Are there any particularly good documentaries on BBC iPlayer?
April 29, 2023 4:36 PM Subscribe
I just subscribed to a VPN to watch a specific documentary via BBC iPlayer. Are there any others I should watch before I cancel the VPN (during the 30 day trial period)?
I'm only interested in documentaries or short docuseries right now. No scripted films or television please. I won't watch them.
I'm only interested in documentaries or short docuseries right now. No scripted films or television please. I won't watch them.
Response by poster: Yes, that's true documentaries are scripted, but I meant in the more narrow sense of non-documentary films, non-documentary tv. I'm just more interested in documentaries right now.
posted by VirginiaPlain at 5:11 PM on April 29, 2023
posted by VirginiaPlain at 5:11 PM on April 29, 2023
I… am also not sure what you mean by "no scripted films or television" documentaries. What documentary is not scripted?
posted by Ahmad Khani at 8:07 PM on April 29, 2023
posted by Ahmad Khani at 8:07 PM on April 29, 2023
Response by poster: Okay, I regret writing that. I just only wanted people to recommend documentaries. Can we please move forward? Not sure why you're confused after I clarified in the reply, Ahmad Khani. I just didn't want people to skim over the ask and recommend non-documentary films or television shows.
Please, recommend me good documentaries on BBC iPlayer. Sorry for making the question more complicated than I intended.
posted by VirginiaPlain at 8:16 PM on April 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
Please, recommend me good documentaries on BBC iPlayer. Sorry for making the question more complicated than I intended.
posted by VirginiaPlain at 8:16 PM on April 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Any of the Louis Theroux or Adam Curtis documentaries are worth a watch!
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:37 PM on April 29, 2023
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:37 PM on April 29, 2023
Best answer: A few documentaries that are on iPlayer now that I liked: Art that made us, Mysteries of the Bayeux tapestry, Ardal O'Hanlon: Tomb raider, Treasures of ancient Egypt.
posted by rpn at 9:42 PM on April 29, 2023
posted by rpn at 9:42 PM on April 29, 2023
Assuming you like nature documentaries then you've just got access to a large repository of work by the great David Attenborough.
There are so many amazing ones available - Life On Earth, The Blue Planet, Frozen Plant, etc. Gorge on the work of one of the world's greatest naturalists.
If nature isn't your sort of thing (or just if you want more recs):
2nding Louis Theroux and Adam Curtis
Addicted: America's Opioid Crisis
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
Uprising
Any of their True Crimes docs are generally worth a watch.
posted by underclocked at 12:35 AM on April 30, 2023
There are so many amazing ones available - Life On Earth, The Blue Planet, Frozen Plant, etc. Gorge on the work of one of the world's greatest naturalists.
If nature isn't your sort of thing (or just if you want more recs):
2nding Louis Theroux and Adam Curtis
Addicted: America's Opioid Crisis
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
Uprising
Any of their True Crimes docs are generally worth a watch.
posted by underclocked at 12:35 AM on April 30, 2023
24 Hrs in A and E (which I also recommend) is on Channel 4 which you might also be able to access with your VPN.
Iplayer:
Surgeons: At The Edge of Life
Saving Lives At Sea
posted by Balthamos at 12:45 AM on April 30, 2023
Iplayer:
Surgeons: At The Edge of Life
Saving Lives At Sea
posted by Balthamos at 12:45 AM on April 30, 2023
If you are interested in history, anything at all with Lucy Worsley. I particularly recommend the "Biggest Fibs" documentaries.
N-thing Louis Theroux and David Attenborough.
All the popular science documentaries are very good. Jim Al-Khalili is a fantastic explainer of mathematics, and they put a lot of money into Brian Cox's documentaries on the universe and astronomy and he is also a good communicator.
The BBC have very few duds in their documentaries so you could probably try anything that looks interesting and enjoy it.
posted by plonkee at 1:10 AM on April 30, 2023
N-thing Louis Theroux and David Attenborough.
All the popular science documentaries are very good. Jim Al-Khalili is a fantastic explainer of mathematics, and they put a lot of money into Brian Cox's documentaries on the universe and astronomy and he is also a good communicator.
The BBC have very few duds in their documentaries so you could probably try anything that looks interesting and enjoy it.
posted by plonkee at 1:10 AM on April 30, 2023
I'd recommend the Storyville series. It's an eclectic mix of documentaries. The Herzog one about the vulcanologists is stunning, and Casa Susanna had me in floods of tears. Some I've yet to watch, as I know I'm not ready for the feelings they'll stir in me.
Likewise, the Arena series, similarly eclectic but with an arts bias.
Plus Louis Theroux and Adam Curtis, as others have said.
posted by essexjan at 1:19 AM on April 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
Likewise, the Arena series, similarly eclectic but with an arts bias.
