Monarchy by David Starkey

I have been watching this series for three years already. Watched many chapters twice or three times. I find David Starkey to be a superb narrator, eloquent, dramatic, a voice one must listen to. It's incalculable how much I have learned. I am not British yet as a fan of History and documentaries, I am extremely impressed with these series. The visuals and the music are excellent, but Starkey's narration is often enough to hold my attention.

I tried to get into this, but it started out the series by completely misrepresenting what a monarchy is in reference to other forms of government, so I don't really trust the rest of it. I mean, some facts, sure, I understand getting wrong, but "monarchy" is the concept of the show. Saying that the president of a modern democracy has the same powers as a medieval European monarch is so completely wrong. To simplify it as "one person is at least nominally in charge", ignoring how they achieved power, the limits on that power, etc is huge. Also, their definition of a monarchy is better suited to "autocracy". A monarchy always has a king or queen, an autocracy can vary. But really, if it's a show about the monarchy, I would expect them to correctly explain what one is.

I want to watch this series so badly because I want to know the history, but the production and narrating are so distracting, so sharp, like b-bees being spit at you continuously. The voice has a value system that is not mine, reverence for 'the heros' who were powerful, violent war lords and is much more patriarchal in view than my own belief system. But the history - it is so full and the details here are good. I've read a lot of British Isles and European history via 100+ tab internet research, and from the one episode I watched before I decided I can't sit through the sharp delivery (which followed in the font/style of subtitling as well when I tested with no sound), there were many things I learned that I was surprised I'd never heard before, new information, mixed in with stories I already knew.

David Starkey is informative and has a true knowledge of the monarchy history. I enjoyed watching and have bought the videos and watch it often. I am not to clear on the vikings, but from the war of the roses onward it is really good.

This is by far the best documentary series on the British monarchy I have had the pleasure of watching. It is well produced, very informative and not full of bluster and bull. Starkey presents the material very well. It is a must have for any fan of history or Anglophile. My only complaint is that the episodes were too short for my taste. I could easily sit through hour and half long episodes. I have watched the series time and time again. As a fan and student of history I highly recommend this series. Sadly however I have only seen the series on Netflix, and they do not as yet have the 3rd and final season of the series. I look forward to them getting it or someone buying the series for me;-)