Television series

Civilisations

Name: Civilisations
Genre: Documentary, History
Released: 2018
Cast: Simon Schama, Mary Beard, David Olusoga

Slow-burning

Civilisations reframes how we see human creativity across cultures and centuries. Hosted by three brilliant historians, it moves beyond the Western canon to examine visual arts globally—from Chinese scrolls to African bronzes to Japanese prints. Visually stunning, intellectually generous, and genuinely revelatory about what 'civilisation' means.

TVMaze rating

3.6

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy being led object by object through what a Mughal miniature or Olmec head meant to its makers, and like your art history widened beyond the usual Western canon.

Skip it if you want one authoritative narrator or a tight, fast argument, since this is a wide survey where each episode covers a lot of ground at a talkative pace.

What it asks of you: Nine hour-long episodes, so a commitment, but the rhythm is unhurried and conversational: you sit with each object rather than racing between them.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Connections1978

James Burke traces how technological breakthroughs seem unrelated until you see the invisible threads linking them. Exhilarating and genuinely mind-expanding; it's like watching someone think brilliantly in real time.

But The 1970s production style and some speculative leaps feel dated now. It requires patience with tangents.

Ways of Seeing1972

John Berger demolishes the myth that art is passive—you learn to read it actively, politically, personally. Revolutionary in approach; fundamentally changes how you look at images and culture forever after.

But It's essayistic and abstract. If you want plot or narrative momentum, this isn't it. Dense and demanding.

A History of Ancient Britain2011

Neil Oliver combines archaeology, landscape, and storytelling to show how people actually lived before Rome arrived. Tangible and grounded; you feel the mud and the vastness of time.

But Focused on one region. The emotional tone occasionally tips toward whimsy rather than rigour.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Civilisations

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Taste of Tea2004

Both ask you to see beauty and meaning in the ordinary and overlooked. Civilisations teaches you how to look at objects; this film shows you how to look at a life.

Ishii Katsuhito's film treats everyday Japanese life—family, objects, rituals—with the same reverence and visual attention Civilisations brings to museums. Surreal but grounded; shows culture as lived, not curated.

But Narrative is deliberately fragmented and dreamlike. No plot to grip you. Takes 90 minutes to move quietly through moments rather than explain them.

Art of the Western World1989

Mick Jackson traces visual culture from medieval times onward with genuine verve. Beautifully shot and narrated; makes art history feel like adventure rather than textbook.

But The Western focus is exactly what Civilisations pushes back against. Some analysis feels surface-level now.

Babylon Berlin2017

Andrew George uses archaeology and texts to resurrect a city and culture often erased or misremembered. Scholarly but gripping; restores complexity to something reduced to cliché.

But Narrower scope than you might want. Some segments dwell on technical detail that can slow momentum.

Exit Through the Gift Shop2010

Civilisations expands the canon to include cultures the West overlooked. This film questions whether the entire concept of 'high art' and 'the canon' is a con. Both ask: who decides what matters?

Banksy's documentary about street art and the art world is hilarious, sneaky, and genuinely questions what counts as 'civilisation' and culture. Sharp-eyed about taste, value, and who gets to decide—and it's a caper.

But Documentary structure is a trick; you're never quite sure what's real. If you prefer straightforward documentary, this will frustrate you. Banksy's persona overwhelms some elements.