Two BBC Productions (probably) worth a watch

[Atheling]

I haven't seen either as of yet so I'm not in a position to pass any kinf od=f judgement:

The Scots at Waterloo:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05zqw3h/the-scots-at-waterloo

Napoleon:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05yxzlj/napoleon-episode-1

Darrell.

[Nord]

Thanks for the heads up. Watched part 1 of the Napoleon doc, not brilliant tbh, just the latest in a long line of historians strutting their opinions. The Scots at Waterloo was better.

Pretty disappointed overall in the coverage in the UK, unless I missed something? I did see a docu-drama about Wellington that was okay, not seen anything on the politics/battle. Guess I will just have to stare at the postage stamps instead.

[TWD]

I preferred the Napoleon of the two.

In "Scots at..." small numbers of (too old, too portly) re-enactors pretending to be the huge armies at Waterloo made me giggle.
Why, oh why do current history programs have an obsession with "docu-drama"? Give me an expert with passion and insight over actors feigning accents and striving for emotion.
As a result it was mainly un-examined "first hand" accounts taken at face value.
David Saul was good on Quatre-Bras, but I'd have liked much more of him and less of the lady covered in prosthetics pretending to garden her Welsh cottage. (I gave up soon after this - maybe it improved)
A brave attempt to shine a light on the diverse mix of the "English" army at Waterloo, but failed by the format in my view.

Napoleon was more like it (though it still had the compulsory small numbers of re-enactors pretending to be the Parisian mob - all nicely fed and plump and dying without a mark on their bodies despite being shot at point blank range by a cannon). Presented by an expert who knew his subject and had genuine passion for the period.I'm not sure I agreed with him but he had some insight and told much of it well. Will watch part two this weekend.

[Atheling]

There's also this, if you're happy to pay 7.50 Euro's (not too expensive) for the privilege?

Waterloo Reenactment Stream:

https://www.waterloo2015.org/en/news/live-streaming

Personally I thought the Napoleon narrator to be too much of an apologist and the Scots at Waterloo, despite it's obvious and all too common flaws to be not all that bad. Still, when you think of how important Waterloo was in political and military terms I reckon that British TV could have at least made a better show of representing the battle as the best footage I've seen thus far was actually the minute long article that I saw on BBC News this morning!

Hardly fair given the battles historical significance.

Darrell.

[Harry Faversham]

Enjoyed the one about the Scots and envied the lucky bastard who got to play with the sword and the Eagle.