The BEST episodes of BBC Documentaries season 2017
Every episode of BBC Documentaries season 2017, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of BBC Documentaries season 2017!
Documentaries produced by or for the BBC.
#1 - The Passengers That Took on the Train Line
Season 2017 - Episode 149 - Aired 6/14/2017
In 2016, with the contract for Southeastern trains due to expire in six months, a group of dissatisfied but determined passengers come together to try to take a railway franchise into their own hands. Jacques Peretti follows the group as they set about executing their revolutionary plan. Is their dream far-fetched, or will the Department for Transport, looking for fresh ideas, see this new passenger-run company as a viable option for the franchise?
#2 - Britain's Nuclear Bomb: The Inside Story
Season 2017 - Episode 110 - Aired 5/3/2017
In 1957, Britain exploded its first megaton hydrogen bomb - codenamed Operation Grapple X. It was the culmination of an extraordinary scientific project, which against almost insuperable odds turned Britain into a nuclear superpower. This is the inside story of how Britain got 'the bomb'. The BBC has been granted unprecedented access to the top-secret nuclear research facility at Aldermaston. The programme features interviews with veterans and scientists who took part in the atomic bomb programme, some speaking for the first time, and newly released footage of the British atomic bomb tests.
#3 - The Galaxy Britain Built
Season 2017 - Episode 323 - Aired 12/15/2017
The Galaxy Britain Built celebrates the British contribution to the original Star Wars. Presenter and Star Wars fan David Whiteley uncovers some never-before-heard stories from the geniuses who helped build the galaxy, from the costume designer and art director to the man who made the lightsabre. It was a time when science fiction films were not box office draws, and very few people in the industry believed in George Lucas's vision. But his first Star Wars film ended up being a very British endeavour. The programme documents the behind-the-scenes talent that helped bring the galaxy to life in the late 1970s. It also looks at how the British talent continues to be part of the Star Wars legacy to the present day.
#4 - Saying Goodbye
Season 2017 - Episode 297 - Aired 11/14/2017
Every day in the UK over a hundred children face the death of their mum or dad. Behind this statistic are many untold and heart-rending stories. Saying Goodbye, a special film for BBC Children in Need, features a group of seven- to 17-year-olds who have been bereaved and a few who are facing the death of a parent. In their own words, these brave children share their heart-wrenching experiences and memories, with the aim of helping other young people who are facing a similar situation.
#5 - Gravity and Me: The Force that Shapes Our Lives
Season 2017 - Episode 73 - Aired 3/28/2017
Physics professor Jim Al-Khalili investigates the amazing science of gravity. A fundamental force of nature, gravity shapes our entire universe, sculpting galaxies and warping space and time. But gravity's strange powers, discovered by Albert Einstein, also affect our daily lives in the most unexpected ways. As Jim tells the story of gravity, it challenges his own understanding of the nature of reality. The science of gravity includes the greatest advances in physics, and Jim recreates groundbreaking experiments in gravity including when the Italian genius Galileo first worked out how to measure it. Gravity science is still full of surprises and Jim investigates the latest breakthrough - 'gravity waves' - ripples in the vast emptiness of space. He also finds out from astronauts what it's like to live without gravity. But gravity also directly affects all of us very personally - making a difference to our weight, height, posture and even the rate at which we age. With the help of volunteers and scientists, Jim sets out to find where in Britain gravity is weakest and so where we weigh the least. He also helps design a smartphone app that volunteers use to demonstrate how gravity affects time and makes us age at slightly different rates. And finally, Jim discovers that despite incredible progress, gravity has many secrets.
#6 - The Search For A New Earth
Season 2017 - Episode 232 - Aired 9/11/2017
Professor Stephen Hawking thinks the human species will have to populate a new planet within 100 years if it is to survive. With climate change, pollution, deforestation, pandemics and population growth, our own planet is becoming increasingly precarious. Planet Earth has been home to humankind for over 200,000 years, but with a population of 7.5 billion and counting and limited resources, this planet might not support us forever. In this landmark film Professor Hawking, alongside engineer and radio astronomy expert Professor Danielle George and a former student, Christophe Galfard, join forces to find out if, and how, humans can reach for the stars and relocate to different planets. Travelling the globe, they meet top scientists, technologists and engineers who are working to answer our biggest questions: is there another planet out there that we could call home? How will we travel across the vast distances of space to get there? How will we survive the journey? And how will we set up a new human civilization on an alien world? Taking in the latest advances in astronomy, biology and rocket technology from the Atacama Desert to the wilds of the Arctic, viewers will discover a whole world of cutting edge research. This programme shows that Professor Hawking’s ambition isn’t as fantastical as it sounds - and that science fiction is closer to science fact than we ever thought.
#7 - The Galaxy Britain Built: Droids, Darth Vader and Lightsabers
Season 2017 - Episode 335 - Aired 12/21/2017
The Galaxy Britain Built: Droids, Darth Vader and Lightsabers celebrates the British contribution to the original Star Wars. This is a longer (60-minute) version of The Galaxy Britain Built, shown on 15 December 2017. Presenter and Star Wars fan David Whiteley uncovers some never-before-heard stories from the geniuses who helped build the galaxy, from the costume designer and art director to the man who made the lightsaber. It was a time when science fiction films were not box office draws, and very few people in the industry believed in George Lucas's vision. But his first Star Wars film ended up being a very British endeavour. The programme documents the behind-the-scenes talent that helped bring the galaxy to life in the late 1970s. It also looks at how the British talent continues to be part of the Star Wars legacy to the present day.
#8 - Concorde: A Supersonic Story
Season 2017 - Episode 248 - Aired 9/29/2017
The life of the most glamorous plane ever built - told by the people whose lives she touched. We uncover rare footage telling the forgotten row between the French and British governments over the name of Concorde which threatened to derail the whole project. Ahead of the opening of Bristol's multimillion-pound aerospace museum, a host of engineers, flight technicians and frequent fliers tell the supersonic story, aided by Lord Heseltine and Dame Joan Collins. And we meet the passenger who shared an intimate moment with The Rolling Stones. Narrated by Sophie Okonedo
#9 - Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
Season 2017 - Episode 330 - Aired 12/21/2017
Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders are two of the country's best-loved comedy icons. In Absolutely Fabulous, their alter egos Eddie and Patsy loved nothing more than cracking open a bottle of champagne. Now, in a special Christmas treat for BBC Two, Joanna and Jennifer are reuniting on-screen to take a trip to the Champagne region of France to find out exactly how to put the bubbles into bubbly. They immerse themselves in all things fizz, joining the grape pickers during their annual two-week harvest, adventuring down the miles of underground cellars and even tasting a tipple or two. During their journey they take a trip down memory lane, sharing special stories of filming Ab Fab and reminiscing about their friendship. Packed with funny moments and favourite Ab Fab clips, this is a festive special best served with something chilled.
#10 - Cinema Through the Eye of Magnum
Season 2017 - Episode 237 - Aired 9/17/2017
From the day it was created in 1947, Magnum Photos has represented some of the most famous names in photography whose pictures have come to define their times. But Magnum's work also includes more surprising images - pictures of cinema. This film recounts this remarkable collaboration - from Robert Capa's photos of Ingrid Bergman and Eve Arnold's intimate relationship with Marilyn Monroe, up until today with Paolo Pellegrin's portraits of Kate Winslet, providing an essential history of both cinema and photography.
#11 - Britain's Teenage Drug Runners
Season 2017 - Episode 259 - Aired 10/5/2017
BBC Three film, uncovering how gangs operating in cities have expanded their drug operations into the countryside and seaside towns. With astonishing access, the film explores how gang members are using teenage drug runners to sell large amounts of crack and heroin miles away from home. Police, youth workers and the government are all trying to tackle this rising problem. As more gangs are moving into the countryside, the competition, rivalries and violence have increased. We see how this secretive and dangerous trade works, and the impact it has on the young runners at the heart of it, as well as the rural communities across the UK.
#12 - Reindeer Family & Me
Season 2017 - Episode 342 - Aired 12/26/2017
It's Christmas, and wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan travels to the frozen north, deep inside the Arctic Circle, to meet the ancient Sami people and the animals they hold so close - reindeer. Known as the reindeer people, the Sami were traditionally nomadic, relying on their precious animals to help them survive the Arctic's harsh winters. Gordon lives with a Sami family in Finnish Lapland to experience their unique culture and to learn about their special bond with reindeer. He works to earn the trust of his own reindeer companion, before leaving his adopted family behind and setting off alone into this land of ice and snow. With only his reindeer to guide him, but armed with the knowledge of his hosts, Gordon wants to immerse himself in this frozen wilderness and attempt to witness the natural phenomenon the Sami most revere - the magical Northern Lights.
#13 - Secrets of the Super Elements
Season 2017 - Episode 128 - Aired 5/24/2017
Forget oil, coal and gas - a new set of materials is shaping our world and they're so bizarre they may as well be alien technology. In the first BBC documentary to be filmed entirely on smartphones, materials scientist Prof Mark Miodownik reveals the super elements that underpin our high-tech world. We have become utterly dependent on them, but they are rare and they're already running out. The stuff that makes our smartphones work could be gone in a decade and our ability to feed the world depends mostly on a mineral found in just one country. Mark reveals the magical properties of these extraordinary materials and finds out what we can do to save them.
#14 - Winter's Weirdest Events
Season 2017 - Episode 340 - Aired 12/24/2017
The natural world is full of the weird and the wonderful, but in wintertime - it just gets weirder. From snowboarding crows to polar bear parties, seemingly suicidal penguins, festive ice discs, the miracle revival of a man frozen solid and spooky twizzling turkeys, this Christmas serves up weird stories of the unexplained, unexpected and the unidentifiable from across the globe. Using state-of-the-art science, expert analysis and first-hand eyewitness accounts, we examine the evidence, test the theories and unravel some of the strangest stories our planet has to offer. Based in a remote hut for the winter, naturalist Chris Packham embarks on a fascinating journey to try to explain some of winter's weirdest events. With the help of leading scientists and engaging contributors, Chris reveals secrets from the natural world from bizarre science to animal oddities, crazy weather, medical marvels and remarkable natural phenomenon.
#15 - Male Rape: Breaking the Silence
Season 2017 - Episode 320 - Aired 12/20/2017
It is estimated that one in six men are victims of rape, but only 10% of these men report the crime to the police. This film tells the stories of three men who are now breaking their silence, revealing a unique perspective on male rape in Britain today.
#16 - Chris Packham: Asperger's and Me
Season 2017 - Episode 267 - Aired 10/17/2017
For most of his life, broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham didn't tell anyone about the one thing that in many ways has defined his entire existence. Chris is autistic - he has Asperger's Syndrome, which means he struggles in social situations, has difficulty with human relationships and is, by his own admission, 'a little bit weird'. But what if there was a way of taking away these autistic traits? Would Chris ever choose to be 'normal'? In this film, Chris invites us inside his autistic world to try to show what it is really like being him. He lives alone in the woods with his 'best friend' Scratchy the dog, but he also has a long-term partner, Charlotte, who discusses the problems Asperger's creates in their relationship - she describes Chris as being sometimes 'like an alien'. Chris experiences the world in a very different way, with heightened senses that at times are overwhelming, and a mind that is constant bouncing from one subject to the next. Growing up at a time when little was known about autism, Chris wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until he was in his forties. With scientific advances offering new possibilities to treat his condition, Chris travels to America to witness radical therapies that appear to offer the possibility of entirely eradicating problematic autistic traits, but he also meets those who are challenging the idea that autistic people need to change in order to fit into society. Confronting this deeply personal subject with brutal honesty, and reflecting on the devastating struggles of his adolescence, Chris explores the question of whether he would ever want to be cured himself or whether, ultimately, Asperger's has helped make him who he is today.
#17 - Great War Horses
Season 2017 - Episode 230 - Aired 9/5/2017
The horses that provided the backbone of the Australian Light Horse regiments in World War I were popularly known as Walers. Bred for Australia's tough Outback conditions, Walers were well-equipped for the harsh climate and terrain of the Middle East, where the ANZAC forces faced the armies of the Ottoman Empire. Great War Horses is a powerful, moving account of the men and horses of the Australian Light Horse and the pivotal role they played in World War I at the Battle of Romani (1916), the celebrated Light Horse charge at the Battle of Beersheba (1917) and the capture of Damascus in 1918.
#18 - The Teens Taking On Deliveroo
Season 2017 - Episode 269 - Aired 10/15/2017
As Britain's gig economy continues to grow and employ more young people, two teenagers decide to challenge the practices of one of the biggest takeaway delivery companies in the sector
#19 - The Paper Thistle: 200 Years of The Scotsman
Season 2017 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/17/2017
For two centuries The Scotsman newspaper has been at the heart of the nation, uncovering corruption, skewering politicians, celebrating the arts and prepared to robustly defend its trenchant views, even at the point of a pistol. The programme tells the fascinating story of one of Britain's most famous newspapers and how over two centuries it has both reflected and shaped the nation.
#20 - Annie Mac: Who Killed The Night?
Season 2017 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/18/2017
Almost half of the UK’s nightclubs have closed down over the past decade. In this film, broadcaster and international DJ Annie Mac investigates who is killing our nightlife. Is it property developers, the police or local councils who are contributing to the decline? Or is it just the fact young people are changing the way they go about partying, with the advent of all-day parties, illegal raves and the internet?
#21 - MND and 22-Year-Old Me
Season 2017 - Episode 243 - Aired 8/1/2017
The youngest person with motor neurone disease in Scotland, Lucy Lintott, is becoming paralysed - she can no longer walk unassisted and she is losing her voice - not great for a chatterbox like Lucy. Even though she has been given only a few years to live, Lucy is determined to do what 22-year-olds do - including dating. Over a six-month period, this lover of food and country music reveals how she is struggling to hold on to her personality and her infectious laugh. Lucy visits Newcastle, where she meets a stand-up comedian who can still crack a joke even though he can't speak. At a clinic in Edinburgh, Lucy's voice is recorded with her sister's to create a personalised synthetic voice. And in an emotional photographic sitting with portrait photographer Rankin, Lucy confronts two polarised parts of herself - the perfect Lucy pre-diagnosis and the broken Lucy three years after diagnosis.
#22 - Reagan's Last Movie
Season 2017 - Episode 242 - Aired 7/29/2017
He's Trump's idol - the new President took his 2016 slogan 'Make America Great Again' straight from Ronald Reagan's barnstorming 1980 campaign. But like Trump, Reagan had a long past in entertainment - and one that might have scuppered his political career before it really took off. For BBC World News, historian Adam Smith tells the extraordinary story of Reagan's last movie. In The Killers (1964), Reagan played a criminal for the first time, and portrayed California businessmen as corrupt and violent - just months before real California businessmen launched him into national politics. But why did he do it? And what might have happened if The Killers had been shown on TV as planned?
#23 - Through the Lens of Larkin
Season 2017 - Episode 241 - Aired 9/20/2017
Through the Lens of Larkin explores the relationship of one of the 20th Century’s greatest poets, Philip Larkin with photography. It looks at the relationship between Larkin's photography and his work, family and lovers - seen through the thousands of photographs he took, including the many “selfies” in his collection. Presented by poet and academic John Wedgwood Clarke, the documentary studies some of the pictures he took of his loved ones, his adopted city, and of himself - charting his life from childhood to death.
#24 - Famalam
Season 2017 - Episode 240 - Aired 9/20/2017
Famalam shines a comedic light on everything - from alien encounters in the outer reaches of the galaxy, to what happens when a man is left on his own in a house for ten minutes holding only a phone and a remote. With a dazzling array of accents, cultural observations and colourful costumes, Famalam gives us a glimpse of the latest Nollywood blockbuster, reveals who might be responsible for internet spam and introduces us to latest TV detective - but be warned - his methods are, well, unorthodox...
#25 - Letters from Baghdad
Season 2017 - Episode 239 - Aired 9/18/2017
The extraordinary and dramatic story of Gertrude Bell, the most powerful woman in the British Empire in her day. She shaped the modern Middle East after World War I in ways that still reverberate today. More influential than her friend and colleague Lawrence of Arabia, Bell helped draw the borders of Iraq and established the Iraq Museum. Using never-seen-before footage of the region, the film chronicles Bell's extraordinary journey into both the uncharted Arabian desert and the inner sanctum of British male colonial power. With unique access to documents from the Iraq National Library and Archive and Gertrude Bell's own 1,600 letters, the story is told entirely in the words of the players of the day, excerpted verbatim from intimate letters, private diaries and secret communiques. It is a unique look at both a remarkable woman and the tangled history of Iraq.