Timewatch is a long-running British television series showing documentaries on historical subjects, spanning all human history. It was first broadcast on 29 September 1982 and is produced by the BBC.
The Timewatch brandname is used as a banner title in the UK, but many of the individual documentaries are unbranded with BBC continuity outside the domestic British market.
Episodes Viewer figures are taken from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board Ltd. website for the day that the episode was first broadcast. This is currently a list of some episodes, far from all.
1993 Season 1993, Episode 13: The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald. First broadcast 21 November 1993, eve of the 30th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as part of the BBC 2 channel's Kennedy Night. (Episode also broadcast 30 years later on the eve of the 60th anniversary of Kennedy's death.) This Timewatch feature was nominated for the BAFTA Awards Robert Flaherty Award in Content for a full-length documentary in 1993. The feature was made to enable viewers to come to an informed opinion on the question of Oswald's involvement in the assassination, billed as having unearthed new evidence.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index.
1996 Special edition: Haig - the Unknown Soldier. Broadcast 3 July 1996. This episode is about Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig.For a review of this episode, see Thomas Sutcliffe, "review", The Independent, 3 July 1996.Radio Times, Issue 3779, 29 June 1996, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices, and "This Week", Radio Times, Issue 3779, 29 June 1996, p 10.
1997 The following series has seven episodes. Episode 1: Love Story. First broadcast 25 February 1997. Repeated 13 March 1998.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Love Story" in "Choice", The Times, 25 February 1997, p 47; Matthew Bond, "If not unbelievable, then truly unspeakable", The Times, 26 February 1997, p 47; and "Television: Today's pick", The Independent, 13 March 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3812, 22 February 1997, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further "This Week", Radio Times, Issue 3812, 22 February 1997, p 8. Episode 2: Before Columbus. First broadcast 4 March 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Before Columbus" in "Choice", The Times, 4 March 1997, p 51.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 3: Secret Memories. First broadcast 11 March 1997.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Secret Memories" in "Choice", The Times, 11 March 1997, p 51; and Peter Barnard, "No reason to panic: you are not a clone", The Times, 12 March 1997, p 47.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 4: The Boer War: The First Media War. First broadcast 18 March 1997.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: The Boer War - The First Media War" in "Choice", The Times, 18 March 1997, p 55; and Matthew Bond, "When the film cameras first went to war", The Times, 19 March 1997, p 47.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 5: Birth Story. First broadcast 25 March 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Birth Story" in "Television Choice: Spiky in body and mood", The Times, 25 March 1997, p 50.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 6: Forgotten Allies. First broadcast 1 April 1997.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Forgotten Allies" in "Television Choice: A double helping of fame", The Times, 1 April 1997, p 42; and Matthew Bond, "Playing the fool, but it's no laughing matter", The Times, 2 April 1997, p 47.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 7: Back to the Iron Age. First broadcast 18 April 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Back to the Iron Age" in "Television Choice: Do you remember when...?", The Times, 18 April 1997, p 46.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index.
The following series has eight episodes. Episode 1: The True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai. First broadcast 28 October 1997.Radio Times, Issue 3847, 25 October 1997, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 2: Lords of the Maya. First broadcast 4 November 1997.For a review of this episode, see Elizabeth Cowley, "Timewatch: Lords of the Maya" in "Television Choice: On the road to equality", The Times, 4 November 1997, p 50.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 3: Alison: A Personal History. First broadcast 11 November 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Alison - A Personal History" in "Television Choice: Alison French revisited", The Times, 11 November 1997, p 54; and Matthew Bond, "The return of a woman with strong views", The Times, 12 November 1997, p 51.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 4: The Gentlemen Spies. First broadcast 18 November 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: The Gentlemen Spies" in "Television Choice: MI5's shadowy origins", The Times, 18 November 1997, p 54.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 5: The African Trade. First broadcast 25 November 1997.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: The African Trade" in "Television Choice: Slavery's black secret", The Times, 25 November 1997, p 50; and Matthew Bond, "Joanna's plum pudding needed pruning", The Times, 26 November 1997, p 51.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 6: Lenin's Secret Files. First broadcast 2 December 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Lenin's Secret Files" in "Television Choice: Lenin's secrets unmasked", The Times, 2 December 1997, p 50.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 7: Remember the Ugandan Asians. First broadcast 9 December 1997.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: Remember the Ugandan Asians" in "Television Choice: Advice for the unwary", The Times, 9 December 1997, p 50.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 8: In Search of Cleopatra. First broadcast 16 December 1997.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: In Search of Cleopatra" in "Television Choice: Solid second-hand advice", The Times, 16 December 1997, p 46; Peter Barnard, "A nice little runner with two careful owners", The Times, 17 December 1997, p 43; and Peter Waymark, "Day of the Pharaohs" in "Television Choice: An Egyptian celebration", The Times, 1 January 1998, p 38.Radio Times, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Repeated 1 January 1998 as part of Day of the Pharaohs.Radio Times, Issue 3855, 20 December 1997, reprinted at BBC Programme Index: .
