The BEST episodes of BBC Documentaries season 2015
Every episode of BBC Documentaries season 2015, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of BBC Documentaries season 2015!
Documentaries produced by or for the BBC.
#1 - Touched by Auschwitz
Season 2015 - Episode 22 - Aired 1/27/2015
This feature-length documentary attempts to answer one of the most profound questions of the Holocaust - what was the human legacy of the crime? Producer and director Laurence Rees (The Nazis: A Warning from History, Auschwitz: The Nazis and The Final Solution) has travelled extensively in order to film six Auschwitz survivors along with their friends and families. Together, these sequences filmed in Jerusalem, Chicago, London, Bavaria, Krakow and Tel Aviv build into a compelling portrait of the problems, challenges and triumphs that six different individuals have experienced since the war as a result of their time in Auschwitz.
#2 - Bitter Lake
Season 2015 - Episode 28 - Aired 1/25/2015
Politicians used to have the confidence to tell us stories that made sense of the chaos of world events. But now there are no big stories and politicians react randomly to every new crisis - leaving us bewildered and disorientated. Bitter Lake is a new, adventurous and epic film by Adam Curtis that explains why the big stories that politicians tell us have become so simplified that we can’t really see the world any longer. The narrative goes all over the world, America, Britain, Russia and Saudi Arabia - but the country at the heart of it is Afghanistan. Because Afghanistan is the place that has confronted our politicians with the terrible truth - that they cannot understand what is going on any longer. The film reveals the forces that over the past thirty years rose up and undermined the confidence of politics to understand the world. And it shows the strange, dark role that Saudi Arabia has played in this. But Bitter Lake is also experimental. Curtis has taken the unedited rushes of everything that the BBC has ever shot in Afghanistan - and used them in new and radical ways. He has tried to build a different and more emotional way of depicting what really happened in Afghanistan. A counterpoint to the thin, narrow and increasingly destructive stories told by those in power today.
#3 - Monteverdi in Mantua - the Genius of the Vespers
Season 2015 - Episode 89 - Aired 4/4/2015
Simon Russell Beale travels to Italy to explore the story of the notorious Duke of Mantua and his long-suffering court composer Claudio Monteverdi during the turbulent times of the late Italian Renaissance. Out of the volatile relationship between the duke and the composer came Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610, a major turning point in western music. The Sixteen, led by Harry Christophers, explore some of the radical and beautiful choral music in this dramatic composition.
#4 - Churchill: When Britain Said No
Season 2015 - Episode 125 - Aired 5/25/2015
A look at Winston Churchill’s battle to be elected Prime Minister just weeks after VE Day. The war leader was confident of victory, but ended up being humiliated at the polls with the Conservative party almost annihilated. Surprising revelations from first-hand witnesses, including Sir Max Hastings, Juliet Gardiner, Anthony Beevor and Dave Douglas, help to uncover whether Churchill’s rejection was a mark of ingratitude, or the most mature decision ever made by a democracy.
#5 - Haslar – Secrets of a War Hospital
Season 2015 - Episode 147 - Aired 6/24/2015
Rob Bell marks the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo by exploring the brutal world of battlefield medicine.
#6 - The Ugly Face of Disability Hate Crime
Season 2015 - Episode 169 - Aired 7/23/2015
Adam Pearson is on a mission to explore disability hate crime - to find out why it goes under-reported, under-recorded and under people's radar. In this documentary, Adam challenges people into questioning their attitudes towards disability and disfigurement, to uncover the roots of the issue. Adam has neurofibromatosis type 1, a condition that causes benign tumours to grow on nerve endings - in his case, on his face. He is disfigured and disabled and has experienced disability hate crime first-hand, like a number of his friends, some of whom he meets with in the film. Their stories may differ, but their disability as the motivating factor is constant. Just days into his investigation, Adam becomes the target of some grossly offensive online hate speech. While this isn't unusual for him, for the first time Adam decides to take action, reporting it to the police - with some unexpected outcomes. Undeterred, he looks to understand the laws specific to disability hate crime, and finds that a mixture of ignorance and inequalities mean that these crimes often don't make it to our courts, or are sentenced less severely than other hate crimes when they do. Adam looks to uncover what attitudes and influences may be causing people to commit disability hate crime in the first place, questioning whether the portrayal of disfigurement and disability in the media, for example, could be leading us to associate them with being 'the bad guys'. With help from Miles Hewstone, professor of social psychology at the University of Oxford, Adam conducts an experiment measuring peoples' innate prejudice towards disfigurement that gives some shocking results, and leads him to question if he alone can hope to affect a change - and if so, how?
