The BEST episodes directed by Harvey Lilley
#1 - Egypt's Lost Cities
BBC Documentaries - Season 2011 - Episode 97
It is possible that only one percent of the wonders of Ancient Egypt have been discovered, but now, thanks to a pioneering approach to archaeology, that is about to change. Dr Sarah Parcak uses satellites to probe beneath the sands, where she has found cities, temples and pyramids. Now, with Dallas Campbell and Liz Bonnin, she heads to Egypt to discover if these magnificent buildings are really there.
#2 - RAF at 100 with Ewan and Colin McGregor
BBC Documentaries - Season 2018 - Episode 57
To celebrate the centenary of the Royal Air Force, Ewan and Colin McGregor take to the skies in some of the world's most iconic planes which were involved in aerial combat at every stage of the RAF's story.
#3 - Vikings Unearthed
NOVA - Season 43 - Episode 9
Uncover the truth behind the legendary Vikings and their epic journey to the Americas.
#4 - Spitfire Women
BBC Documentaries - Season 2010 - Episode 81
During World War II, a remarkable band of female pilots fought against all odds for the right to aid the war effort. Without these Spitfire Women, the war may never have been won. These trailblazers were part of the Air Transport Auxiliary, a thousand-strong organisation that delivered aircraft to the frontline RAF during Britain's darkest hours. Every day, responsibility fell on their shoulders to get the planes to the fighters, which often pushed them into dangerous and even deadly situations. Using interviews with the last few surviving veterans, archive footage and dramatic reconstruction, this documentary brings to life the forgotten story of the ATA. The resilience of these women in the face of open discrimination is one of the most inspiring and overlooked milestones in women's rights. Their story is one of courage, sexism and patriotism, but above all a story about women who want to break the confines of the world they live in and reach for the skies.
#5 - Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees
BBC Documentaries - Season 2017 - Episode 316
Oscar-winning Dame Judi Dench is one of Britain's best-loved actresses, but few people know that Judi holds another great passion, a deep love for trees. This programme, filmed over the course of a year, is a magical study of the changing seasons and their effect on Surrey, the most-wooded county in Britain. Judi has long been fascinated with trees, ever since she was a child. She shared her passion with her late husband, actor Michael Williams, and together they nurtured a collection of trees at the bottom of their six-acre garden. For the past seven years, she has continued to care for this woodland with her close companion, wildlife enthusiast David Mills. Throughout this time, Judi has continually planted trees for dear friends and family who have passed away. This film follows Judi's experience through the seasons and her mission to understand the vital role of trees in history and the future. Judi joins some of the best tree scientists and historians to unlock the remarkable secret lives of trees and the stories that they cannot tell. With the latest scientific techniques and equipment at her disposal, she is able to truly understand how trees work, and gain an insight into their secrets. She meets a designer with a special microphone to hear the trees around her pulsing with life in spring, as water rushes up the trunks to the newly-unfurled leaves. Plus a scientist with 3D scanning technology reveals her favourite oak in a new light, uncovering an astonishing 260,000 leaves and a vast network of branches measuring over 12km. Through the cycle of the four seasons, Judi discovers how trees feel, learns how they communicate and how they fight off invading armies and extreme weather. From NASA satellite imagery, Judi is shown just how effective trees are as carbon capture machines that are fighting to protect our planet. A fungi expert also shows Judi the incredible action going on beneath her feet, revealing an astonishing underground fungal network that
#6 - Africa: Southern Treasures
Nature - Season 20 - Episode 8
The site of a large geological deposit of mineral wealth, South Africa has prospered from a history of mining, with the lion's share of riches going to white workers and owners. South Africa's system of apartheid has since been abolished, and blacks are claiming more of the skilled jobs in the gold mines. In the last episode of the series, two women attempt to reach their goals of better job opportunities. Africa, Pt. 8: Southern Treasures looks at Xoliswa Vanda and Putswa Tekane as they try to work in an industry that may be on the decline.