Documentaries I Saw in 2020

The first bio-film of the world's most read author and the creator of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. With dramatic reconstructions and contemporary archive, it unravels a life as mysterious as Agatha Christie's and the shared obsession with murder.

Documentary. Lucy Worsley and David Starkey celebrate the 500th anniversary of Britain's finest surviving Tudor building, Hampton Court.

Bettany Hughes goes to Alexandria, Egypt, too look at one of the great cities of history. Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria was once one of the intellectual and culture hubs of the world. It was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the immense Library of Alexandria.

Two thousand years ago one of history's most notorious individuals was born. Professor Mary Beard embarks on an investigative journey to explore the life and times of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus - better known to us as Caligula. Caligula has now become known as Rome's most capricious tyrant, and the stories told about him are some of the most extraordinary told about any Roman emperor. Piecing together the evidence, Mary puts Caligula back into the context of his times to reveal an astonishing story of murder, intrigue and dynastic family power. Above all, she explains why Caligula has ended up with such a seemingly irredeemable reputation. In the process, she reveals a more intriguing portrait of not just the monster, but the man.

The story of the German blitzkrieg and how methamphetamine and other drugs fueled it

A dramatized recreation of the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.

This is a documentary about unsung heroes of World War II. In 1943, a 24-year-old maths student and a GPO engineer combined to hack into Hitler's personal super-code machine - not Enigma but an even tougher system, which he called his 'secrets writer'. Their break turned the Battle of Kursk, powered the D-day landings and orchestrated the end of the conflict in Europe. But it was also to be used during the Cold War - which meant both men's achievements were hushed up and never officially recognized.

Lucy Worlsey takes us back in time to see what it was like for the 12 days of Christmas in King Henry VIII day. From the food, presents, dress, dances, music, celebrations, customs and more. How some customs nowadays are based on that time. Using present day re-enactors, we get the real feel for the time period.

Historian Lucy Worsley investigates the creation and development of choral evensong, a form of religious music born out of the English Reformation and out of religious compromise.

Historian Lucy Worsley visits the time of Henry VIII and tells the story of his six successive wives.

Today, few people's clothes attract as much attention as the royal family, but this is not a modern-day paparazzi-inspired obsession. Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces reveals that it has always been this way. Exploring the royal wardrobes of our kings and queens over the last four hundred years, Lucy shows this isn't just a public fascination, but an important and powerful message from the monarchs. From Elizabeth I to the present Queen Elizabeth II, Lucy explains how the royal wardrobe's significance goes far beyond the cut and color of the clothing. Royal fashion is, and has always been regarded as a very personal statement to reflect their power over the reign. Most kings and queens have carefully choreographed every aspect of their wardrobe; for those who have not, there have sometimes been calamitous consequences. As much today as in the past, royal fashion is as much about politics as it is about elegant attire.

Lucy Worsley gets into bed with our past monarchs to uncover the Tales from the Royal Bedchamber. She reveals that our obsession with royal bedrooms, births and succession is nothing new. In fact, the rise and fall of their magnificent beds reflects the changing fortunes of the monarchy itself.

Rome. The greatest empire the world has ever known. This docudrama tells the story of Rome through the eyes of the empire's many adversaries who battled to see its destruction.

Soundbreaking explores the history of recorded music. Featuring more than 150 original interviews, the series charts a century's worth of innovation and experimentation, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the birth of brand new sounds.

Anita Rani meets with Bollywood professionals and dives in to the history and traditions of the industry.

War has never been limited to the battlefield. It casts an almost impenetrable shadow over everything it touches, but life somehow finds a way to shine, even in the toughest of times. Using archive materials and expert interviews, Living in the Shadow of WW2 explores the ups and downs of everyday life - with a focus on Great Britain - while the greatest war in history raged on.

This documentary takes a look at some of the most horrible and despicable murders in modern British history. From Jack the Ripper in the 1880's to Agatha Christie's best known stories.

Lucy Worsely explores how our idea of romance has developed since the Georgian period

Kate Humble and her Welsh sheepdog Teg travel from the tip of North Wales through the remotest parts of Wales to the south coast. Along the way they explore how the landscape shapes the people who live there.

In this four-part series classicist and historian, Professor Mary Beard draws on her immense scholarship, unique viewpoints and myth-busting approach to Roman history, to give her definitive take on the Roman Empire. How and why did it happen? In search of answers, she takes us to the most telling sites and the most revealing artifacts, and she examines the legacy the Roman Empire has left behind.

The enduring relationship between Britain and people whose origins lie in Africa.

Examines if new engineering techniques can help prevent deadly bridge collapses by looking at the 2018 collapse of a section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy and collapses in the USA.

Exploring the possibility of self-driving cars, including whether they could really be safer than human drivers.

Scientists try to determine the cause for the increasing megafire threat by exploring the physics of fire, how firestorms move and travel, and by analyzing aerial drone and satellite data to catch fires before they start.

The advent of horse riding changed the course of human history and the genetic makeup of humankind.