Best History Movies & TV Shows

Mike Rowe shows how many things in the world are connected. By using historical facts, Mike takes two seemingly unrelated things and shows an indirect connection.

The story of how Michael Morpurgo's children's novel became one of the most popular and acclaimed productions in the National Theatre's history.

As told through clips from 183 female directors, this epic history of the cinema focuses on women’s integral role in the development of film art. Using almost a thousand film extracts from thirteen decades and five continents, Mark Cousins asks how films are made, shot and edited; how stories are shaped and how movies depict life, love, politics, humour and death, all through the compelling lens of some of the world’s greatest filmmakers – all of them women.

Terra Mater is a TV film series about nature, science and history.

Trail of the Spider transposes Western genre motifs and the suppressed racial history of the American west (where one in three cowboys were black or Mexican) onto the transforming landscape of East London. Questioning and re-imagining the Western’s portrayal of the “Vanishing Frontier” , the film extends the metaphor to the material and psychological conditions of a present day city increasingly dominated by volatile financial speculations and private interests.

The complete landmark documentary series follows events from pre-history to 1990. Charting the country's past, this series chronicles the rise and fall of empires, the clash of great armies and epoch-making rebellions. The vibrant story is one of courage, daring and folly, told through the personal testimonies of the everyday men and women who lived it — trappers and traders, pirates and prospectors, soldiers and settlers, saints and shopkeepers.

Edwardian Farm is an historical documentary TV series in twelve parts, first shown on BBC Two from November 2010 to January 2011. It depicts a group of historians trying to run a farm like it was done during the Edwardian era. It was made for the BBC by independent production company Lion Television and filmed at Morwellham Quay, an historic quay in Devon. The farming team was historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn. The series was devised and produced by David Upshal and directed by Stuart Elliott. The series is a development from two previous series Victorian Farm and Victorian Pharmacy which were among BBC Two's biggest hits of 2009 and 2010, garnering audiences of up to 3.8 million per episode. The series was followed by Wartime Farm in September 2012, featuring the same team but this time in Hampshire on Manor Farm, living a full calendar year as wartime farmers. An associated book by Goodman, Langlands, and Ginn, also titled Edwardian Farm, was published in 2010 by BBC Books. The series was also published on DVD, available in various regional formats.

The legendary Native American chieftain refuses to go with his people peacefully to the reservation and starts a rebellion.

A look back at some of the most unforgettable moments in The First 48’s history. Each episode presents different cases previously featured on the show, all with a common theme.

The History of Sex is a 1999 five part documentary series by Jim Milio, Kelly McPherson, and Melissa Jo Peltier; and narrated by Peter Coyote. It was first aired on The History Channel. It features interviews of Hugh Hefner, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Helen Gurley Brown, and more.

Narrated by Sterling K. Brown, this six-part docuseries takes a comprehensive look at the remarkable and unexpected story of Abraham Lincoln by exploring his complicated inner world, seamlessly interweaving his tragic personal life with his history making political career. The series uses a mix of expert interviews, cinematic recreations, rare artifacts, and never before broadcast photos and letters to take viewers on a transcendent journey into the life and times of this iconic U.S. president.

Winston Churchill, one of the most revered men of the twentieth century. Adolf Hitler, one of the most hated leaders in contemporary history. Between 1940 and 1945, these two enormously contradictory personalities faced each other in both politics and war. A clash of giants whose story begins in the trenches of the World War I and ends with the debacle of the World War II.

Historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn turn back the clock to run Manor Farm in Hampshire exactly as it would have been during World War II.

What it felt like to live through the collapse of communism and democracy. A series of films by Adam Curtis.

Join an incredible journey through the history, chemistry and societal impacts of the world’s most extraordinary drugs.

Lucy Worsley reveals the surprising stories behind our favourite Christmas carols. From pagan rituals to religious conflicts, French dances and the First World War, carols reflect our history.

Ten celebrities are about to leave their 21st century lives and everything they know behind to become time travellers. Our ten intrepid travellers will crash into six very different eras of British history and have no idea where – or when – they're going. They will spend a day immersed in each era, living, working, dressing and eating as the ‘lower' classes did whilst attempting to follow orders and fulfil a task set by their superiors. Will they be able to survive history and will they be able to leave their smartphones behind?