#7 - Life Begins Now
Season 2015 - Episode 179 - Aired 8/4/2015
Documentary about the last few weeks of term at Derwen College in Shropshire for six students with learning difficulties, as they prepare to graduate and enter the real world.
#8 - Churchill: The Nation's Farewell
Season 2015 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/28/2015
On the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill's death, Jeremy Paxman tells the story of the send-off which Britain gave to the man who led the country to victory in the Second World War. More than a million people came to line the streets of London on the freezing day in late January to pay their respects as his coffin was taken from the lying-in-state at Westminster to St Paul's Cathedral. Millions more watched the state funeral on television. Churchill was the only commoner in the twentieth century to receive the honour of such a magnificent ceremony. In the programme, Jeremy explores whether Churchill's immense legacy still has relevance today and meets a wide range of people who were involved in the events of that day, from soldiers who bore the coffin, to members of Churchill's close family. He hears from Boris Johnson, author of a new book on Churchill, and from a London docker who remembers that some of the dock workers had misgivings about saluting the passing coffin with their cranes as it passed down the Thames on a launch after the ceremony at St Paul's - one of the most memorable moments of that extraordinary day. The funeral ended at the village churchyard of Bladon where Churchill was laid to rest alongside his father, Randolph. At the close of the film, Jeremy reflects that no statesman has come close to rivalling Winston Churchill in the half a century since our nation mourned his passing.
#9 - Pinewood: 80 Years of Movie Magic
Season 2015 - Episode 139 - Aired 6/6/2015
Jonathan Ross gains unprecedented access to Britain's famous film studio to reveal the magic behind some of the greatest movies ever made. He encounters legendary stars including Dame Joan Collins and Barbara Windsor, casts the spotlight upon the award-winning teams behind iconic heroes such as Superman and James Bond, and even risks life and limb attempting some daring and dangerous stunts of his own! Part of 2015's Genius of British Cinema series.
#10 - Star Wars at the BBC
Season 2015 - Episode 302 - Aired 12/18/2015
A long time ago in a TV studio not so far away, the stars of the original Star Wars film came to the BBC to promote their then-unknown movie. Want to see a Wookie on Blue Peter, or Luke Skywalker meet Michael Aspel? Then take a look through archive BBC footage – much of which has not been shown since the 70s – to see how UK viewers were introduced to the idea of ‘the force’, protocol droids and galactic princesses. Did Mark Hamill really appear on Coronation Street? Peter Serafinowicz, the voice of Darth Maul himself, will reveal the answer.
#11 - Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time
Season 2015 - Episode 299 - Aired 12/14/2015
The story of the most elegant and powerful theory in science - Albert Einstein's general relativity. When Einstein presented his formidable theory in November 1915, it turned our understanding of gravity, space and time completely on its head. Over the last 100 years, general relativity has enabled us to trace the origins of the universe to the Big Bang and to appreciate the enormous power of black holes. To mark the 100th anniversary of general relativity, this film takes us inside the head of Einstein to witness how his idea evolved, giving new insights into the birth of a masterpiece that has become a cornerstone of modern science. This is not as daunting as it sounds - because Einstein liked to think in pictures. The film is a magical visual journey that begins in Einstein's young mind, follows the thought experiments that gave him stunning insights about the physical world, and ultimately reaches the extremes of modern physics.
