World's Worst Century

[inulro]

I watched the first installment on video this evening.

It wasn't half as bad as I expected it to be. Yes, too Euro-centric, too much with the generalisations & not enough background explanation (such is TV history), but despite the title, the programme made it clear that for many who survived the Black Death, life got better, and also presented the opinion that the Renaissance & other good things in the modern world (such as the idea that one didn't have to stay in the place & station to which they were born) came out of the aftermath.

Comments?

Comments

[everild.livejournal.com]

I didn't bother with it because I was too badly put off by the trailer and the website, so I'm glad to hear it wasn't so terrible. Although I still don't really approve of the tendency to label anything perceivedly 'good' or 'progressive' about the later Middle Ages as being the early signs of the 'Renaissance' but then I am a bolshie old fifteenth-century specialist who would rather the period was seen on its own terms than for what came after it ;-) Interesting to note that rather than showing the programme over three weeks I gather that the next one is on tomorrow - I wonder why? It's not the usual course and I assumed it would follow the same pattern as Britain AD.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

Having been an early medievalist, I'm used to everyone and their dog claiming the period was much more advanced, or was the harbinger of some major modern phenomena, and tend to just laugh it off.

Essentially the theme of the programme bore little to no resemblance to the title.