Historian Patrick Boucheron revisits the most important dates in history through the prisms of memory and collective imagination.

BBC Two history series on Britain and the Cold War, looking at the period from the end of the 1950s to the mid-1970s.

Explore the Kennedy family's rise to power and how personal relationships within the Kennedy dynasty shaped national and global events from the Cold War to the Wall Street crash.

Muhammad Ali brings to life the iconic heavyweight boxing champion who became an inspiration to people everywhere.

"The Professor," an expert accredited by Puppet U, hosts a ruthless competition for the title of History Master, quizzing contestants on subjects from history.

Liz Bonnin sets out to explore how animals meet, mate and in some cases form lifelong relationships, shining a light on the extraordinary emotions that it seems animals are capable of.

New evidence is revealing fresh twists to the fatal chain-of-events that caused the Titanic to sink, and using cutting-edge technology and the latest scientific methods, experts investigate the secret history of its infamous sinking.

A 2003 BBC television historical documentary presented by Jeremy Clarkson who examines the history of the Victoria Cross, and follows the story of one of the 1,358 men who were awarded it: Major Robert Henry Cain.

Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.

Documentary about the life and career of a comic genius, Peter Sellers.

Fifteen pupils and their teachers embark on an extraordinary time-travelling adventure as they fast-forward through more than 100 years of school life.

A look at the last five decades of African American history since the major civil rights victories through the eyes of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., exploring the tremendous gains and persistent challenges of these years.

How Sex Changed the World is a documentary series exploring how sex has changed history: from Ghengis Khan using it to expand the Mongol Empire to the survival of harems for thousands of years and even how Hoover used it to blackmail top level politicians.

The year 2004 saw two hundred years of railways in Great Britain and to celebrate this historic landmark year, dedicated train enthusiast Mark Williams traveled the length and breadth of Britain in an exciting new TV series. Travelling the length and breadth of Britain, Mark tracks down the nation's fascinating railway heritage and gets to grips with locos such as the magnificent 160 ton Duchess of Sutherland. From the earliest designs of Richard Trevithick and George and Robert Stephenson to the advent of Class 31s, and from the development of London's Underground to the evolution of railway coaches, he reveals how our railways have changed over 200 years of history.

An in-depth look into the long history of conflict between American presidents and the FBI. Inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tim Weiner’s book, Enemies: A History of the FBI, the series presents the long, complex history of presidents testing the rule of law and the FBI’s job to enforce it.

British historian Lucy Worsley reveals how some of the biggest moments in US history are actually fibs and stories concocted by pop culture, politics and national(istic) pride.

A notorious femme fatale renowned for her ruthless pursuit of power reveals poignant vulnerability when she comes face to face with her long-lost son int he captivating, elegant production from San Francisco Opera.

The story of Libby Squire, a 21-year-old student, who was abducted and murdered walking home from a club in her university city of Hull in 2019. Libby's disappearance sparked the largest manhunt in Humberside Police history, which culminated in the arrest of a local man who had been leading a double life.

Pitmaster Aaron Franklin takes a boisterous road trip of BBQ culture -- the people, the places and of course the food. Ten half hour episodes celebrate the traditions and storied histories passed down through the generations, as well as those breathing new life into this distinctly American culture.

Two survivalists-turned-wilderness-private-eyes are on a mission to solve history's greatest mysteries in places inaccessible to the common man. Brothers Casey and Chris Keefer use their unique blend of survival and tracking techniques to enter the heart of these dark recesses and pick up the trail that can finally put long-lost legends to rest.

Melvyn Bragg explores the dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English, which made him a threat to the authority of the church and state.

Follow tech guru Marques Brownlee as he uncovers how iconic technology of the past came to life and shaped history. In each episode, Marques meets with fellow YouTube creators, experts, and celebrity guests, to explore the impact each piece of vintage tech has had on our culture and why these pieces remain so revolutionary.

