Cities of the Underworld: The Complete Season One

Compiling all 13 episodes from the debut 2006-07 season, this four-disc boxed set of the History Channel series Cities of the Underworld takes viewers on a journey to subterranean caves, cellars, cemeteries, aqueducts, and other archaeological remains that lie beneath the surface of various locales, primarily in Europe and the United States. Most of the programs focus on specific cities such as London, Edinburgh, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Naples, Budapest, and New York, but some are arranged topically, looking—for example—at Romanian sites associated with Dracula, the far-flung expanses of the Roman Empire, or freemasonry in Boston and Philadelphia. And the places touched on are often connected with a diverse array of major historical figures, including Emperor Nero, Paul Revere, Ben Franklin, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Adolf Hitler, to mention but a few. Eric Geller and Don Wildman, both enthusiastic and articulate, share hosting duties, serving as narrators and guides (which sometimes entails gamely crawling into very tight spots with cameras in tow), with the on-location footage complemented by artwork, stills, and computer-generated graphics. DVD extras on the final disc include the pilot episode (set in Istanbul), as well as additional scenes. Although the episodes occasionally spend too much time on more lurid details, this handsomely-produced series is informative and engaging overall. Recommended. Aud: P. (F. Swietek)