Plus Louis Theroux and Adam Curtis, as others have said.
posted by essexjan at 1:19 AM on April 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
Have a look under “ from the archive”. All the documentaries there are ones which someone has picked out as being a classic of its era. For me, Michael Palin’s “Around the world” documentaries from the 80s and the series “Tuesday Documentary” with Barry Norman would be ones I recommend. The BBC have a super annoying habit of taking archive material off line after a while - so there are a number of great options I or others could recommend - that are no longer there. But you can often then find them (like “The Ponds”) on Netflix
posted by rongorongo at 5:10 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by rongorongo at 5:10 AM on April 30, 2023
As I understand it, the previously mentioned Storyville series often includes documentary films that were titled something else when released no, often, won prizes. Which is odd and annoying, and means it's easy to skip over a gem because you don't realise it's that film you read about a while back in a different context and want to watch. So it's worth scouring!
Also look at the Arena series which currently has a handful of good documentaries from recent decades.
We enjoyed the series Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World.
I don't think I've seen these episodes but there are three of Ian Nairn's travels around Britain from 1972 which might be worth a go, to see if they're up your street. He had strong, interesting opinions about architecture, planning, etc.
Again, haven't seen this, but intend to after two friends independently recommended it: Sensationalists: The Bad Girls and Boys of British Art.
Having now browsed the lot, anyone who thinks the BBC's documentaries are 90% classics has obviously not noticed all the populist, sensationally-titled, filler that separates the handful of Attenboroughs, Curtises, etc.
posted by fabius at 6:33 AM on April 30, 2023
Also look at the Arena series which currently has a handful of good documentaries from recent decades.
We enjoyed the series Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World.
I don't think I've seen these episodes but there are three of Ian Nairn's travels around Britain from 1972 which might be worth a go, to see if they're up your street. He had strong, interesting opinions about architecture, planning, etc.
Again, haven't seen this, but intend to after two friends independently recommended it: Sensationalists: The Bad Girls and Boys of British Art.
Having now browsed the lot, anyone who thinks the BBC's documentaries are 90% classics has obviously not noticed all the populist, sensationally-titled, filler that separates the handful of Attenboroughs, Curtises, etc.
posted by fabius at 6:33 AM on April 30, 2023
Everything by Stacey Dooley, notably "What's The Worst Place To Be A Woman"and the "...In The USA."
Nth-ing David Attenborough and Lpuis Theroix, Brian Cox and Jim Al-Khalili.
P.S. please find an international service to watch these where you pay the content creators, not the VPN Tunnel sellers. We're paying a TV Licence to fund the BBC and iPlayer.
posted by k3ninho at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2023
Nth-ing David Attenborough and Lpuis Theroix, Brian Cox and Jim Al-Khalili.
P.S. please find an international service to watch these where you pay the content creators, not the VPN Tunnel sellers. We're paying a TV Licence to fund the BBC and iPlayer.
posted by k3ninho at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2023
If you are interested in history, anything at all with Lucy Worsley.
Oh yes, I can recommend her series on Agatha Christie, though perhaps it depends on having some interest in Christie to begin with.
posted by juv3nal at 2:08 PM on April 30, 2023
Oh yes, I can recommend her series on Agatha Christie, though perhaps it depends on having some interest in Christie to begin with.
posted by juv3nal at 2:08 PM on April 30, 2023
Mostly history and art:
* Back in Time for Birmingham.
* Paula Rego.
* A House Through Time.
* Being Jewish in Scotland.
* The Lost Photographs of Mary Alice Young.
* The Curious House Guest. (This is more on the chatty end of things. Not sure I could watch it now, but inhaled episodes when I was unwell a few years ago.)
* Imagine, on Marian Keyes.
* Britain's Lost Masterpieces.
* George Eliot.
* Secrets of the Museum (the V&A) didn't work for me (possibly not dull enough), but I know a lot of people liked it.
* Barbara Hepworth.
* The Magical World of Moss - I really dislike nature programmes, but this worked for me for some reason.
* Fake or Fortune?.
And I haven't seen this, and may not, as it may skew too peopley for me, but someone recently recommended Love, Faith and Me.
posted by paduasoy at 2:18 PM on April 30, 2023
* Back in Time for Birmingham.
* Paula Rego.
* A House Through Time.
* Being Jewish in Scotland.
* The Lost Photographs of Mary Alice Young.
* The Curious House Guest. (This is more on the chatty end of things. Not sure I could watch it now, but inhaled episodes when I was unwell a few years ago.)
* Imagine, on Marian Keyes.
* Britain's Lost Masterpieces.
* George Eliot.
* Secrets of the Museum (the V&A) didn't work for me (possibly not dull enough), but I know a lot of people liked it.
* Barbara Hepworth.
* The Magical World of Moss - I really dislike nature programmes, but this worked for me for some reason.
* Fake or Fortune?.
And I haven't seen this, and may not, as it may skew too peopley for me, but someone recently recommended Love, Faith and Me.
posted by paduasoy at 2:18 PM on April 30, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
At any rate, I liked The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan (which feels like it was the pilot for a series that never got picked up as it's called Misinvestigations plural but there's only the one of them).
posted by juv3nal at 5:09 PM on April 29, 2023