Get to know The Churchills through thorough miniseries

What is it? The Churchills, three hourlong episodes on one disc from Athena

When? Now

How much? $34.99

Churchill as in Winston? Yes.

How many Churchills? Just two. The other Churchill is his ancestor, John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough.

The duke was a legendary military leader, soldier and statesman who led the British forces during the War of the Spanish Succession against the armies of

France’s King Louis

XIV. His successes led to his becoming a duke and receiving a gift, the magnificent

Blenheim Palace.

More than 200 years later, the duke served as inspiration to his descendent,

Winston, who was born and spent a good deal of time at

Blenheim.

A soldier, politician and historian,

Winston was fascinated enough by the life of his ancestor that he wrote a massive, million-word biography called Marlborough: His Life and

Times.

In this three-part documentary, historian David Starkey lays out his theory that

Winston Churchill’s study of John Churchill prepared him for his eventual role as prime minister during the dark and uncertain days of World War II.

What’s it like? It’s a well-made, absorbing miniseries that delves into the personal histories of both men, bouncing back and forth between the 1600s-1700s world of the duke and the 1800s-1900s of the future prime minister. Some knowledge of history is helpful, but Starkey manages to keep things straight and clear.

His delivery is scholarly and forceful. Perhaps a little dry, but with enough charisma to keep it from being too dull.

The point of the documentary is to show how Winston’s research shaped him from a brilliant and talented politician into a legendary statesman and war leader. Winston paid attention to the lessons of his ancestor’s life and applied those lessons to the issues he encountered. For instance, the collapse of French morale after their defeat at the battle of Ramillies (in present-day Belgium) in 1706 swayed Winston in his decision to abandon France and protect the Royal Air Force for future fighting early in WWII. Likewise, the continued power of France and the wars and conflicts that followed fueled Winston’s warnings about growing Soviet power.

Starkey is the only historian in the series but he refers often to letters, speeches and the epic Marlborough biography to make his point. He also visits key sites like Blenheim Palace and the battlefield at Ramillies.

But isn’t history dead? Hardly. As Winston Churchill knew all too well, history repeats itself and the past has a lot of lessons that can be very helpful. Also, with the new movie Darkest Hour that follows Winston Churchill’s early days as prime minister of Great Britain, this documentary series is particularly timely.

Are there extras? No.

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