Recreating festivities from Henry VIII's era, Lucy Worsley dresses, eats, drinks, sings and parties like it is 500 years ago - discovering long-lost traditions as well as familiar customs.

Black Coffee is a 2007 Canadian documentary film examining the complicated history of coffee and detailing its political, social, and economic influence from the past to the present day. The film details how coffee is the eighth most traded legal commodity in the world. It is also the fourth most valuable agricultural commodity. However, only one cent of a $2 cup of coffee goes to the grower.[1] This inequality has helped shape the history of continents and the Cold War.

Historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Peter Ginn and Tom Pinfold turn the clock back 500 years to the early Tudor period to become tenant farmers on monastery land.

The largest art museum in the Americas prepares to celebrate its 150th birthday with a treasure trove of landmark exhibitions. When COVID-19 strikes, the world shuts down and, for the first time in its history, the Met closes its doors. Then comes another crisis: in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, there are urgent demands for social justice.

The story of the struggle for the women's vote is much more than just the account of the exploits of Emmeline Pankhurst or the tragic fate of Emily Davidson. Lucy Worsley puts herself at the heart of the drama, alongside a group of astonishing young working class suffragettes who decided to go against every rule and expectation that British Edwardian society (1901-1910) had about them…

Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West was Canadian documentary television series which aired on History Television and the Public Broadcasting Service in 2001. It is the first entry of producer Jamie Brown's "Quest series" which includes Quest for the Bay, Klondike: The Quest for Gold and Quest for the Sea. It was filmed on a site just north of Argyle, Manitoba

For 200 years, the United States Congress has been one of the country's most important and least understood institutions. In this elegant, thoughtful and often touching portrait, Ken Burns explores the history and promise of this unique American institution. Using historical photographs and newsreels, evocative live footage and interviews with David Broder, Alistair Cooke, Cokie Roberts, Charles McDowell and others, the award-winning film chronicles the personalities, events and issues that have animated the first 200 years of Congress and, in turn, our country.

Big Cat Diary, also known as Big Cat Week or Big Cat Live, is a long-running nature documentary series on BBC television which follows the lives of African big cats in Kenya's Maasai Mara. The first series, broadcast on BBC One in 1996, was developed and jointly produced by Keith Scholey, who would go on to become Head of the BBC's Natural History Unit. Eight further series have followed, most recently Big Cat Live, a live broadcast from the Mara in 2008. The original presenters, Jonathan Scott and Simon King, were joined by Saba Douglas-Hamilton from 2002 onwards. Kate Silverton and Jackson Looseyia were added to the presenting team for Big Cat Live.

Henry VIII is the most infamous monarch in English history. Famously he married six times over his 36 year reign. The six queens were formidable individuals. Some were ambitious, some brave, some ruthless - and between them they shaped the man who began as a Renaissance prince, became a monster and ended a regretful old man. In turn they shaped England itself. Presented jointly Suzannah Lipscomb and Dan Jones, this is 4-Part series is an original and enlightening look at the real people at the centre of the action during one of the most turbulent, passionate and violent periods in English history.

In this set of three videotapes, writer Graham Hancock traverses the world and explains his controversial theory that an ancient civilization, highly intelligent people who sailed the planet as early as 10,500 B.C., spread advanced astronomical knowledge and built ancient observatories.

A sentimental journey through life in the North East of England over the past three generations: with the help of collectors, cine enthusiasts and historians, Tyne Tees have restored and revived hours of forgotten footage, cine-club archives and private collections to build up this fantastic nostalgia series showing first hand the changing landscapes and lifestyles of our wonderful region and its people. Containing rare colour pre-war film as well as early black-and-white footage of life in various parts of the North East. This gem is a fascinating and evocative recollection of the social history of the North East and North Yorkshire from the 1920s to the 1980s. Industry: Footage includes:-Sea the fishing industry, Oilrigs, farming, when coal was king, women in the workplace, giants of industry-ICI, Consett steel industry, days of steam, the fight to keep the North York Moors railway open, food & drink, Vaux brewery, the life of a Co-op store manager and the golden age of shipbuilding.