Empire

This five-part 2012 British series, a co-production of the BBC and The Open University, serves up an extended essay on England's imperial history, something that host Jeremy Paxman suggests contemporary Brits tend to be embarrassed about. Offering an overview of the British Empire, which began in the 16th century and was dissolved in the 20th, the recurrent theme here is whether British rule was beneficial or harmful to the areas controlled. Each episode features an overarching subject—power politics, the exportation of English customs to faraway locales, the thirst for adventure, economic motives, and philanthropic intentions—covering a wide variety of locales, including India, China, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada (the future U.S. is omitted) in somewhat scattershot fashion. Along the way, intriguing issues are raised (such as the imperial role of English sports—particularly cricket) and excellent thumbnail sketches are presented of key figures, including T.E. Lawrence, Cecil Rhodes, General Charles Gordon, and famed missionary David Livingstone. A wealth of artwork and archival material is supplemented with visits to formerly imperial regions, where Paxman interviews locals (including a Kenyan woman who was a freedom fighter, a couple of elderly English ladies who saw Gandhi, and even the great-grandson of the Mahdi, who besieged Gordon at Khartoum). The overall result is somewhat disjointed and clearly apologetic, with an admission that imperial rule was basically indefensible and often brutal (while arguably also accomplishing some good), but it's also quite informative, featuring many fascinating anecdotes. Extras include a viewer's guide with a timeline, map, and articles. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)