Try Lego Masters from other regions. I’m guessing you are watching the USA version and I know my kids have enjoyed the Australian version way more. All a matter of taste of course in what works for you especially in terms of something like a show host.

Bring back Sodium batteries and how to make them as well as solar panel production. Probably to Nikola Tesla.

To be a bit more precise whatever the easiest to produce versions of each are not the best ones so they could actually be produced at the tech level at the time.

I’m sure they would still end up creating equivalents of oil Barons etc. but at least it would be based on a cleaner tech and more able to improve from there.

Vague memories myself but I think I also remember a friend having it and would also be fair to call it related to something like civilization or master of Orion as a 4x type. Would have to go check it out again to see if I’m right or just mixing memories with other games we played around that time.