This Giant Beast That is the Global Economy – Documentary Series Review

Episode Guide

Money Laundering: A How to Guide
Are Rich People D*cks or do D*cks Get Rich
The Rubber Episode
A.I. is the Future. Will it Keep Us Around to Enjoy It?
Counterfeiting Kills Economies (And Helps Them Too)
The Death Episode
Is Money Bullsh*t?
A Global Corruption Tour

Split across 8 episodes and presented by Kal Penn, Amazon Prime’s latest docuseries takes a closer look at some of the more pressing issues facing the global economy today. With a simplistic viewpoint and plenty of analogies and jokes along the way, This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy keeps its material at surface level, failing to really dive into the heart of these topics as much as it perhaps should do. Still, the topics that are here are clearly aimed with the average viewer in mind and in that respect, the information is easy to digest and simple to understand.

Now, having worked in the financial industry for a little over 6 years, a few of the episodes here tackle some very real and troubling issues affecting this industry in a way that cuts out the jargon and explains things in layman’s terms. The best example here is the first episode all about Money Laundering. Although the series does feel in danger of patronizing its viewers at times with the way it breaks things down to such a simple degree and reinforces points made repeatedly, for the most part Kal Penn’s humour and various sketches prevent the series from crossing this line too often. It’s not all about money or the financial industry here either. The price of dying, our reliance on AI technologies and the crisis facing the rubber industry are all explored here too in much the same way.

Most episodes follow a pretty conventional format, making it very easy to dip in and out of the topics you’re most interested in. After a brief introduction to each episode, a combination of archival footage, face to face interviews and comedic sketches are spliced together in each episode along with block text for facts narrated. While series itself is still enjoyable, when you compare it to Hasan Minhaj’s Patriot Act, which blends hard hitting facts with humour in a more powerful manner, Amazon Prime’s series doesn’t quite match up.

Still, there’s enough here to make for an entertaining watch nonetheless and those looking for an introduction to the global economy on the most simplistic level will certainly enjoy this one. It does have its moments and although the humour doesn’t always hit, for the most part This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy does just enough to keep you watching through to the end although it’s unlikely you’ll return to this one in a hurry.

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