> the wildest part was always that this originally aired almost 2 full years before Snowden

Yeah, but keep in mind there was growing awareness of mass surveillance in the years leading up to the Snowden revelations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A

Similar to how the show 24 manufactured consent for torture, imperialism, etc post-9/11, part of me wonders how much of a role POI played in doing the same for mass surveillance.

A flamboyant billionaire hoarding all communications and digital events while claiming to be the good guy. Sure sounds familiar.