Timeline
Season 1
Timeline was an educational series with the brilliant premise of having a TV news team report straightforwardly from some of the Middle Ages' greatest turning points. Rarely has this startling mix of hard medieval history and the inexplicably fantastic intrusion of TV news ever been attempted.
Where to Watch Season 1
6 Episodes
- The VikingsE1
The Vikings"Vikings" was the third of the six 'history as news' episodes to be shown by PBS in 1989, focusing on 1066AD when William the Conqueror was preparing to invade England, just as the Norse invasion of England by Harald Hardradi had been defeated by England's Saxon King Harold. Reporters Owen of Canarfon (Robert Bathurst), Siboletto of Zimbabwe (Fran Dorn), Louis de Jaen (Inaqui Aierra) & Selim Karasi (Engin Cezzar) report from Normandy, England and from Iceland as they look at how the Vikings have developed from their initial pirate raids on England and Europe to become a major European power; the Normans are Viking descendants. With the future of England hanging in the balance, anchorman Steve Bell reveals the events that have led to this watershed moment in European history. - The MongolsE2
The Mongols"The Mongols" was the fifth of the six 'history as news' episodes to be shown by PBS in 1989, focusing on the threat that the Mongols would invade Western Europe in 1247AD after overrunning much of Asia and creating one of the greatest empires ever to exist, stretching from China through Russia to the borders of Europe itself. Although Genghis Khan is now dead, his successors are continuing to expand the empire as European leaders struggle to understand this deadly threat from the east. Reporters Owen of Canarfon (Robert Bathurst), Siboletto of Zimbabwe (Fran Dorn), Louis de Jaen (Inaqui Aierra) & Selim Karasi (Engin Cezzar) report from both sides of the conflict, moderated by anchorman Steve Bell who explains the secrets of Mongol military success. - The Black DeathE3
The Black Death"Black Death" was the second of the six 'history as news' episodes to be shown by PBS in 1989, focusing on the second pandemic of the Black Death, the plague that first decimated populations around the world in 1346–53. In 1361 it has returned again and reporters Owen of Canarfon (Robert Bathurst), Siboletto of Zimbabwe (Fran Dorn), Louis de Jaen (Inaqui Aierra) & Selim Karasi (Engin Cezzar) are following the path of contagion as it sweeps west from Asia to devastate Europe for the second time in a generation. As usual, anchorman Steve Bell reports from the Timeline studios. - The CrusadesE4
The Crusades"Crusades" was the first of the six 'history as news' episodes to be shown by PBS in 1989, focusing on the conquest of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem by Sultan Saladin, and giving the back story of the Crusades up to that point. Reporters Owen of Canarfon (Robert Bathurst), Siboletto of Zimbabwe (Fran Dorn), Louis de Jaen (Inaqui Aierra) & Selim Karasi (Engin Cezzar) report from both sides of the conflict, moderated by anchorman Steve Bell (himself).