I thought I would have a look through the TV schedules and pick out some nice interesting Historical type programmes that might be interesting to watch over the next 7 days.
In Streets in the Sky Architecture Critic Tom Dyckhoff visits one of the most controversial listed buildings in Britain, the Park Hill Flats in Sheffield, Although it was once heralded as the most pioneering public housing scheme in Britain, decades of decline and neglect have transformed it into a grim sink estate. Now it’s protected by English Heritage and raises questions about what we should be saving for the nation (Monday 31 August, BBC2, 19:30).
In Warship, we get an insight into the crew of one of the Royal Navy’s Amphibious Assault ships, HMS Bulwark, as they head off the the Far East on a multinational exercise. New Series (Monday 31 August, Five, 21:00).
For Anyone who missed Martin Freeman’s who do you think you are?, its repeated this week. Well worth a watch if you havent already seen it (Tuesday 1 September, BBC2, 19:00).
Wednesday sees a pretty unique insight into the First World War, in World War One in Colour. Computer techniques are used to colourise vintage newsreel footage of the conflict (Wednesday 2 September, Five, 21:00).
ITV gives us a pretty rare History programme on Thursday, Outbreak. It promises recollections od the day World War Two began (Thursday 3 September, ITV, 22:35).
Friday includes one of the most controversial Period Drama’s of the moment, The Tudors on BBC2. This week Henry VIII, played by Jonathon Rhys Myers, mourns the death of Jane Seymour. 3 down, 3 to go! (Friday 4 September, BBC2, 21:00).
Theres some classic wartime comedy on Saturday, with Dad’s Army. Not sure what episode its gonna be, but to be fair they’re all classic. (Sat 5 September, BBC2, 20:30).
The Tudors really is a shockingly bad historical television programme. Historical innacuracies galore surrounded by outrageous sexual gratuity. It does have one saving grace however: Jeremy Northam’s fantastic portrayal of Sir Thomas More. The storyline of his refusal to take the Kings oath and subsequent betrayal in court by Richard Rich is really powerful stuff, and the only part of this series worth watching.
I agree, it is very contrived and there is a lot of historical license going on. Mind you, if people watch it and find it interesting then I’m all for that. Just as long as people don’t think that its 100% historically accurate – because it doesnt necessarily have to be – but the problem is when people watch it and take it seriously.