Best Shaped Movies & TV Shows

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.

The story of capital punishment through the eyes of young people whose lives have been shaped by it.

Follow renowned journalist Elvis Mitchell as he travels with A-list filmmakers and actors to places of inspiration around the world with unprecedented access, exploring how each location shaped their work and identity.

With the help of Victorian steam enthusiasts across the country, historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Peter Ginn and Alex Langlands journey back in time to the era of steam which shaped modern Britain.

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.

Two Quebec personalities candidly discuss the “firsts” that have marked their professional lives and shaped who they are both on and off camera. Our guests will also experience other unique “firsts” on the show. Emotions will run high as guests share personal secrets, reunite with long-lost friends, watch surprise variety numbers.

Sex, Death and the Meaning of Life is a three-part television documentary presented by Richard Dawkins which explores what reason and science might offer in major events of human lives. He argues that ideas about the soul and the afterlife, of sin and God's purpose have shaped human thinking for thousands of years. He believes science can provide answers to some of these old questions we used to entrust to religion.

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.

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.

It spans over 5,000 years of history that have shaped the world. It is full of spectacular sites and epic stories and an evolving society of inventors, heroes, heroines, villains, artisans and pioneers. Professor Joann Fletcher reveals the highs and lows of the most beguiling civilisation in humanity’s rich history in this four-part series made for BBC2.

A captivating voyage into the world of intellectual exploration, where host Bryan Magee engages in illuminating dialogues with some of the most distinguished thinkers of the last century. Join Magee in riveting conversations with eminent guests like Herbert Marcuse, A. J. Ayer, John Searle, Noam Chomsky, Iris Murdoch, and W.V. Quine, as they unravel the complexities of philosophy, language, politics, and culture. From the radical reevaluation of Marxism by Herbert Marcuse to the profound insights on language by John Searle and Noam Chomsky, this series presents a tapestry of thought that has shaped our understanding of existence. With each episode, "Men of Ideas" offers a unique window into the minds of these leading philosophers, making it an intellectually invigorating experience for both avid scholars and curious minds alike.

Geologist Iain Stewart explain in three stages of natural history the crucial interaction of our very planet's physiology and its unique wildlife. Biological evolution is largely driven bu adaptation to conditions such as climate, soil and irrigation, but biotopes were also shaped by wildlife changing earth's surface and climate significantly, even disregarding human activity.

Extraordinary show that reveals how forces of nature through sheer power of evolution shaped life in all it's unexpected and glorious forms, and filled our planet with amazing diversity of animals and plants.

After a break of nine years, David Gilmour steps back into the spotlight with a number one album and world tour. This film is an intimate portrait of one of the greatest guitarists and singers of all time, exploring his past and present. With unprecedented access, the film crew have captured and detailed key moments in David Gilmour's personal and professional life that have shaped him both as a person and a musician.

The very first submarine, which legend claims lurked beneath New York Harbor during the American Revolutionary War. The small ships that rescued thousands from Dunkirk. The destroyer that forced the easing of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Over the centuries, conflicts have prompted advances to ship designs, making vessels stronger, faster, smarter, and capable of changing the course of wars. Join us as we examine the world's greatest Combat Ships, and reveal how they shaped world history and inspired men and women to acts of incredible courage.

Millions of years ago, incredible forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven extraordinary continents. This documentary series reveals how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. takes a look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. A breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing and civilization itself, through the millennia in which Africa and Africans shaped not only their own rich civilizations, but also the wider world.

The gripping, decades-spanning inside story of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Ministers who shaped Britain's post-war destiny. The Crown tells the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street – and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. Two houses, two courts, one Crown.

George Lucas discusses how Joseph Campbell and his concept of the Monomyth (aka the Hero's Journey) and other concepts from mythology and religion shaped the Star Wars saga.

In the '80s, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington became fashion icons—then transcended their industry by uniting. This is the story of how they claimed their power and shaped the world that followed.

Mathieu Cyr discovers various countries through the eyes of their skateboarding community. He meets the skateboarders who have shaped the world scene and visits new places that mark the culture of skateboarding.

Simon Russell Beale presents a radical reappraisal of the place of the symphony in the modern world and explores the surprising way in which it has shaped our history and identity.

4-part series revealing the real history of the Wild West. Beyond gunslingers and lawmen we meet the diverse pioneers who shaped a country.

An immersive, deep-dive docuseries rich with archival footage and interviews that explores the musicians and soundtracks that shaped the culture and politics of 1971.

