The Inventors' Specials

1893, West Orange, New Jersey... Thomas Edison is obsessed by a vision: What if I could do for the eye what my favorite invention, the phonograph, does for the ear? Edison's prototype, the kinetoscope, is jostled by Jack, a scruffy twelve-year-old who crashes into the lab while fleeing a truant officer. Edison's first inclination is to throw the brat back to the wolves but he recognizes something of himself in the boy and instead covers for Jack. The boy becomes a kind of Sorcerer's Apprentice to Edison, sharing the adventure, the late hours and the unrelenting energy of the world's greatest inventor as they create the first motion pictures.

Toward the end of a brilliant career in 1953, Albert Einstein was as famous a media figure as he was a scholar and physicist at Princeton. A highly unlikely meeting of minds occurs when the wild-haired academic helps young Lannie, a twelve-year-old African-American girl, whose poor grades in school are due to her teacher's prejudice. In Lannie, Einstein is reminded of his own early struggles in Switzerland, his quest for intellectual freedom, and his concern for the future of democracy in his adopted America. Lannie's earnestness renews Einstein's spirit and in return, he gives Lannie an incredible gift: an awareness of her potential.

At the dawn of the 17th century, astronomer Galileo (Michael Moriarty) is on the verge of uncovering the biggest mysteries of the universe. But his ambitions are thwarted by lack of money, a lazy brother and a jealous rival. Luckily, Galileo finds support from the pampered son of the powerful Medici family. Under Galileo's tutelage, Prince Cosimo learns teat in searching for the stars, one has to have his feet firmly on the ground. Inspired by Galileo's quest for scientific truth, Cosimo helps Galileo invent the first telescope.

Set in 1914, “Marie Curie: More than Meets the Eye” involves the scientist (Kate Trotter) with two young Parisiennes who think that she's a German spy. Martine: Natalie Vansier. Eliane: Colleen Rennison. Louis: Wayne Robson.

As Newton devotes himself to the difficult and solitary path of challenging the existing view of the universe and proving his own theories on celestial movement and gravity, his young scribe Humphrey wavers between pursuing science or following his heart.