Hacking the System

Hacking the System is an intriguing, enlightening television series that aired on National Geographic in 2014. At its core, it's a show that takes viewers on an engaging journey through the eyes of expert hacker and host, Brian Brushwood. Brushwood is a specialist in social engineering, magic, scams, and all manners of hacking. His expertise uniquely equips him to help navigate viewers through the tangled web of systems that society has constructed. Aimed at the curious and technologically savvy viewer, Hacking the System provides a fascinating look into various societal systems, from everyday off-the-shelf gadgets to secure technologies, laws, and regulations that govern our lives. The show was primarily motivated by one simple, yet profound, question: How can one work smarter, not harder? Each episode focuses on demonstrating unconventional ways to navigate the intricate architecture of different systems, queuing viewers into lifehacks, shortcuts, and tips to help break free from the binds of conventional thinking. Brushwood cleverly shows viewers how to exploit loopholes, bend rules, and navigate various pathways to rework systems to their advantage. His approach is always ethical and veers away from illegal activities, focusing instead on leveraging one's understanding of a system to manipulate its outcome or reaction. The compelling flair of Brushwood's host persona, coupled with his authority on all things hacking, makes him an exciting guide on this unconventional journey. The series covers a wide range of topics, from simple everyday hacks like how to save money while shopping or travel like a king on a modest budget, to complex areas like understanding how the legal system or technology infrastructure can be navigated for personal advantage. Hacking the System takes an enlightening look at how to 'hack' different aspects of modern life and, each time, leaves the viewer with a sense of enriched knowledge and understanding. Brushwood employs his profound hacking skills to exploit systems on a practical level. He guides viewers through shortcuts and loopholes in everyday systems like air travel, shopping, food industry, and auto mechanics. Moreover, he explains more serious hacks such as understanding informative visual clues to break a lock or even how to disappear from the internet. Brushwood's charisma and unique “edutainment” style, along with his potent professional background as a hacker, make for a show packed with equal parts education and entertainment. This interesting balance is what fuels a tour of the world's accepted processes, which, in reality, are simply hackable systems. Through the course of the show, viewers will find themselves questioning and looking at the world around them through a very different lens. It's important to note that Hacking the System not only shows viewers the art of hacking systems but also educates them on how to protect their own systems from being exploited. Beyond enthralling lifehacks, Brushwood explains just how delicate our personal cybersecurity can be, emphasizing the need for safeguarding personal space. To this end, he does an excellent job of translating highly complex ideas and theories into digestible, understandable content for the viewer. Hacking the System sparks a sense of curiosity and invites its audience to question the norms, the systems, and the societal constructs they interact with every day. It's innovation, it's rebellion, and it's modernization, all bundled into one exciting package. The show helps viewers efficiently and effectively use available resources by understanding systems better. Moreover, it's an exciting exploration of life's secretly hackable elements and a guide to taking these hacks and using them to live a more efficient, effective, and extraordinary life. In summary, this 2014 National Geographic series is more than just a how-to guide on hacking. It's an engaging, eye-opening journey through the everyday life systems we often overlook. Consider Hacking the System as a unique guide to both navigating and understanding the complex and often bewildering world of modern systems, and an essential tool in the digital age.

Hacking the System is a series categorized as a currently airing. Spanning 1 seasons with a total of 12 episodes, the show debuted on 2015. The series has earned a moderate reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at 7.6.