Best movies & TV Shows like Secrets of Britain

The beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance.

What led Arthur Conan Doyle to create, and then destroy the world famous detective, Sherlock Holmes? This compelling drama explores the dark secrets that surround the author and his creation.

The glories of Ancient Rome are explored in ROMAN CITY, based on David Macaulay's acclaimed book. This animated and live-action video recounts life in Verbonia, a fictional city in Gaul. A well-planned town with all modern conveniences, it is threatened by conflict between conquerors and conquered. Macaulay also visits Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, Nimes, Orange, and Rome, to view actual Roman architecture and engineering greatness.

Documentary which tells the fascinating and poignant story of the closure of Britain's mental asylums. In the post-war period, 150,000 people were hidden away in 120 of these vast Victorian institutions all across the country. Today, most mental patients, or service users as they are now called, live out in the community and the asylums have all but disappeared. Through powerful testimonies from patients, nurses and doctors, the film explores this seismic revolution and what it tells us about society's changing attitudes to mental illness over the last sixty years.

Lucy Worsley and David Starkey celebrate the 500th anniversary of Britain's finest surviving Tudor building, Hampton Court. As Henry VIII's pleasure palace, Hampton Court was a showcase for royal magnificence and ceremony - and the most important event of all was the christening of Henry's long-awaited son, Prince Edward, on October 15th, 1537. Lucy and David explore how Tudor art, architecture and ritual came together for this momentous occasion. Drawing on historical records and with the help of a team of experts, they recreate key elements of the christening ceremony - including a magnificent set piece procession through Hampton Court involving nearly 100 people in full Tudor costume.

The Crawley family goes on a grand journey to the south of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess's newly inherited villa.

Introducing "Barely Famous": a docu-style comedy series. This show explores the hypocrisy of reality TV by centering around two sisters who say they would never do a reality show, but are being filmed by a camera crew. Over the course of the season, we’ll follow Erin and Sara as they navigate the treacherous LA waters of building a career, dating, and simultaneously trying to prove that they’re “normal”. Each episode of Barely Famous will skewer Hollywood stereotypes and comment on the world of celebrity through the eyes of two D-Listers, desperately trying to insist they don’t care about “Lists” while also trying to get on the A-List. By breaking the 4th wall and occasionally telling both the crew and network to cut, no reality convention is too sacred, and our girls point out the absurdity of the medium itself.

A chronicle of the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era—with great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy.

Mr. Selfridge recounts the real life story of the flamboyant and visionary American founder of Selfridge's, London's lavish department store. Set in 1909 London, when women were reveling in a new sense of freedom and modernity, it follows Harry Gordon Selfridge ('Mile a Minute Harry'), a man with a mission to make shopping as thrilling as sex. Pioneering and reckless, with an almost manic energy, Harry created a theater of retail where any topic or trend that was new, exciting, entertaining - or just eccentric - was showcased.

Engineering an Empire is a program on The History Channel that explores the engineering and/or architectural feats that were characteristic of some of the greatest societies on this planet. It is hosted by Peter Weller, famous for his acting role as RoboCop but also a lecturer at Syracuse University, where he completed his Master's in Roman and Renaissance Art. The executive producer is Delores Gavin. The show started as a documentary about the engineering feats of Ancient Rome and later evolved into a series. It originally ran for one full season of weekly episodes.

Dr Jonathan Foyle, architectural historian and novice climber, scales Britain's most iconic structures, to reveal the buildings' secrets.

Son of God is an award-winning British documentary series that chronicles the life of Jesus Christ using scientific and contemporary historical evidence. It was presented by Jeremy Bowen, and its first episode premiered in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2001. The executive producer was Ruth Pitt and it was directed by Jean-Claude Bragard—it took a total of 16 months to produce and cost GB£1.5 million. A full symphonic score was composed by James Whitbourn. Son of God featured interviews with 21 historians and other Biblical experts, live action reenactments of the life of Jesus with Leron Livo in the lead role, and computer-generated images of what locations from Jesus's time might have looked like. These images, created by design team Red Vision, were praised by critics and received an Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2001 Royal Television Society North Awards.

Lucy Worsley, chief curator of the historic royal palaces, takes us through 800 years of domestic history by exploring the British home through four rooms, meeting experts and historians on the way.

John Romer recreates the glory and history of Byzantium. From the Hagia Sophia in present-day Istanbul to the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks in Venice.

Fred Dibnah reveals the genius, the vision and the sheer bloody graft that went into creating some of Britain's greatest national monuments. All six episodes look at Britain's architectural heritage. In 'Mighty Cathedrals' Fred examines the innovations in building techniques which allowed the Normans to build some of the nation's most remarkable cathedrals. 'The Art of Castle Building' has Fred take a look at the castles of the North Wales coastline. 'The Age of the Carpenter' sees Fred learn all about the way that carpenters have used their skills to transform medieval castles into homes. In 'Scottish Style' Fred visits Glamis Castle and learns about the Scottish Baronial Style. 'Building the Canals' has Fred visit Bolton and learn about the construction of the first canals. Finally, 'Victorian Splendour' sees Fred looking at the achievements of architects in the 19th century and discovering the story behind the building of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.

Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she-wolves' was deserved.

Strip The City uses stunning CGI animation and expedition - driven actuality to strip major cities naked of their steel, concrete, air, ocean and bedrock - layer by layer, act by act - to explore their hidden infrastructure and solve key mysteries surrounding their origins, geology, archaeology, industry, weather and engineering. Each episode will explore six iconic features of each city - one per act. Each icon will take us a layer deeper into the city. They will range from man - made skyscrapers and metro systems to natural dunes and lakes.

Exactly 100 years ago, the world of the British manor house was at its height. It was a life of luxury and indolence for a wealthy few supported by the labor of hundreds of servants toiling ceaselessly "below stairs" to make the lives of their lords and ladies run as smoothly as possible. It is a world that has provided a majestic backdrop to a range of movies and popular costume dramas to this day, including PBS' "Downton Abbey." But what was really going on behind these stately walls? "Secrets of the Manor House" looks beyond the fiction to the truth of what life was like in these British houses of yesteryear. They were communities where two separate worlds existed side by side: the poor worked as domestic servants, while the nation’s wealthiest families enjoyed a lifestyle of luxury, and aristocrats ruled over their servants as they had done for a thousand years.

Behind the gates of the world's most impressive castles, manor houses and mansions are secrets waiting to be revealed. See these amazing structures in all their glory and hear the remarkable, mysterious and bizarre tales tied to the rich and powerful who once resided there. From a German castle where a real life Dr. Frankenstein tried to breathe life into the dead to the magnificent Highclere Castle, which is now the setting for Downton Abbey, but was once the home of an English lord who unearthed King Tut's tomb, these stories will captivate and amaze. Go inside the castles, manors and mansions with our behind-the-scenes photos, and watch exclusive video of the stories and secrets hidden in their history. The first season of Mysteries at the Castle aired under the name 'Castles, Secrets and Legends'.

Take a journey back in time and immerse yourself in a 150-year-old battle that nearly split our nation in two. This three-part series explores famous and little known aspects of the Civil War, from the perspectives of the Union, the Confederacy and the millions of enslaved people struggling for freedom. Hosted by Ashley Judd, Trace Adkins, and Dennis Haysbert, all of whom had ancestors greatly affected by the war, this series delivers fresh insights and untold tales, brought to life through dramatic recreations and the Smithsonian Institution's vast collection of artifacts.

Based on his book, American writer Stewart Brand takes a look at the life history of buildings - how they're shaped by their architects, and how they're further shaped by their inhabitants.

Historian Sam Willis traces the story of Britain's castles and their unique role in our history, art and literature.

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.

Historian Dan Jones explores the millennium of history behind six of Great Britain's most famous castles: Warwick, Dover, Caernarfon, the Tower of London, Carrickfergus, and Stirling.

The twelve episodes of this BBC series cover a millennium of English monarchy and portray lives of twelve important English monarchs and how each of them impacted the history: William the Conqueror, Henry II, Edward I, Henry V , Richard III, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Charles I, Charles II, George III, Victoria, and to the present Queen Elizabeth II. Each 23-minute episode is filmed on location, with historian Nigel Spivey providing the narration describing bloodshed, lust and political intrigue. Actors provide mute dramatization.

An enthralling series exploring how the BBC fought not only Hitler but also the British government to become the institution it is today.

Look past the bricks and mortar and discover the history of some of the most famous buildings on Blueprint NYC. Each episode offers a nuts-and-bolts perspective behind storied sites, like the Wonder Theaters and the Highline, with walking tours and interviews with experts who have a passion for the history and architecture of New York City.

Wildest Middle East explores the most remote and most surprising corners of this ancient land. Turkey’s vast and varied landscapes range from snow covered mountain passes, to spectacular coral reefs. Arabia is the world’s largest peninsular and harbours a wealth of wildlife in its seas and mountains. Egypt’s rich lands are nurtured by the life-giving waters of the iconic Nile, and the startlingly wide range of natural habitats in Jordan has resulted in a treasure chest of wildlife. This stunning series showcases the landscape and wildlife as never seen before.

Britain's Greatest Bridges visits the country's most historic and iconic bridges, revealing the genius of their designs.

Historian Dr Suzannah Lipscomb unfolds the extraordinary story of the tumultuous love affair between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and asks: was it really love that brought them together – and was it love that tore them apart? Suzannah's journey will take her from Anne's childhood home at Hever Castle in Kent to the French palace where, some say, she learned the art of love. She will also visit Hampton Court, where Henry built the Great Hall for his new queen, and the Tower of London, where he had her beheaded.

