England, the 1960s, and the Triumph of the Beatles

What happens between September 1963 and February 1964 to launch the Beatles toward international stardom; discovering some of the major social and sonic factors at work in the transformation of these young musicians into a pop culture hurricane.

The Beatles are a product of the many worlds contained within 1950s and 1960s Liverpool; how the band soaks up this post-industrial and culturally vibrant scene; how they store ideas and impressions that turn up in some of their early tunes.

The "beat" in the Beatles is about more than just the music; exploring the Bohemian fringe known as the beatniks; following John, Paul and George as they search for the right drummer; the importance of the Beatles' apprenticeship in Hamburg.

Professor Shelden reveals some of the less flattering characteristics of the Beatles; chief among these is anger, both as a problem for John Lennon and as an outlet for creativity best seen in one of the Beatles' early successes, "Help!".

Meeting band manager Brian Epstein; discovering how Epstein puts the show on the road; how he makes sure that road goes all the way around the world despite a strong degree of resistance to the band in its early days.

During the early 1960s, the Beatles become the West's most irresistible export; how the Cold War transforms the Beatles from a provincial act to superstars of the Western world; considering new ways to think about the song, "Back in the USSR".

The Beatles finally arrive in the United States of America with fanfare; how so much sound and energy comes from only four people; plunging into the captivating fervor, communal spirit and bacchanal of abandon that is soon known as Beatlemania.

Professor Shelden reveals what lies underneath the surface charm and musical numbers of "A Hard Day's Night"; an overall attitude of irreverence and defiance in the face of authority; a challenge for audiences to think for themselves.

Taking a trip to Abbey Road, an escape for John, Paul, George and Ringo from Beatlemania; Abbey Road allows the Beatles to operate, under the guidance of producer George Martin, with unimaginable freedom that produces hits like "Yesterday".

In 1966, the road ahead for the Beatles seems limitless; nevertheless, misfortune strikes that year in the form of a changing American music market, and a disastrous summer tour to Germany, Japan, North America and the Philippines.

Going inside the invention of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", an experiment in everything that is untried and risky; considering the album's surreal and psychedelic appeal, from "A Day in the Life" to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".

In their last years together, all four of the Beatles seem to head in new directions; with these final years bringing a range of sounds, including protest songs, mystic melodies, anthems of friendship and an iconic double album called "The Beatles".