Set against the backdrop of Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia, “War and Peace” is a story of passion, romance, scandal and deceit surrounding the rising and falling fortunes of five aristocratic families – the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, Drubetskoys, Kuragins and Rostovs – in the waning days of imperial Russia.
Written and presented by Sir Simon Rattle, the foremost British conductor of our day, this series forms a fascinating introduction to, and overview of, the music of the 20th century. Each of the seven programmes features over thirty minutes of specially-shot music in performance, with Rattle conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Simon Rattle leads viewers on an exhilarating journey through the music of our time, explaining the chief musical developments from Mahler to the present day. Each programme is illustrated with evocative imagery, archive film and photographs and the featured music is set within the broader context of artistic and social change.
Based originally on the books by Caroline Graham, each self-contained episode of two hours is a classic whodunit revolving around Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby and his partner, and their efforts to solve the numerous gruesome murders which take place in the picturesque countryside of Midsomer County.
A man masquerading as a preacher during the 1930s in the American heartland leads an insurrection against the status quo; and butts heads with a professional strikebreaker hired by a tycoon to stop the uprising. Unbeknownst to those around them, the two men share a secret past.
The owners of the only funeral home in the mysterious town of La Rochelle, Ga., also act as the keepers of the town’s dark secrets and history.
The Brokenwood Mysteries is set in a seemingly quiet country town where the town’s newest resident finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location. Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd is good at his job but bad with relationships. When he comes to the city of Brokenwood to solve a crime he falls in love with it and decides to stay, but soon Shepherd begins to collide with Detective Kristen Sims.
Set in Edwardian England, this adaptation of H.G. Wells’ seminal tale – the first alien invasion story in literature – follows George and his partner Amy as they attempt to defy society and start a life together. The War of the Worlds tells their story as they face the escalating terror of an alien invasion, fighting for their lives against an enemy beyond their comprehension.
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em is a BBC television sitcom, created and written by Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for three series, ending in 1978. The series follows the accident-prone Frank Spencer and his tolerant wife, Betty, through Frank’s various attempts to hold down a job, which frequently end in disaster. The sitcom was filmed in and around the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire. It was noted for its stuntwork, performed by Michael Crawford himself, as well as featuring various well-remembered catchphrases, that have become part of popular culture.
Rebellion is a five part serial drama about the birth of modern Ireland. The story is told from the perspectives of a group of fictional characters who live through the political events of the 1916 Easter Rising. Rebellion begins with the outbreak of World War I. As expectations of a short and glorious campaign are dashed, social stability is eroded and Irish nationalism comes to the fore. The tumultuous events that follow are seen through the eyes of a group of friends from Dublin, Belfast and London as they play vital and conflicting roles in the narrative of Ireland’s independence.
David Attenborough’s ground-breaking exploration of a group of organisms that are vast in number, yet often too small to be noticed: the invertebrates. Thanks to technical innovations in lighting, optics and computerized motion control, the turbulent, super-organized world of insects and invertebrates is finally revealed from the perspective of its extraordinary inhabitants.
Citizen Smith starred Robert Lindsay as “Wolfie” Smith, a young Marxist “urban guerrilla” in Tooting, South London, who is attempting to emulate his hero Che Guevara. Wolfie is a reference to the Irish revolutionary Wolfe Tone who used the pseudonym Citizen Smith in order to evade capture by the British. Wolfie is the self-proclaimed leader of the revolutionary Tooting Popular Front (the TPF, merely a small bunch of his friends), the goals of which are “Power to the People” and “Freedom for Tooting”. In reality he is an unemployed slacker and petty criminal whose plans fall through due to apathy, ineptitude and inexperience.
The British phenomenon and Emmy-winner Ricky Gervais, founder of BBC’s original The Office, stars in the hilariously funny series Extras! Watch the story unfold as Ricky Gervais plays a lowly film extra, Andy Millman, who makes his mark in the background while the stars do their work. The show with big, big stars…and Andy Millman.
