Timewatch – The History of a Mystery (1996)

“Someone” uploaded my favourite ever episode of Timewatch.

It’s an episode that examines, seemingly at face value, the claims of such books as The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (you know, the one Dan Brown has evidently written). At the time this documentary was shown, there’d been a rush of similar titles. Indeed, the latest one was The Tomb of God, who’s authors featured in the programme. And the publishers had a full page ad placed in that day’s Times pointing potential readers towards the Timewatch episode.
What they didn’t know was that about half way through, the programme changes tack and carefully dismantles the facade that all the various authors had built.
This documentary seems eminently timely for a dusting down these days with so many readers seemingly believing that The Da Vinci Code is real, and these pseudo-historical books seeing a resurgence – check out the “history” section in your local bookshop.
So do have a watch!