8.1The Universe - Season 1 (2007)
The History Channel series brings distant planets and faraway stars up close.

8.3The Life of Birds (1998)
David Attenborough's comprehensive and richly detailed study of birds.

8.3JFK: A Presidency Revealed (2003)
A documentary about the failures and the triumphs of the John F. Kennedy presidency.

9.0When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions (2008)
The incredible story of humankind's greatest adventure.

9.6New York: A Documentary Film (1999)
Ric Burns presents an exhaustive history of New York.

8.3Engineering an Empire: The Complete Series (2006)
Examining history's most magnificent civilizations by surveying the engineering triumphs they left behind.

8.5Michael Palin - Sahara (2002)
Michael Palin explores the world's largest desert.

8.6Michael Palin - Himalaya (2004)
Comedian and travel presenter Michael Palin is on a six-month trip across the Himalaya mountain range.

8.4Around the world in 80 days (1989)
Michael Palin attempts to copy the exploits of fictional character Phileas Fogg.

8.2Prehistoric Park (2006)
Scientist travelling back in time to find some of the most magnificent creatures that have ever lived.

8.0Stephen Fry in America (2007)
Travel documentary about the United States, hosted by British comedian and actor Stephen Fry.

8.2Pole To Pole With Michael Palin (1992)
Michael Palin journeys across as much land as possible from the North to the South Pole.

8.0Dogfights - Season Two (2007)
Fighter aircraft face off in some of the most intense battles in the history of warfare.

7.5Jurassic Fight Club: Season One (2008)
Jurassic Fight Club depicts how prehistoric beasts hunted their prey.

8.0Battle 360 - Season 1 (2008)
Documentary about the USS Enterprise and her many battles during World War II.

8.2Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets (2004)
This science fiction docu-drama examines the possibilities of a manned mission to the planets.

8.3Wild China (2008)
An in-depth look at some of China's most impressive natural sites.

7.9Walking with Monsters - Life Before Dinosaurs (2005)
A documentary about life before the dinosaurs.

8.3Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
Documentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.

7.5The French Revolution (2005)
A History Channel documentary about The French Revolution.

9.1Victory at Sea (1952)
Twenty-six episode series about naval combat during World War 2.

8.7A History of Britain - The Complete Collection (2000)
A comprehensive historical survey of the British Isles.

8.2John Adams (2008)
A miniseries on the life of John Adams and the first 50 years of the United States.

8.4The Universe - Season 2 (2008)
Ventures outside of our solar system in another epic exploration of the universe and its mysteries.

8.9The Civil War (1990)
A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.

10The Nazis: A Warning from History (1997)
An examination of how a cultured people could have allowed Hitler's rise to power.

9.0Cosmos (1980)
An engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the Universe.

9.4When the Levees Broke (2006)
An examination of the U.S. government's role and its response to Hurricane Katrina.

8.2Married in America (2002)
Director Michael Apted follows seven American couples from a wide variety of backgrounds.

6.8Carrier (2008)
Nonfiction drama about life onboard a nuclear aircraft carrier.

6.6The War (2007)
Critically claimed documentarian Ken Burns explores World War II in this seven-part series.

9.5Planet Earth (2006)
40 cameramen, 200 locations, shot entirely in HD, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet.

N/AMedici: Godfathers of the Renaissance (2004)
Documentary about the the rule of the Medici family.

9.0Life in the Freezer (1993)
Series exploring the natural history of Antarctica.

N/AChased by Dinosaurs (2003)
Once we were walking with them. Now they're chasing us.

7.3Michael Palin's New Europe (2007)
From Estonia in the north to Turkey in the south, Michael’s journey takes him through twenty countries.

8.3Michael Palin - Full Circle (1997)
50,000 miles of adventure attempting a complete circle around the world's largest ocean.

N/AMichael Palin's Great Railway Journeys (1994)
Michael Palin presents railway adventures from around the world.

N/ALouis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998)
Louis Theroux documents some of the US's most bizarre happenings, events and rituals by getting involved.

6.3Ross Kemp On Gangs (2006)
About the street gangs of El Salvador, Cape Town, St. Louis, Moscow, Jamaica, Poland, Columbia and East Timor.

N/AJamie Oliver - Jamie At Home (2007)
Jamie Oliver cooks simple, delicious recipes at his home.

N/ACommando - On The Front Line (2007)
Chris Terrill films a group of Royal Marine recruits on their 12-month journey to Afghanistan.

N/AOz and James's Big Wine Adventure - season 1 (2006)
Wine expert Oz Clarke and motoring journalist James May travel and taste their way across France.

N/AOz and James's Great Wine Adventure - California (2007)
Oz and James head to California to explore new world wines.

6.0Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America (2009)
Chronicling a century of America's funniest entertainment and its most legendary comedians.

N/AOceans (2008)
From the Caribbean to Arctic, an international team of underwater explorers reveal the secrets of our oceans.

N/AFrancesco's Venice (2007)
Profiles the history and secrets of Venice, Italy.

N/AFrancesco's Italy: Top to Toe (2006)
Francesco da Mosto celebrates the art and beauty of Italy.

N/AThe War of 1812 (2004)
Only 30 years after gaining independence, the United States found itself once again battling Great Britain.

8.9Dogfights - Season One (2006)
Notable fighter plane air battles are recreated.

9.5Ross Kemp in Afghanistan (2008)
Kemp follows the British Army's Royal Anglian Regiment during their deployment to Afghanistan.

N/AThe Revolution (2006)
History Channel tv series about the events leading to the independence of the United States.

8.2Joseph Campbell: Mythos (1997)
Joseph Campbell exploring how myths evolve.

7.7500 Nations (1995)
An exploration of the various Native American nations and their fall to the European conquerors.

7.9Civilisation (1969)
A classic television series examining the history and development of Western European culture.

7.7Inside the Vietnam War (2008)
A National Geographic inside look at the war in Vietnam.

8.5Sin City Law (2007)
Sin City Law goes inside four recent criminal trials in Las Vegas, Nevada.

8.3Black Magic (2008)
Examines Civil Rights-era America through the prism of basketball at black colleges and universities.

7.8The Blues - A Musical Journey (2003)
The Blues is a seven-part series of personal and impressionistic films about the genre.

8.8Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997)
Documentary about Lewis & Clark and their attempt to find the legendary Northwest Passage.

6.0The American Future: A History (2008)
Simon Schama takes a look at the issues likely to determine the future of the United States.

9.1The Planets (1999)
Classic BBC documentary series about our solar system.

7.6Empires: Napoleon (2000)
The rise and fall of one of the greatest military geniuses of modern times.

7.5Crusades: Crescent & the Cross (2005)
It started with a belief. No one could know where it would end.

7.6Human Body: Pushing the Limits (2008)
Documentary about people who have pushed their bodies to the max.

8.8Simon Schama's Power of Art (2006)
Power of Art reveals the history of visual imagination through the ages.

8.9MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992)
The history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

N/AThe Fundamentalists (2004)
Mark Dowd travels across the world to trace the origins of fundamentalism.

N/AThe History Channel Presents The Presidents (2005)
A historical compendium of the 42 men who have served as the chief executive of the United States.

N/ALife in Cold Blood (2008)
The epic story of the most successful animals ever to walk on land – reptiles and amphibians.

N/ALife in the Undergrowth (2005)
Vast in number, yet often too small to be noticed: the invertebrates.

9.7The Life of Mammals (2002)
David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved.