Terry Jones' Medieval Lives

Conventional notions regarding the Middle Ages are breezily debunked in this lighthearted but soundly researched BBC series from Terry Jones, an erstwhile member of the Monty Python troupe who has hosted several similar History Channel-aired programs. Each of the eight half-hour episodes collected in Terry Jones' Medieval Lives focuses on a particular type of figure, including the peasant, monk, damsel, minstrel, knight, natural philosopher, outlaw, and king. After briefly sketching the generally accepted portrait, Jones proceeds to point out historical inaccuracies, dramatizing his arguments by donning costumes in character, while also interweaving interviews with specialists and making visits to pertinent locales. Jones has a gift for using colorful anecdotes and stinging turns of phrase (such as describing 15th-century mystic Margery Kempe as “a full-time professional religious hysteric”) to bring the material to life (though his penchant for puns and slightly risqué remarks can be a bit much, and he seems overly fascinated with undergarments), while also employing witty animation (reminiscent of Monty Python) and odd bits such as a puppet show to keep things lively. Along the way, however, Jones actually delivers a good deal of accurate information and intriguingly out-of-the-way tidbits, such as the argument that Prince Louis of France, who battled King John for the crown in the Barons' War of 1215-1217, should be included among the English monarchs. DVD extras include an hour-long program on Roman gladiators featuring Jones. Both instructive and amusing, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)