Project XX(1954)

Project XX is an early NBC documentary series that assembles archival footage into fast-paced compilations. Following the model of Victory at Sea, each episode pairs rapid editing with orchestral music and narration to explore public affairs and everyday life. The show deliberately avoids contentious topics, a strategy that earned strong ratings and spawned numerous imitators including Air Power and The Twentieth Century. Despite its initial success, Project XX would later face criticism for prioritizing entertainment value over substantive analysis, marking a shift in how audiences and critics evaluated documentary television.