Made In America

Watch Made In America

  • TV-G
  • 2004
  • 5 Seasons
  • 8.4  (87)

Made in America is a travel TV series on the Travel Channel, starring John Ratzenberger. The show premiered in 2003, and it ran until 2008. During its six-year run, it gained a considerable following due to its ability to showcase the various manufacturing processes that happen in America. Through Made in America, viewers get to see various American factories, shops, and workshops, and learn about the people who work in these establishments.

The show follows host John Ratzenberger, who is best known for his role as Cliff Clavin on the television show Cheers. Unlike in Cheers, where he played a mailman, in Made in America, Ratzenberger plays himself. He travels around the country, including regions like the heartland, New England, and the South, searching for different types of manufacturers.

The concept of Made in America is simple but captivating. Ratzenberger visits factories and workshops that manufacture some of the most common products that Americans use every day. For example, he visits a furniture factory in North Carolina where workers produce furniture made from solid wood. He also goes to a baseball bat factory in Kentucky and a steel mill in Indiana.

Each episode focuses on a specific product and its production process. The show does a great job of showing the different techniques used to make things that customers take for granted. In the furniture factory episode, Ratzenberger shows how artisans use immense machines to turn logs into furniture. In the baseball bat factory, viewers get to see the woodturning process and learn about the history of baseball bats. The steel mill episode is especially interesting to watch, as it focuses on a single molten beam that gets transformed into usable steel.

Perhaps what makes Made in America stand out from other travel shows is its ability to provide a comprehensive look at American manufacturing. It covers every aspect of manufacturing, from the raw materials to marketing the finished product. In some instances, Ratzenberger also delves into the history of the products he is featuring. For example, the show has an episode that focuses on the history of the mail system in America.

The show also does a great job of highlighting the people behind the products. It interviews factory workers, engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs who keep the American manufacturing sector running. It shows the passion and pride that goes into every product made in America.

One of the key takeaways from the show is the importance of buying American-made products. Ratzenberger believes that importing too much, especially from countries with cheap labor, can lead to the decay of American industries. Therefore, he encourages viewers to buy products made in America to keep the manufacturing industry alive.

Overall, Made in America is an informative and enjoyable show that provides an in-depth look at American manufacturing. It is a must-watch for anyone who is curious about the people behind everyday products. The show may have stopped airing in 2008, but its message of supporting American manufacturing still holds true today.

Made In America is a series that ran for 5 seasons (96 episodes) between January 6, 2004 and on Travel Channel

Made In America
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Seasons
Wild Horse Wind Farm/ Bradbury and Bradbury Wallpaper
20. Wild Horse Wind Farm/ Bradbury and Bradbury Wallpaper
July 5, 2008
We're headed to Benicia, CA to see how Bradbury and Bradbury makes the wallpaper that spruces up your walls. Then it's off to Kittitas, WA to see how the Wild Horse Wind Farm is changing the way Americans power their homes.
San Fransisco Cable Car System/Dennis School Uniforms
19. San Fransisco Cable Car System/Dennis School Uniforms
July 5, 2008
We're off to San Francisco to find out how the cable car system helps people navigate this hilly city. Then we're going to Portland, OR to see how Dennis Uniform makes the clothes that your kids wear to school
Thomas Built Schoolbuses/Grand Coulee Dam
18. Thomas Built Schoolbuses/Grand Coulee Dam
June 28, 2008
We're headed to High Point, NC to see how Thomas Built School Buses makes the buses that take our kids to school. Then it's off to Grand Coulee, WA where the Grand Coulee Dam supplies water and power to millions.
Griffith Park Observatory/TiLite Titanium Wheelchair
17. Griffith Park Observatory/TiLite Titanium Wheelchair
June 28, 2008
We travel to Los Angeles, CA to scope out a classic in American science, the Griffith Park Observatory. Then we head to Kennewick, WA, where TiLite custom wheelchairs are crafted to order from a light-weight, non-corrosive material - titanium.
Biltmore Estate/CMC Rescue Equipment
16. Biltmore Estate/CMC Rescue Equipment
June 28, 2008
On this episode of Made in America, we travel to the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Then we head to Goleta, CA to check out the harnesses, straps and safety equipment made by CMC Rescue.
Brown & Haley Almond Roca/PPG Place
15. Brown & Haley Almond Roca/PPG Place
April 2, 2008
We travel to Tacoma, WA, where Brown and Haley create a nutty, chocolatey wonder called Almond Roca. Then it's off to Pittsburgh, PA to explore a glass-encased wonder of modern architecture, and trace a historic name in American industry - PPG Place.
Conservatory of Flowers/Gilbarco Veeder-Root Gas Pumps
14. Conservatory of Flowers/Gilbarco Veeder-Root Gas Pumps
June 14, 2008
We travel to San Francisco, CA to discover a jewel inside Golden Gate Park, The Conservatory of Flowers. Then it's off to Greensboro, NC, where we learn how Gilbarco Veeder-Root manufactures the gas pumps that keep Americans and their cars on the road.
C. Cretors Popcorn Machines/Cleveland Arcade
13. C. Cretors Popcorn Machines/Cleveland Arcade
April 2, 2008
We visit Chicago, IL, where C. Cretors and Company make the popcorn machines that keep the movies popping. Then we pay a visit to Cleveland, OH, where we explore a landmark in city history and the history of American commerce - the Cleveland Arcade.
Space Needle/American Cresent Elevators
12. Space Needle/American Cresent Elevators
June 7, 2008
On this episode of Made in America, we climb the skyline of Seattle, Washington, to get the inside story of the Space Needle. Then we travel to Picayune, Louisiana, where American Crescent Elevators makes vertical travel safe and convenient.
Chihuly Bridge of Glass/Hoist Liftruck
11. Chihuly Bridge of Glass/Hoist Liftruck
May 31, 2008
We visit Tacoma, WA and the one-of-a-kind structure that's revitalizing the city center, The Chihuly Bridge of Glass. Then it's off to Bedford Park, IL, where Hoist Liftruck shows us what goes into a machine that can hoist the weight of 30 elephants.
Fallingwater/Cone Denim
10. Fallingwater/Cone Denim
May 31, 2008
We're traveling to Fallingwater in Run Mill, Pennsylvania, where modern design meets a waterfall, courtesy of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Then we visit White Oak, North Carolina to see how Cone Denim keeps America forever in blue jeans.
Marathon Petroleum/Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
9. Marathon Petroleum/Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
April 30, 2008
We're heading to Garyville, Louisiana to see how Marathon Petroleum refines crude oil into gasoline -- as well as asphalt and jet fuel.??Then we travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to visit the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
Rock n Roll Hall of Fame/Wright Medical Orthopedics
8. Rock n Roll Hall of Fame/Wright Medical Orthopedics
April 23, 2008
We turn up the music at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. Then we're in Arlington, TN at Wright Medical Technology to see how they make artificial joints that replace worn out knees and hips with shiny new ones made of cobalt-chrome alloy.
Old State Capitol Building/Elgin Street Sweepers
7. Old State Capitol Building/Elgin Street Sweepers
April 23, 2008
We travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and pay a visit to the historic Old State Capitol Building. Then we head to Elgin, Illinois and the Elgin Sweeper Company, home of the original motor-driven street sweeper, which is still cleaning America's streets.
Chapman-Leonard Camera Dollies/Cathedral of Learning
6. Chapman-Leonard Camera Dollies/Cathedral of Learning
April 16, 2008
We begin in Hollywood where Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment makes the camera dollies that help shoot our favorite films. Then it's off to the Univ. of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning, which reaches for the sky so its students can reach for the stars.
Twin Span Bridge/ Maytag Dishwashers/ Channellock Tools
5. Twin Span Bridge/ Maytag Dishwashers/ Channellock Tools
April 16, 2008
We begin on top of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana for a trip across the Twin Span Bridge. Then it's off to Jackson, Tennessee, where we clear the kitchen with a Maytag dishwasher. And finally we get a firm grip on reality with a pair of Channellock Pliers
French Quarter/United Record Pressing
4. French Quarter/United Record Pressing
April 9, 2008
We're visiting the French Quarter in New Orleans to explore the landmarks of the historic Jackson Square. Then we travel to Nashville, Tennessee, where United Record Pressing presses the vinyl albums and singles that record-sprinning audiophiles swear by.
Viking Ranges/Sears Tower
3. Viking Ranges/Sears Tower
April 9, 2008
We're firing up the burners at the Viking Range Corp. in Greenwood Mississippi, to see how these home appliances are designed with industrial strength and designer looks. Then we travel to the Sears Tower in Chicago, a sentinel over all of North America.
Shedd Aquarium/California Portland Cement
2. Shedd Aquarium/California Portland Cement
April 2, 2008
We pay a visit to the 26,000 aquatic citizens of Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. Then it's off to Colton, California, where California Portland Cement Company makes the cement that makes the concrete that keeps our highways rolling and our high rises rising.
Hobie Cat/General Jackson Showboat
1. Hobie Cat/General Jackson Showboat
April 2, 2008
We visit sunny Oceanside, California and Hobie, the company that put American-made catamarans and kayaks on the map. Then we head to Nashville, Tennessee and take a paddlewheel riverboat ride as we explore the Music City on the General Jackson Showboat.
Description
Where to Watch Made In America
Made In America is available for streaming on the Travel Channel website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Made In America on demand at Amazon Prime.
  • Premiere Date
    January 6, 2004
  • IMDB Rating
    8.4  (87)
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