A look into the lives of the movers and shakers who have shaped the story of modern Mumbai, with privileged access to people who have been instrumental in turning the city into a global powerhouse. Through personal stories set against the unfolding story of the past 30 years, this episode looks at the challenges and triumphs of a city and a country in the midst of extraordinary transformation.

David Reynolds traces the legacy of the Great War across 100 years and 10 different countries, examining how the war haunted a generation and shaped the peace that followed.

Janina Ramirez discovers how monasteries shaped all aspects of medieval Britain and created a dazzling array of art, architecture and literature, a story of faith, sacrifice, violence and corruption.

With jaw-dropping visuals and a captivating set list of fan favorites as well as unreleased remixes, see one of electronic music's biggest acts as you've never seen them before. The Last Goodbye Cinematic Experience provides a look behind-the-curtain into the process of creating ODESZA's wildly successful return to the touring stage. Since they started making music in the basement of a college house, Harrison & Clay (ODESZA) have bucked industry trends and built a creative and dedicated production team of longtime close friends. Through personal interviews with the band, their fans, and members of their creative team, the film provides an entertaining and heartfelt look at the connection between the band and their fans, how life experiences shaped the creation of their latest album, and how ODESZA grew from small-town aspiring musicians to a four-time Grammy Award-nominated, major festival headlining icon.

Archaeologist and historian Richard Miles traces the development of Western civilization, from the first cities in Mesopotamia to the fall of the Roman Empire. In this six-part series, Miles travels through the Middle East, Egypt, Pakistan and the Mediterranean to discover how the challenges of society -- religion and politics, art and culture, war and diplomacy, technology and trade -- were dealt with and fought over in order to maintain a functioning civilization. Stories are told of disappeared, ruined and modern cities, from ancient Iraq to modern Damascus, to reveal how successes and failures of the ancients shaped the world today.

The War 1812 is a two-hour film history of a deeply significant event in North American and world history. The war shaped American, Canadian and British destiny in the most literal way possible: had one or two battles or decisions gone a different way, a map of the United States today would look entirely (and shockingly) different. The fires of this war forged the nation of Canada; at the same time, the result tolled the end of Native American dreams of a separate nation. By war's end, the process of Native nation removal had already begun in the southeast, paving the way for a Cotton Kingdom powered by slavery, and a United States that had been on the verge of collapse was ready to announce its arrival as a global power. The U.S. did not win the War of 1812, but the noble experiment of democracy had managed to survive intense pressure from without, and within.

The daily life of Arnold--a fourth-grader with a wild imagination, street smarts and a head shaped like a football.

Sky Arts presents the definitive story of The Jam, one of the most successful British bands in rock history, who were at the forefront of the late 1970s punk-mod scene. Featuring exclusive interviews with Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler, and richly illustrated with archive performances, this documentary, directed by Bob Smeaton, traces the band's formation and success between 1975 and 1982, and is set against the backdrop of the ever changing politics, fashion and attitudes that shaped the period of late 70s and early 80s.

THE FANDOM dives headfirst in the imaginative world of “furries,” the often-misunderstood internet subculture of fans of the anthropomorphic arts. Using a bountiful collection of archival tapes and images, this documentary traces the evolution of the furry fandom from its roots in the 1970s to the expansive, international community it has become today. Join a host of charming characters (including the grandparents of the fandom itself) on this heart-warming journey through the decades; witness the many triumphs and challenges that shaped “furry” into the most unique fandom of all time.

A challenging and stimulating view of one of history's most enigmatic periods, shining a light on the people and events that shaped the decade while illuminating the trends that helped design our future.

It's officially Spring Break at Monster High, and Lagoona takes her gilfriends across the sea to the Great Barrier Reef, but they are ship wrecked and end up on a mysterious skull shaped island. Here they enjoy the local hospitality until they realize that they are being used by a slippery showman named Farnum to lure the rarest, most mysterious monster of them all, "the Beast" into a trap. Frankie is taken by the Beast but tables turn and she ends up rescuing him and returning with him to Monster High. The story goes to high voltage when they realize that Frankie has inadvertently led Farnum to the location of the greatest gathering of monsters anywhere...Monster High.

Host Padma Lakshmi takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today.