#12 - Wellington: The Iron Duke Unmasked
Season 2015 - Episode 114 - Aired 5/10/2015
The Duke of Wellington was the most famous Briton of the first half of the 19th century. His victory over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 altered the course of history. The hero of Waterloo became a towering figure in British history for both his achievements and for embodying our notions of Britishness - the stiff upper lip, unfussy straightforwardness and incorruptibility in office - he was the Iron Duke. This drama documentary looks behind the iron mask to focus on the intriguing complexities of the Duke of Wellington - his character, personality and relationships, told through his own words and the words of those who knew him best. General, politician, lover, outsider - the series discovers that the hero of Waterloo was far more complex than his public image. Drawing on his own vast private correspondence, as well as the diaries and memoirs of those around him, this biographical series uses dramatic reconstruction to create an intimate portrait of the Duke of Wellington, played by Richard E Grant (Withnail and I, The Iron Lady, Doctor Who).
#13 - The Secret of Star Wars
Season 2015 - Episode 294 - Aired 12/11/2015
Dev explores what makes Star Wars one of the most loved, successful and hyped franchises of all time, and interviews new stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and director J.J. Abrams.
#14 - Patagonia with Huw Edwards
Season 2015 - Episode 136 - Aired 1/6/2015
Huw Edwards fulfils a lifelong dream to explore Patagonia, and the unique attempt to preserve Welsh culture by isolating a Welsh community in one of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth. A hundred-and-fifty years after the pioneers arrived, Huw meets their descendants and asks what remains of the culture the forefathers wanted to safeguard.
#15 - Millionaire Basement Wars
Season 2015 - Episode 96 - Aired 4/14/2015
The super-rich are maximizing property value in the heart of London as never before. But they're not building up, they're digging down, creating mega-basements or 'iceberg homes' - nicknamed because there's more square footage under the ground than above. Over the last ten years an estimated 2000 new basements have been dug in central London. Into these multi-level subterranean structures owners are building anything from cinemas, swimming pools, beauty parlours, squash courts, wine cellars and servants' quarters. Some take as long as three years to complete. As well as the noise of the digging, fleets of concrete mixers and lorries taking away the dug soil service the sites. So life for neighbours in some of London's poshest addresses has been hell. As the Royal Borough of Kensington Council responds to angry residents and tries to regulate the number of mega-basements and the disruption they cause, this BBC film goes behind the hoardings to look inside the extraordinary structures and talk to builders, owners and irate neighbours to tell the story of the conflict that has gripped the millionaires and gold-paved streets of London's smartest postcodes.
#16 - A Brief History of Graffiti
Season 2015 - Episode 201 - Aired 8/26/2015
From elegant line drawings in the 30,000 year old Caves D’Arcy in central France, to the triumphal graffiti of Russian troops who captured the Reichstag in 1945, we have scratched, etched and painted from time immemorial. In A Brief History of Graffiti - part of BBC’s pop art season - Richard Clay guides us through cave art, revolutionary posters and contemporary street art, to unravel the enigma of graffiti.
#17 - Britain's Biggest Sexists?
Season 2015 - Episode 254 - Aired 11/3/2015
From bankers to football managers, from toymakers to uni lads, accusations of sexism in British life come thick and fast. Now, using comedy clips, viral videos and stunts on the street, journalist Leah Green takes us on a tour of some of the most notorious examples. To judge the winner, she has recruited a panel of comedians who will choose their favourite, the ultimate winner of the title Britain's Biggest Sexist.
#18 - Professor Green: Suicide and Me
Season 2015 - Episode 246 - Aired 10/27/2015
Rapper Professor Green takes an intensely personal journey to uncover the truth behind the suicide of his father - and why suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.
#19 - Is Britain Racist?
Season 2015 - Episode 229 - Aired 10/5/2015
Racism has never been more socially unacceptable in Britain - three quarters of Britons claim they have no racial prejudice whatsoever. Journalist Mona Chalabi investigates whether these statistics provide an accurate picture. To find out what is happening on Britain's streets, three reporters are sent undercover to test the public's prejudice. The results are surprising. The programme looks into people's unconscious behaviour, discovering what British people really think about their neighbours of different races and religions. And Mona puts her own beliefs under the microscope, discovering some uncomfortable truths. Finally, she asks a hugely significant question - can people be trained to lose their prejudice?
