the audience applauded

That was an excellent one.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Monarchy is a multi-episode documentary outlining the history of the English Monarchy. I was really excited to stumble onto this series of the Netflix, primarily because I had never seen a thorough presentation of this fascinating subject.The show, however, is a mixed bag. While on the one hand it is certainly informative, outlining the rich history in vivid detail, it also got on my nerves. Maybe it is my American prejudices, but it seems weird to me that Monarchy should be introduced (as this series does) as government by consent of the people. It seems like most of English history involves a parade of random personalities who acquire power mostly through military prowess and occasionally display synergy with the people themselves.As for the presentation, it is dead serious, pompous and completely humorless. David Starkey seems almost a cliché of the earnest English historian, and the camera angles have him frequently looking at a downward angle at the audience. I felt like I was being lectured by the old-fashioned English school master/tyrant. Still, it is educational, and if you can stand the style (or at least are not bothered by it) it is worth a look.

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.

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;-)

This has been a cracking series.David Starkey is a good presenter, a lot more serious than Adam Hart-Davis - but that's the way we like it! This is serious history for serious grown ups! It goes into a great deal of detail on each of the monarchs and I have really enjoyed the recent run through the Stuarts, the four Goerge's and William the IV. My wife is Indonesian and is learning all this for the first time and asks lots of questions - but it shows how the good the series is when a complete history newbie is happy to watch an hour of this every Monday night.In essence each episode concentrates on one monarch (of England, and then the United Kingdom) and leads on to the next one. So for instance you will get a whole hour (more or less) of Charles II, leading onto James II and then the Glorious Revolution.Because of the depth of detail I have been learning a lot. Especially about how bloody and ruthless things were back then! I can't recommend it enough. It isn't as accessible as something like 'What the Roman's did for us' but I think anyone can watch this - not just history-buffs like me.