The third installment from executive producers Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, following in the footsteps of critically-acclaimed series THE SIXTIES and THE SEVENTIES, tackles 10 years shaped by exceptionalism and excess. Like its predecessors, THE EIGHTIES intersperses rare archival newsreel footage, interviews, and comments by historians, journalists, politicians, celebrities and others, painting a perspective-rich picture of a vibrant decade. Episodes examine the age of Reagan, the AIDS crisis, the end of the Cold War, Wall Street corruption, the evolving TV and music scene, and everything in between.

General Candy, who's overseeing an English squad in 1943, is a veteran leader who doesn't have the respect of the men he's training and is considered out-of-touch with what's needed to win the war. But it wasn't always this way. Flashing back to his early career in the Boer War and World War I, we see a dashing young officer whose life has been shaped by three different women, and by a lasting friendship with a German soldier.

Learn how six dictators, from Mussolini to Saddam Hussein, shaped the 20th century. How did they seize and lose power? What forces were against them? Learn the answers in these six immersive hours, each a revealing portrait of brutality and power.

The untold secret story of war production that shaped the Second World War.

Janina Ramirez travels in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest explorer-archaeologists revealing how our understanding of the sites they excavated are still shaped by their interpretations.

This spectacular five-part series, presented by Tony Robinson, investigates the history of natural disasters, from the planet's beginnings to the present, putting a new perspective on our existence – that we are the product of catastrophe. Using the latest CGI effects and featuring scientific experts, the series reveals how the evolution of life on Earth has been shaped by lethal catastrophes that have caused mass extinctions, almost to the point of wiping out life altogether.

Tony Robinson explores the weird and wonderful history of belief, superstition and religious experience in Britain. For 2000 years, Britain has been a Christian country. Or has it? In fact, our ancestors actually kept many other dark, fantastical beliefs alive. It was a world underpinned by outlandish, dangerous and plain weird beliefs. Ideas that today seem unbelievable, but were seen as uncontroversial and hugely influential, with some having shaped our history as much as mainstream religion

Pee-wee Herman and pals are celebrating Christmas in the Playhouse in their own creative ways: Pee-wee makes a list for Santa Claus 1 1/2 miles long, teaches Little Richard how to ice skate, goes for a sleigh ride with Magic Johnson, commands Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello to make Christmas cards, receives a long phone call from Dinah Shore, even has more musical fun with k.d. lang, the Del Rubio Triplettes and Charo! Finally, Big Red arrives and announces that Pee-wee's Christmas list was so big, he didn't have enough presents for all the children of the world. Will Pee-wee follow his own advice and help others?

Come along as TLC explores the unique and ancient traditions that have shaped and defined the Gypsy community for hundreds of years. From the most extravagant wedding gowns to explosive celebrations and the madness that follows, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding takes you through the biggest bashes in Gypsy culture.

Told from the perspective of the rebel leaders, the series chronicles a wave of rebellions against absolute power by those the Roman Empire called “barbarians” – tribes they viewed as beyond the fringe of civilization that lived a brutish and violent existence. But these also were men and women who launched epic struggles that shaped the world to come with a centuries-long fight to defeat the sprawling empire.

Henry Drax is a harpooner and brutish killer whose amorality has been shaped to fit the harshness of his world, who will set sail on a whaling expedition to the Arctic with Patrick Sumner, a disgraced ex-army surgeon who signs up as the ship’s doctor. Hoping to escape the horrors of his past, Sumner finds himself on an ill-fated journey with a murderous psychopath. In search of redemption, his story becomes a harsh struggle for survival in the Arctic wasteland.

With the impending ice age almost upon them, a mismatched trio of prehistoric critters – Manny the woolly mammoth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger and Sid the giant sloth – find an orphaned infant and decide to return it to its human parents. Along the way, the unlikely allies become friends but, when enemies attack, their quest takes on far nobler aims.

A look into what has shaped President Donald Trump and presidential candidate Joe Biden, where they came from and how they lead.

This is the story of Dame Barbara Windsor, the Cockney kid with a dazzling smile and talent to match. Preparing to perform in the theatre one cold evening in 1993, the cheeky, chirpy blonde Babs recounts the people and events that have shaped her life and career over fifty years from 1943 to 1993. She contemplates her lonely childhood and WWII evacuation, her decision to go from Barbara Ann Deeks to Barbara Windsor - inspired by the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her complicated relationship with her father, her doomed marriage to Ronnie Knight, capturing the attention of Joan Littlewood and becoming the blonde bombshell in the Carry On films. Babs, ever the consummate professional, never lets her fans down whatever her personal anguish and steps on the stage to rapturous applause.