Myths & Monsters

Season 1

This documentary series tells the stories that have gripped imaginations for centuries and reveals the fascinating and unexpected history behind them.

6 Episodes

Heroes & Villains
E1
Heroes & VillainsThe strange Slavic story of Ivan and Koschei the Deathless, the origins of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin, the journey of Odysseus as he resists the beautiful songs of the Sirens, and finally Sigurd and his battle with the dragon Fafnir.
The Wild Unknown
E2
The Wild UnknownSince time immemorial, humans have been both terrified and fascinated by the wilderness; it permeates myths and tales from across the world, from the tragic story of Actaeon in classical mythology, to the otherworld in Celtic legend to the Grimm fairy tales and the Kraken of the Viking sagas. What are the origins of such enduring stories?
War
E3
WarThe violent story of Romulus and Remus, the brutal Vikings and the Valkyries, the Trojan War, exploring the influence of Homer's Iliad on Alexander the Great, and 15th Century Romania with its bloodthirsty ruler, Vlad the Impaler.
Love & Betrayal
E4
Love & BetrayalLove is the most powerful human emotion and some of the greatest stories of love come from mythology. From the tragic romance of Tristan and Isolde of Arthurian legend to Jason and Medea in classical mythology, these stories explore what it is to love and how it can sometimes take control of us.
Change & Revolution
E5
Change & RevolutionHow does a community form? How does it survive and adapt to change? The role myths and legends have played in establishing the rules of society and the punishments for those who break them.
The End of All Things
E6
The End of All ThingsDeath is a frightening, unsettling prospect for us all. Myths and legends help explore those anxieties. But they tell us about more than mortal fear alone. For in a culture's tales of death we can see what it is they value in life.