The First World War

In the realm of pop culture, World War Two is where it's at. Band of Brothers, The Pacific, The Thin Red Line, Saving Private Ryan, the list of film and TV shows covering WWII goes on and on and on. But without dissing The Greatest Generation, World War One seems to get the shaft, without much coverage or fanfare. So when you come across something that gives WWI its due, it's worth paying attention and celebrating.

This three-disc, 10 episode documentary was produced by the British network Channel 4 and is based on the writings work of Scottish military historian Sir Hew Strachan. It utilizes a mixture of war films and modern day footage, telling the story of the war from beginning to end. It's exhaustive in scope and detail, laying out the various factors and events that led up to the war, plunging Europe into chaos and strife. If I have one complaint or criticism of the series, it's that the storytelling can be a bit dry. It's so to-the-point and matter-of-fact that it can feel a bit rote from time to time. Obviously, it's a documentary and not a work of historical fiction, so I wasn't expecting tons of drama or suspense.

But obviously that's a minor quibble in light of the sheer volume of information and insight presented on this set. If you're a history buff of any measure, you'll definitely want to check this out.