A landmark 3-part series from the BBC's Natural History Unit revealing the extraordinary animals and remarkable people who make a home in the iconic mountain ranges of the world. There is one episode each on the Himalaya, Rockies and Andes.

Fashion historian Amber Butchart fuses biography, art and the history of fashion as she explores the lives of historical figures by examining the clothes that they wore.

David Olusoga tells the story of those who lived in one house, from the time it was built until now. Searching through city archives, scouring records, and tracking down their living descendants, presenter David Olusoga tells the untold stories of the people who once lived in the house and gains a unique insight into the making of modern Britain.

In this unique take on British history, Professor Alice Roberts explores Britain's rich and varied past through the stories of individual towns and cities. In each programme Alice studies one key period in history by delving into the secrets of a historic town that encapsulates the era, providing an accurate impression of what life was really like at key moments in our turbulent past. At the climax of each programme, cutting-edge CGI reveals the entire historic town in all its former glory.

This two-part prime time social history documentary explores how the women who wed into the house of Windsor over the last century have transformed the most famous dynasty in the world.

Restoration experts restore iconic rail carriages back to their former glory

This series travels the length and breadth of Britain to find out how the Victorians built Britain. It uncovers the incredible and surprising stories behind iconic landmarks; discovers the hidden heroes behind the epic constructions; and finds out how the incredible advances made by the Victorians forged the world we live in today.

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.

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.

A look inside the famous Casino de Monte Carlo, where the present fortunes of Monaco began. Its impressive architecture conjures up an era of exotic glamour but it no longer provides the vast revenues it once did. They have to work hard to attract the new wealthy, especially from Asia, where the approach to gambling is very different.

New series. Rob Bell explores the extraordinary stories of four of London’s most iconic bridges, uncovering the history behind how – and why – they were built. In the first episode, Rob focuses on the original, and for 17 centuries the only bridge across the Thames, London Bridge. Rob explores the multiple versions of this bridge over the centuries and charts how each has shaped Britain’s capital city, from the Romans who used it to control southern England, to the astonishing and raucous medieval bridge, designed by priests, inhabited by hundreds, and financed and managed by City merchants.

Gregg Wallace sets off to explore South Africa's most iconic and best loved landscapes and experiences - along with its glorious food. The culinary expert visits six key destinations on his tour - he goes on safari in Amakhala, visits Cape Town, Augrabies Falls in the Kalahari Desert, the Whale Coast, Soweto in Johannesburg and the Garden Province - aiming to get a taste of the real South Africa. Along the wild coast, on safari, through vast savannahs and into the cities Gregg discovers the flavours this diverse country has to offer - from the winelands around Cape Town to an Afrikaans braai in the Kalahari desert at sunset, Soweto's street food stalls selling fat cakes, and traditional hearty dishes like bobotie.

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.

Exploring the buildings that were built to defend Britain from a German invasion during World War II. From coastal defences, to secret bases, travel across Britain looking at the buildings that were built to fight Hitler and his advancing army.

A look at how four iconic British-built planes became masters of the sky and pioneered a new era of flight, making heroes of the pilots who flew them. Military experts, historians and pilots reveal what made each aircraft so influential.

Exploring the rise and fall of one of the most famous faces on British television in the 60s and 70s: Noele Gordon (or Nolly to her friends).

Exploring the vast history of Black television through iconic performances across various genres including sitcoms, comedy, drama, unscripted, variety, and science fiction.

Sex: A Naughty History, an original series from HISTORY, follows actress, singer and presenter Amanda Holden and bestselling author and historian Dan Jones as they explore how, through the ages, sexual behavior has influenced civilizations. The series uses archival footage and drama reconstructions-which Amanda Holden and Dan Jones participate in-to highlight the best sex stories in history. Amanda and Dan also meet experts in the history ofsex, including sex historian Dr. Kate Lister, author of "ACurious History of Sex," international lecturer in Dominance Studies Anne O Nomis, author of "The History Arts of theDominatrix," and the late Jacqueline Gold CBE, general manager of Ann Summers, in her very last television interview.

THE WONDERS OF EUROPE is a four-part docuseries that tells the story of the people who built some of the biggest and most unique landmarks in Europe monuments: the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the temples of the Acropolis, and the Alhambra complex. Intended for a young and international audience, it aims to promote European cultural heritage and architecture. With voice-over narration, each episode will feature spectacular shots of the monuments, interviews with historians and specialists, fictional recreations and innovative 3D modelling to illustrate the successive architectural changes. In order to ensure scientific and historical accuracy, the writer/director of each episode has been advised by historical experts.

This do-it-yourself series features the creative talents and enthusiastic personality of the top-selling craft book author Mark Montano. The trend-setting former fashion designer and his guest experts create affordable, accessible and customizable projects for the whole family. Each episode allows Mark to explore a fun theme — from Halloween and Downton Abbey to Fashion Week.