15 Shows about Fascinating People and Places

I love when shows present real stories in an engaging way and bring incredible parts of the world to life onscreen. I think these 15 shows about fascinating people and places will capture your imagination and give you the opportunity to learn many new things. I sure learned a lot!

What drew me to these shows is that they make it fun to discover something new. It can be challenging to feel a sense of growth when you’re chronically ill, so I try to prioritize continuing to learn. TV can be wonderful in the sense that I can feel like I’ve visited a museum or gotten a glimpse of another country without leaving my home.

These 15 programs tell the stories of remarkable women, introduce us to amazing animals, bring history to life, and take us to new places.

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Remarkable Women

The Fabulous Life Of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (For Rent on Amazon Prime)

“A renowned painter and a free-thinker, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun is still considered ahead of her time. Follow the artist’s adventures over the course of her nearly 90-year life in this captivating docudrama.” (x)

I love French history, and I was delighted to learn that there were female portrait artists, even in the 1700s. Though it was rare for a woman to pursue a career in painting. the extremely talented Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun became the official portraitist for Marie-Antoinette. Getting to see examples of her beautiful work was like getting to visit an art museum from home. This program piqued my interest and had me looking up more information about Elisabeth.

Audrey (Free on Netflix or for rent on Amazon Prime)

“An intimate portrait of legendary Hollywood actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn, who stood for love above all else.” (x)

I love Audrey Hepburn in movies like My Fair Lady and Roman Holiday and I’d been wanting to learn more about her life and her legacy of humanitarian work. I had only heard that she had lived under Nazi occupation as a child but didn’t know any of the details, so this documentary was very eye-opening. It tackles difficult relational themes but ultimately is a celebration of Audrey’s open-heartedness and compassion, which is why I think she’s still beloved to this day.

Beatrix Farrand’s American Landscapes (Free on Amazon Prime)

Discover the gardens and life story of America’s first female landscape architect. Born in 1872, Beatrix Farrand met with plenty of resistance as she began her career but went on to great acclaim, designing over 100 gardens.

Before this documentary showed up in my recommended list, I’d never heard of Farrand, and I really enjoyed learning about this pioneering woman whose beautiful and complex work endures today. I also liked how this program tied into the present day, with the award-winning public garden designer Lynden B. Miller walking us through Farrand’s landscapes and life. I thought this program did a great job demonstrating our continuing need for public parks and places of natural beauty.

Who Was The Real Jane Austen? Behind Closed Doors (Free from Timeline on YouTube)

“Lucy Worsley explores the different houses in which Jane Austen lived and stayed, to discover just how much they shaped Jane’s life and novels.” (x)

I loved being able to see the places that shaped Austen’s life. It was like a mini trip to England, and I learned more about one of my favorite authors.

PS if you want to read the play Jane wrote that’s briefly quoted in the show, you can find “The Visit” and more of Austen’s early writing here.

Who Was The Real Beatrix Potter? Patricia Routledge On Beatrix Potter (Free from Timeline on YouTube)

“Patricia travels from London to Scotland and the Lake District to discover what fired Beatrix’s imagination and where her love and understanding of animals was born.” (x)

If you love Peter Rabbit and friends and want to learn about how Beatrix Potter overcame obstacles to become a wildly successful author, you will enjoy this beautiful journey through her life and some of the most beautiful places in England. (The Lake District is one of the places I’d most like to travel!)

Incredible Nature

My Octopus Teacher (Free on Netflix)

“A filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.” (x)

The cinematography is absolutely stunning. I’ve always wanted to go scuba diving and my love for the ocean and underwater nature probably began from watching The Little Mermaid. I was mesmerized from beginning to end by the beautiful places this film reveals. I also got caught up in the filmmaker’s journey as he forms a remarkable bond and learns from a creature we still have a lot to learn about: an octopus.

PS Speaking of The Little Mermaid, here’s my Ariel Disnyebound.

The Tigers of Scotland (Rent on Amazon Prime)

This film follows conservation efforts to protect the endangered Scottish Wildcat, the only big cat living in Great Britain.

I love cats of all kinds, and I’d never heard of Scottish Wildcats before. This film captures the Scottish Highlands, the cat’s diminishing habitat, and the beautiful and elusive cats. I know these are wild animals, but they are so dang cute I just wanted to cuddle them every time they were onscreen. A great look at how we can help preserve the beautiful diversity of the animal kingdom.

History Brought to Life

Victorian Farm (On Amazon Prime—free with an Acorn trial)

“Historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn go back in time to relive the day-to-day life of a Victorian farmer.” (x)

It’s fascinating to see what daily life was like for people—the challenges they endured, the foods they preferred, the skills and artistry they learned. We follow Ruth, Alex and Peter as they revitalize a farm, using only Victorian tools and knowledge, and live there throughout a year.