#20 - Ocean Queens: The Story of Cunard
Season 2015 - Episode 127 - Aired 5/29/2015
As all three of Cunard's world-famous liners make an historic visit to Liverpool, Simon O'Brien reflects on 175 years of pioneering transatlantic travel. He uncovers the heroic stories of the people who sailed on the ships and reveals the legacy they brought back to the city.
#21 - Drills, Dentures and Dentistry: An Oral History
Season 2015 - Episode 86 - Aired 3/30/2015
Professor Joanna Bourke charts how, over the past five centuries, dentistry has been transformed from a backstreet horror show into a gleaming modern science. During her journey into dentistry's past, Joanna uncovers how a trip to the dentist's in medieval England could mean much more than a haircut, reveals how a First World War general's toothache would transform British oral surgery, and discovers the strange story of how the teeth of soldiers killed at Waterloo ended up in the mouths of London's rich.
#22 - West Meets East
Season 2015 - Episode 207 - Aired 9/8/2015
West meets east when acclaimed actor Dominic West joins his childhood friend Sir James Mallinson on a pilgrimage to northern India and the biggest religious festival in the world, Kumbh Mela. Here, 100 million Hindus have gathered to wash away their sins in the holy rivers near Allahabad, on the banks of Sangam. Jim takes Dom to live with his own sect of holy men, or sadhus, and to witness his ordination as a mahant, a commander of his sect - the first time a westerner has received this honour in this ancient order of master yogis.
#23 - Muslim Beauty Pageant and Me
Season 2015 - Episode 80 - Aired 3/19/2015
Dina Torkia has a huge following for her vlog about Muslim fashion and now she is heading to Indonesia for the finals of an international Muslim beauty pageant, World Muslimah. But Dina soon discovers it isn't just a pageant - it's a two-week boot camp where contestants have to prove their credentials as a good Muslim role model. It's a testing and often hilarious journey which pushes Dina to the limit.
#24 - The Rise of Female Violence
Season 2015 - Episode 253 - Aired 11/9/2015
Violence among girls seems more visible than ever. This year, in Walthamstow, there were shocking scenes as a fight broke out started by young women. In Belfast, a fight between two girls organised on social media became a spectator event for the city’s teenagers. BBC reporter Alys Harte asks, are girls getting angrier - and if so, why? From women who beat their boyfriends, to drunken brawlers, to girl gangs – Alys looks at the rising number of females who are involved in violence, and hears from their victims. One in five of all violent crimes and a third of domestic violence incidents reported to the England and Wales Crime survey involve a female perpetrator - but have our perceptions kept pace with the change? Alys investigates if females are treated the same way as their male counterparts when it comes to British justice, and finds out how hard it is for women who are caught up in violence to take control of their aggression and move on with their lives.
#25 - From Buddhist Monk to Rock Star
Season 2015 - Episode 252 - Aired 11/4/2015
From BBC Introducing artist to performing at the Dalai Lama’s public talk at the O2 Arena in just six months - this is the story of Ngawang Lodup’s remarkable rise. Exclusively for BBC iPlayer, From Buddhist Monk To Rock Star is the incredible story of triumph over adversity for the singing ex-monk, who ten years ago fled his life in a Tibetan monastery, trekking for 18 days, 250 miles, to pursue a life where he could freely express himself. After settling in the UK, Ngawang performed as a highly sought after singer amongst the Tibetan Diaspora in Europe but was picked up by BBC Radio 3 in April 2015 in the inaugural year of a BBC Introducing World Music scheme. In this intimate documentary portrait Ngawang speaks openly about his life and career, the pain of exile from his country and family and the central role that music plays in his life. This film tells Ngawang’s incredible story through a mix of interviews, archive footage and behind the scenes access along with live performances from Radio 3, WOMAD festival and the O2.