facts – they're about getting people to watch by any means necessary. And these shows pretty much wrote the playbook on how we debate across the media. In this episode, Jody gets coached on how to argue like a sportscaster from sports...

Great talks to watch when you should probably be doing something else.

Learning another language? A collection of TED Talks to indulge in your linguistic desires. (Pro tip: Select subtitles in your preferred language to read along, too.)

Gayle King is a co-host of "CBS This Morning” and Editor-at-Large of the award-winning O, the Oprah Magazine.

In the 1970s (and decades following), TV producer Norman Lear touched the lives of millions with culture-altering sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times, pushing the boundaries of the era and giving a primetime voice to underrepresented Americans. In an intimate, smart conversation with Eric Hirshberg, he shares with humil...