1998 The following series has six episodes. Episode 1: Hitler and the Invasion of Britain. Broadcast 7 April 1998.For commentary on this episode, see Rupert Cornwell, "Hitler's children - the spawn of the twentieth century", The Independent, 8 April 1998Radio Times, Issue 3869, 4 April 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices. Episode 2: Grammar School Boys. Broadcast 14 April 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3870, 11 April 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further Polly Toynbee, Radio Times, Issue 3870, 11 April 1998, p 10. Episode 3: The Oklahoma Outlaw. Broadcast 21 April 1998. This episode is about Elmer McCurdy.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch: The Oklahoma Outlaw" in "Television Choice: Lost in a cold, dark place", The Times, 21 April 1998, p 54; Joe Joseph, "Oxford warmly welcomes faithful retainers", The Times, 22 April 1998, p 43; and Nancy Banks-Smith, "A showbusiness career to die for", The Guardian Weekly, vol 158, no 18: week ending 3 May 1998, p 26.Radio Times, Issue 3871, 18 April 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 4: The Roman Way of War. Broadcast 28 April 1998.The Times, 28 April 1998, p 51Radio Times, Issue 3872, 25 April 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 5: Las Vegas and the Mormons. Broadcast 5 May 1998.For reviews of this episode, see W Stephen Gilbert, "Timewatch: Las Vegas and the Mormons" in "Television Choice: Wish you'd been elsewhere?", The Times, 5 May 1998, p 50; Joe Joseph, "Out in the desert, beyond reach of parody", The Times, 6 May 1998, p 43; and David Aaronovitch, "Television: Why I'm loving the alien", The Independent, 9 May 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3873, 2 May 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further John Peel, Radio Times, Issue 3873, 2 May 1998, p 9. Episode 6: Aborigine: a Collision of Conscience. Broadcast 12 May 1998.For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Timewatch" in "Television Choice: Bricks and mortar of time", The Times, 12 May 1998, p 54; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "TV", The Independent, 12 May 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3874, 9 May 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices.
The following series has six episodes. Episode 1: Sex and War. Broadcast 29 September 1998.For a review of this episode, see Nicholas Lezard, "Television Review", The Independent, 29 September 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3894, 26 September 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices. Episode 2: Lloyd George's War. Broadcast 6 October 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3895, 3 October 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices. Episode 3: The Pilgrim Obsession. Broadcast 13 October 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3896, 10 October 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 4: Banking with Hitler. Broadcast 20 October 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3897, 17 October 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. See further today's choices. Episode 5: The British in India. Broadcast 27 October 1998.Radio Times, Issue 3898, 24 October 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index. Episode 6: An American Firefight. Broadcast 3 November 1998.For a review of this episode, see Robert Hanks, "Television Review", The Independent, 4 November 1998Radio Times, Issue 3899, 31 October 1998, reprinted at BBC Programme Index.
2001 # Episode Broadcast Date Presenter/Narrator Viewers (Millions) 1 "The Empire State Story" 12 January 2001 Samuel West 3.03 2 "Himmler, Hitler and the End of the Reich" 19 January 2001 Andrew Sachs 3.35 3 "The King's Servant" 26 January 2001 John Guy 4 "Nero's Golden House" 2 February 2001 Samuel West 2.63 5 "Public Enemy Number One" 9 February 2001 2.69 6 "Hitler, Churchill and the Paratroopers" 16 February 2001 3.44 7 "The Last Surrender" 11 May 2001 2.50 8 "Debutantes" 18 May 2001 Samuel West 9 "Strangeways Revisited" 25 May 2001 10 "Scharnhorst" 1 June 2001 3.45 11 "Roman Soldiers to Be" 8 June 2001 John Shrapnel 12 "Bombing Germany" 23 August 2001 John Michie 3.00
2002 # Episode Broadcast Date Presenter Viewers (Millions) 1 "The Making of Adolf Hitler" 4 January 2002 Bill Paterson 2.35 2 "Mystery of the Iron Bridge" 11 January 2002 2.90 3 "Death of the Battleship" 18 January 2002 2.82 4 "Kill 'Em All: American War Crimes in Korea" 1 February 2002 Tim Pigott Smith 5 "Jubilee Day" 8 February 2002 6 "Myths of the Titanic" 19 April 2002 Bernard Hill 2.45 7 "The Victorian Way of Death" 4 May 2002 Dan Cruickshank 8 "Battle for Berlin" 10 May 2002 Bill Paterson 2.17 9 "Stalin and the Betrayal of Leningrad" 9 August 2002 2.17 10 "The Myth of Custer's Last Stand" 16 August 2002 2.12 11 "Akhenaten and Nefertiti: The Royal Gods of Egypt" 6 September 2002 Samuel West 2.62 12 "Murder in Harvard" 14 December 2002
2003