Their enthusiasm and sense of humor makes this show so enjoyable, as well as very informative. I’ve read a lot about the Victorian era and I still learned a ton from this show.

Also be sure to check out the Victorian Farm: Christmas Special (Free on Amazon Prime). My mom and I watched it at Christmastime, which was a lot of fun.

Edwardian Farm (Rent on Amazon Prime)

“Over the next 12 months, archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn and historian Ruth Goodman are bringing Morwhellam Quay in Devon back to life as it would have been in its hey-day.”

It was fun to watch these in chronological order to see how the technology and times changed life for the Victorians moving into the Edwardian era.

I feel a bit of a goof to admit that we had to start watching this second series before I made the connection that this is the same Ruth Goodman who wrote How to Be a Victorian, a book I’ve had in my library wishlist for well over a year after seeing it recommended several times. I’m now more excited to read it!

Tudor Monastery Farm (Free on Amazon Prime)

“Archaeologist Peter Ginn and historian Ruth Goodman, who is also a leading specialist in Tudor domestic life, return to front this six-part series, joined this time by archaeologist Tom Pinfold. The team turns the clock back to the year 1500 to take on the role of the lay-folk who did the bulk of the farming and crafting within monastic lands.” (x)

This one is next on our watchlist! There’s also a WWII Wartime Farm series (Free on Prime with Acorn Trial) and Secrets of the Castle which is about the medieval era (currently free on Prime)

If these series interest you, I saw that Victorian Slum House, where modern families move into a tenements and live like the poor would have throughout decades of the 1800s, is also available to purchase. I caught most of one of the episodes and it was fascinating and very eye-opening, especially as the participants realized just how different life was in the past.

Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb (Free on Netflix)

“After unearthing a tomb that had been untouched for 4,400 years, Egyptian archaeologists attempt to decipher the history of the extraordinary find.” (x)

Major Egyptology nerd alert! (You know how much I love Egypt if you saw my post on my Egypt themed escape room.) I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every show on ancient Egypt to ever air on PBS and I’m always on the lookout for new ones!

I really enjoyed this look at this recent discovery and getting to learn about an archeological site I knew next to nothing about.

PS if you’re looking for more archaeology coolness on Netflix, I really enjoyed The Dig, a movie based on the excavation of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk England. I don’t want to give too much away because it was really fun to take part in the discovery with the characters. This is one of those great movies that sent me on a search to find out more.

Lost Treasures Of Egypt (Disney+)

“Through excavations and unprecedented access to the teams on the front line of archaeology, we follow these modern-day explorers as they battle searing heat and inhospitable terrain to make the discoveries of a lifetime.” (x)

One thing I really appreciate about this National Geographic documentary is that it shows the process of excavation in more detail that I’ve seen in other shows. You get to know the people who are working on digs, realize just how long and painstaking the process is to uncover and preserve tombs and historical sites, and you get to participate in the anticipation of whether or not they’ll discover anything.

Probably best of all, you see the archaeologists work to find the stories of the people who lived and were buried so long ago and show us what their lives were like.

Travel Destinations

The Queen’s Garden (For Rent on Amazon Prime)

“With permission from Queen Elizabeth, this program covers a year in Buckingham Palace Garden, exploring the history and the natural history of this remarkable hidden royal treasure in the heart of London.” (x)

This was just a lovely look at the care that goes into creating an expansive, beautiful garden. It was also fun to see how the garden changed over the year, and I especially liked getting to see how the wild animals thrived in the environment.

An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates (For Rent on Amazon Prime)

“Follow host Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke as she castle-hops from one British estate to another.” (x)

The host is a lot of fun, and she brings a unique perspective as an American who is now living in England as part of the British aristocracy after marrying a viscount. I enjoyed that they cover the financial aspect of living in great estates and talk about how they’re looking to the future with creative ways to earn income

You can tell the estate owners are passionate about preserving history, and the show uncovers lots of interesting stories about the people who lived in these halls and castles.

Rick Steves’ Europe (Season 7-10 Free on Amazon Prime)

“Join writer and host Rick Steves as he experiences the local culture, cuisine, and fun in some of Europe’s most interesting places.” (x)

You can’t talk about travel without talking about Rick Steves! These seasons includes excursions to Rome, Paris, London, and Venice. You can tell that Rick Steves really loves getting to know people and he has a talent for finding interesting places beyond the beaten path. You learn a lot of history and get a feel for what it’s like to live in faraway places.

I hope you enjoy these recommendations!

Which of these shows about fascinating people and places are you most excited to watch?

What nonfiction TV shows have you enjoyed lately? What have you learned? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear what you recommend.

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