Starting on
BBC Knowledge in February, 2009:
Warriors Premiere date: Monday 2, February at 21h30
Warriors is a six-part series of dramatic spectacles based on the lives of six men who shaped the world around them, either by sheer force of will, genius, courage or even greed. Powerful, magnetic personalities who have earned their place in the world's imagination, all prepared to die for what they believed in - whether it was God or gold, the pursuit of power and glory or a magnificent ideal.
From Spartacus, the gladiator who brought Rome to its knees, to the audacious military genius Napoleon, this series combines drama with CGI to ask what were the motives, strengths and even the weaknesses were that drove these men to achieve what no one else had dared.
The stories of Hernan Cortez, Attila the Hun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Richard the Lionheart are also included the series.
Last Man StandingPremiere date: Tuesday, 17 February 2009 at 21h30
In a test of endurance, skill and courage, six Western men journey to the most remote parts of the world to live with indigenous peoples, to train with them, and to take part in their ancient sporting festivals.
They are some of the toughest events in the world. From wrestling deep in the Amazonian rainforest to bullock racing in India and pig fighting on the Nicobar Islands, the six must play by local rules.
Their experiences are more than a sporting challenge; the adventurers enter the very heart of local societies, becoming part of them and performing all the rites and rituals, however dangerous they may be.
Through their adventures the series asks: do they have what it takes to gain the respect of the tribe, to really become one of them?
Clarkson's Car YearsPremiere date: Wednesday, 25 February 2009 at 21h30
A six-part series presented by Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. The series focuses on a different aspect of the car industry in each episode, and Jeremy gives his unique take on how things came to pass in the motoring world.
In the episode ‘The Rise And Fall Of The Supercar’, the qualities of what makes a supercar are looked into, along with Clarkson identifying some of the best and worst examples of the genre, while in ‘Who Killed The British Car Industry?’ he investigates the decline of British motor manufacturing since its boom time of the 1950s.
Other topics include the rise of the Japanese car industry, the history of the ‘hot hatch’, and the many reasons why people love British sports cars.
A Year In Tibet:
The VisitPremiere date: Friday, 27 February 2009 at 21h30
This series opens a window on the medieval town of Gyantse and the Baijin monastery in Tibet.
Isolated in the midst of the world’s highest mountains, the Himalayas, Tibet is one of the most remote and least accessible places on the planet. It is also one of the most secretive and least known.
Gyantse is a traditional town of 10,000 people dominated by an impressive medieval fortress. The setting is dramatic - at 14,000 feet above sea-level, the town is surrounded by towering snowy peaks and steep hillsides. It is a town of two halves, part jumble of tiny streets with traditional wooden houses, part modern commercial centre – an intriguing mix of ancient and modern. It is also home to one of Tibet’s most important and famous monasteries.
The Buddhist order at Baijin is renowned for artistic achievement rather than devotion. The monks excel in such things as architectural drawing, crafts and painting. During the Cultural Revolution the building was damaged by the Chinese Red Guard. Work is now under way to make good the ravages of the past, but it is a major headache for the Lama in charge, Cicheng.
Through a handful of characters, A Year In Tibet follows the reality of daily life for ordinary people living in an extraordinary place.