Over the weekend, Netflix premiered the three-episode series, “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates” that explains how Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, decided to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems as part of their philanthropy.
Gates held the title of richest person in the world from 1995 until 2017, according to Forbes. With an estimated net worth of $105 billion, it was hard to imagine how Gates and his family lived, until now.
Each episode focuses on a specific issue and includes a series of interviews with Gates’ siblings, friends and coworkers.
In the first episode, Melinda reads an article in the New York Times about deaths in Africa related to a lack of sanitation. In response to the article, Gates campaigned to find inventors to develop a toilet that does not require water to flush.
Viewers see flashbacks of his childhood and key moments that shaped him into a successful businessman.
In one instance during the series, Gates and his siblings reflect on the poor behavior he had with his mother as a kid. However, Gates shared that it was because of his mother that he decided to become a philanthropist and donate the majority of his wealth.
The second episode focuses heavily on his relationship with Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. The episode reflects on how they met and how their friendship led them to create one of the wealthiest companies in the world. The episode also gives an insight into their personal issues with one another; from Gates’ crazy work schedule to Allen’s lack of commitment that led him to quit Microsoft.
In the final episode, Bill and Melinda talk about how they met at Microsoft and the difficulties of their marriage. Melinda opens up and explains that due to the nature of Bill’s position, he was constantly absent from the household and that made her question his commitment to their marriage.
The series highlights Melinda’s importance in Bill’s life, and how she contributed to making the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation one of the most successful charities in the world.
The episode also touches on the backlash that Gates faced after the government declared Microsoft a monopoly, as well as his latest project to fight climate change.
Overall, the series offers a glimpse inside the Gates household to show some of the most intimate areas of one of the most powerful men on Earth. The docuseries does a great job showing his assertions as a businessman, but also his flaws as a human.