AllMovie

With the Civil War settled, New York could focus solely on the business of business and getting rich. Central Park finally became a true park instead of a shantytown, and "Boss Tweed" ran the city like his own private fiefdom, ultimately leading to the rise of righteous reformers such as Theodore Roosevelt. This is the third episode of the epic PBS documentary series about the "Big Apple." Topics covered include the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The program takes the story of New York to the last years of the 19th century, a time when the city expanded well beyond the confines of Manhattan Island. Highlights include period photographs, archival paintings, and engravings, as well as commentary by numerous guests including Ruth J. Abram, founder of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum; novelist Caleb Carr (The Alienist), architect Robert A. M. Stern; writer Jean Strouse; and historian John Kuo Wei Tchen. Other features include dramatic readings by guests including Frances Sternhagen, Eli Wallach, and George Plimpton. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers.