There are countless docuseries on the market today, but what led to their popularity? These vintage docuseries paved the way for the History and Discovery channel style content many of us were raised on. Though dated and sometimes a little dry, these docuseries have a staying power that lends them a prominent place on library shelves even today. They cover a wide range of classroom subjects from science, history, and criminal justice.
In Search Of (1976-1982)
Narrated by Leonard Nimoy and filled with entertaining reenactments, In Search Of chronicles the great mysteries of history. With 144 individual episodes, this docuseries is hard to beat content-wise. While it does slide into quasi-documentary and ‘infotainment’ topics and stylings at times, it has a little bit of everything for everyone.
From Ogopogo to Ancient Spacemen, from Achilles at Troy to Butch Cassidy in Bolivia, this series pokes into every nook and cranny it can reach. In Search Of looks not only at history, but myths, religion, and the supernatural using historical evidence beside expert analysis to probe into mysteries both modern and ancient. While not always entirely fact-based, this docuseries is a strong option for mystery collections. Consider screening spooky episodes on Halloween for those less fond of horror films.
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Connections (1978-)
Renowned historian James Burke takes his award-winning book to the television screen in Connections. This unique docuseries would inspire many who came after with its intriguing stories and bizarre connections which result in some of the most well-known moments in history.
Burke’s historical style focuses on technology and follows the invention and innovation of seemingly unrelated tools and materials until they connect at historical moments. This is a must-have for history film and documentary collections. Some episodes would pair well with library programming about technology, engineering, and science.
The World at War (1973-1974)
Narrated by Laurence Olivier and winner of two BAFTAs, The World At War remains one of the penultimate documentary series produced about the Second World War. The 26 episodes explore not just the war or combat itself (as is the weakness of so many WWII documentaries), but the root causes going back to the 1920s and beyond the end of the European and Pacific theaters, touching on the roots of the Cold War.
Carl Davis adds an outstanding musical score which makes the viewer much more apt to pay attention. The World at War is another must-have for library shelves. Many elderly patrons would happily show up for screenings of this docuseries, but younger patrons with an interest in WWII would be interested in seeing older content in history collections.
Unsolved Mysteries (1987-2010)
I believe that the core of today’s true crime fad lies in the staying power of this revolutionary docuseries. While occasionally dabbling in aliens, cryptids, and spirits, Unsolved Mysteries tends to focus on real-life events from disappearances and murders to family separations and amnesia.
The addition of updates to the most recent DVD and streaming releases creates added continuity and rewatch value. This continuity is outstanding and shows the power of an informed public: Families are reunited and violent abusers are brought to justice by everyday people who just happened to tune in and recognize a photo.
This title should be considered for mystery or documentary library collections for its nostalgic value, trendsetting style, and the current popularity of true crime and bizarre mysteries. Librarians might be interested in screening segments focused on the state or locale mentioned in the mystery as Unsolved Mysteries finds stories in even the most remote locales.
Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993-1998)
Though just barely vintage, Bill Nye the Science Guy holds an untold wealth of nostalgic value, especially in physical format. Bill Nye’s classic science education series was the savior of many a science class substitute and most people below the age of forty have probably seen the entire series at least twice.
Everyone I know with children has fond memories of this series, some often lamenting that they purchased the wrong streaming service to share it with their children or that their personal favorite episode is not in circulation when they look it up.
This series has remained a standard in science education programming and should be considered when screening for both children and their parents and caretakers. When screening science educational content, wheel out the old CRT monitor dolly for an added nostalgia hit.
Read our review of Bill Nye the Science Guy