The Search for Alfred the Great

The Emperor's Lost Harbour

November 2011 •English

In the heart of a metropolitan city of 15 million people and among the construction of a new billion-dollar transportation network, an archaeological sensation has been discovered: the ancient harbour of Theodosious, lost from the history books for over 1000 years.

Reformation: Europe's Holy War

October 2017 •English

Historian David Starkey tells the story of the Protestant Reformation and how it transformed the face of modern Europe, unleashing fundamentalism, terror and religious violence.

Six by Sondheim

December 2013 •English

This intimate documentary explores the life and career of the stage legend Stephen Sondheim through six of his best-known songs.

Das Voynich-Manuskript - Die geheimnisvollste Handschrift der Welt

May 2014 •German

It is the world’s most mysterious manuscript. A book, written by an unknown author, illustrated with pictures that are as bizarre as they are puzzling — and written in a language that even the best cryptographers have been unable to decode. No wonder that this script even has a part in Dan Brown’s latest bestseller “The Lost Symbol”.

Clarissa & the King's Cookbook

March 2008 •English

Clarissa Dickson Wright tracks down Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury. This 700-year-old scroll was written during the reign of King Richard II from recipes created by the king's master chefs. How did this ancient manuscript influence the way people eat today? On her culinary journey through medieval history she reawakens recipes that have lain dormant for centuries and discovers dishes that are still prepared now.

Caligula's Spawn - Part 1

September 2009 •English

The beautiful and dangerous lesbian slave trader Druscilla practices all the customs of Ancient Rome - everything in Excess. But even excess can have its limits and the punishments can be very severe if she crosses the line and risks falling out of favor.

Nordmennenes Egen Historie - Kongehuset

January 2007 •Norwegian

Notre ami l'empereur Bokassa Ier

November 2011 •French

Philippe Pétain

November 2010 •French

Foccart, l'homme qui dirigeait l'Afrique

September 2010 •French

Blackout

July 2015 •English

First responders, journalists, shop owners, those inside the pressure-packed control center of Con Edison on West End Avenue, and other New Yorkers tell about what happened when the lights went out on July 13, 1977.

Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors

June 2024 •English

Thousands of terracotta warriors guarded the first Chinese emperor's tomb. This is their story, told through archeological evidence and reenactments.

Memory Books

May 2008 •English

In Uganda, AIDS-infected mothers have begun writing what they call Memory Books for their children. Aware of the illness, it is a way for the family to come to terms with the inevitable death that it faces. Hopelessness and desperation are confronted through the collaborative effort of remembering and recording, a process that inspires unexpected strength and even solace in the face of death.

Hamilton's America

October 2016 •English

This documentary delves deeper into the creation of the Hamilton musical, revealing Lin-Manuel Miranda's process of absorbing and then adapting Hamilton's epic story into ground-breaking musical theater.

Swing con Son

April 2009 •Spanish

Music documentary by director Rafael Marziano Tinoco from Venezuela

The Last Days of Anne Boleyn

May 2013 •English

Writers and historians including Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory revisit the last days of Anne Boleyn, who in 1536 became the first queen in British history to be executed.

David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive

January 2014 •English

Regular opening times do not apply as we accompany Sir David Attenborough on an after-hours journey around London’s Natural History Museum, one of his favourite haunts. The museum's various exhibits come to life, including dinosaurs, reptiles and creatures from the ice age.

Os Senhores da Guerra

September 2016 •English

During the Rio Grande do Sul revolution of 1923, two brothers fight on opposite sides.

Lucy Worsley's Royal Palace Secrets

September 2020 •English

Chief curator of historic royal palaces Lucy Worsley provides an exclusive tour of London’s most extraordinary palaces: the Tower of London, Hampton Court, and Kensington Palace.

Modern Marvels: American Steel: Built to Last

Invalid date •English

An exploration of the past and future of the steel industry in America.