Ö÷²¥´óÐã

There is nothing more satisfying than having a ruddy good poo! Not sure of the bed bugs and lice, itchy! I guess we all knew Dan Snow loves a bit of filth though... You dirty old man.

I found this virtually unwatchable!......gimmicky and at time poorly edited . Was it really necessary for the endless shots of people walking through mess to get the point!
Sorry Dan, i was looking forward to your new series but this is a flop....

realy interesting programme, i will view street cleaners in a whole new light, we need these guys!! keep up the good work, well done beeb

Just watched the first episode about Medieval London - it was ace. Very glad it was Dan looking unimpressed at butchering a pig than me having a go at it!

Side note: Is it just me and people with usernames beginning with "m" who watched?

Well done Ö÷²¥´óÐã for a really great informative and well researched program, I must admit it was pretty yucky at times , but great viewing ! I thought Dan Snow came over very well, and I am looking forward to the next episode..Great also for schools, very interesting ! Hope we can obtain a DVD of the series?

Great idea, great material, well researched. Special effects well done. For me the program was badly damaged by the sound track. Relentless loud music and other noise, very hard to escape from it. Even that whooshing sound accompanying a some topic changes gave the program a rather trashy feel about it. Camerawork wasn't particularly good - a bit on the trendy side with too many short shots. As soon as we focus the camera is off again. The relentless pace made it hard work watching. The program makers clearly had a type of audience in mind (which didn't include me), but why alienate other audiences who are interested and neither need or want all the racket? Dan Snow is excellent but needs to slow down a bit and stop all this fast walking and talking with the hand-held camera jerking around. All in all, potentially a really good program but let down badly by the program values adopted. I think I'll give the next episode a miss, sadly.

Add your comment I agree with mikeym77 ... this programme was high on hype and sensation and low on real content ..... what a waste of time and effort [and money] to dump all that horse dung on the roadway. Come on we expect something far better than this!

Totally agree Fairisle - I was just about to make that comment. The Ö÷²¥´óÐã have treated viewers like idiots for many years from Blue Peter saying "that's the equivalent of 400 pints of milk" and having 400 pints of milk in the studio to this, buying 6 tons of manure, hiring the lorry, the horse and cart and how much did they have to pay to close the road and then clean it afterwards. Simply telling us 6 tons in one night with a wheelchair, spade and rake taken away in a horse pulled cart - we would have understood!! After all we managed to switch on the TV in the first place!!!! We know what a barrow full of offal looks like so there was no need to wheel it through London. We know what someone washing in the river looks like. Interesting programme but 15 minutes too long with all the demonstations

Was this programme made by CÖ÷²¥´óÐã/Horrible Histories for children and their enjoyment of all things yuck and poo? Why was this broadcast during adult time at 9 pm? Sorry Dan with this disgusting programme you have turned off the history fan and probably the "female Dan Snow fan club". A programme covering how London over-came the waste problem through the ages and the historic figures that brought it about would have been more appropriate. Having watched the preview of next weeks programme, more yuck, more poo, all be it French poo, I will not be watching. PS, No "scratch and sniff" needed next week, just visit certain Paris Metro stations for a real sensory experience.

I liked the program, it is filthy thou but if you think if a new program is created in the next 100 years. We will have the same impression.
Altough some comments says about the next program... "just visit some certain Paris Metro for a real seansory experience..." we don't need to go that far... the reality is on our stations."

The entire programme concept raises more questions than sadly, it answers.
What was Roman London like? Smaller, with less people certainly but still a thriving, close knit environment nevertheless. Years ago the Caravan visited Herculaneum, near Pompeii, and was shown the Ancient Roman version of a sewer network beneath ground. Looked just like our own today. Their problem seemed to be dying from lead pipe poisoning rather than bubonic plague (along with exploding volcanoes)Did all this sophistication go backwards in the dark and middle ages? What were the town planners thinking about? As an aside observation, I was summoned by the other residents of the Scarlet Caravan to watch this programme elsewhere as it wasn't considered suitable for snacking moments lounging in front of the telly after a day's work in the apocathery.
A little more sensitivity would have made it far more educational.

Dan - you fell into the common demographic fallacy that because life expectancy was 35, and you are 32, you had only a few years left. But the 35 years is from birth, and you had survived the high risk childhood period, and indeed the first 32 years, and therefore - a demographic estimate - had probably another 27 years under that mortality scenario.

I really don't understand all these posts that are knocking such a good program! For me it was well researched without being boring for the average viewer, yet being historically correct . It must have taken such a lot of commitment from Dan Snow and the crew to make this series, and I take my hat off to you ! Ignore all these bloggers who really don't know what it takes.

I cannot fathom the seemingly unending naivety of the self-appointed pseudo-intellectuals. Aside from being really rather too self-congratulatory in their contempt of all things TV. They must have been too busy figuring out how exclamation marks work to note the programme was intended as a gimmick.

Quite what people were expecting from a programme entitled 'filthy cities' defies belief. Perhaps it is that they haven't seen any Ö÷²¥´óÐã history output in the last decade. Evidently they can't possibly have seen any of the promotional material around the show. Maybe the shock of discovering that they have no monopoly on Ö÷²¥´óÐã output or indeed history itself has confused their somewhat addled minds.

You really do have to wonder that they don't sit and watch The Simpsons wondering why everyone is jaundiced. Then again, I'm sure they are far too clever to watch such things and never more so than in public!

Dear yourbbcid
As a avid viewer of Ö÷²¥´óÐã History programmes I watched this programme, decided that it was crap on many levels and will not be watching any more of the series. We licence payers take time to comment on Ö÷²¥´óÐã blogs in the vain hope that programme makers will read and take note of the viewers feedback.
Don't get your Simpsons comparison?

I didn't watch as the trailers put me off - seems like I was wise to miss it. Cbbc is obsessed with things like poo and snot, even thinking that saying the words are funny and it looks like this mentality has spread into mainstream TV. 'mybbcid's reaction is typical of a Ö÷²¥´óÐã producer who genuinely thinks there's something wrong the a person if they don't like their programme. I'm not saying this person is Ö÷²¥´óÐã staff, but it wouldn't surprise me if he or she were.

@radioarm

'We the licence payers' as opposed to what exactly? I must have missed the election that voted you chief spokesperson or do you fancy yourself as something of a Mary Whitehouse?

As an avid fan of history programmes you will know that there are varying degrees of gimmickry involved. I would be astounded if all history content was to your unique personal taste. So if 'crap' is your considered opinion, then I'm sure its an opinion you will have held more than once.

Just because you believe something to be 'crap' doesn't mean everyone else automatically follows suit. That you don't like something is fine, that others seek to deride those who do, is not fine. It is nothing less than the mean spirited behaviour of rather unpleasant people.

Incidentally, I wonder if Graham might add 'crap' to his list of funny words.

@Graham

The churlish nature of your comment belies the maturity you would claim to possess. Someone disagrees with you so they must have a hidden agenda. Do you consider this a reasonable response or perhaps more so the empty hollow words of someone with nothing of significance to add.

Perhaps it is that you have been watching a little too much CÖ÷²¥´óÐã. Still if watching things you don't like is your hobby, then good for you.

Dear yourbbcid
I have to agree with Graham, you are being far too sensitive about criticism of this programme; do you work for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã?
I can see that I will have to explain my attempts at humour with the "crap on many levels" comment, during this programme we had, human crap, horse crap, pig crap, abbatoir crap etc etc, it just went on and on, call me weird but it's not my idea of television.
When you have children you do tend to watch CÖ÷²¥´óÐã with them, it's part of being a parent.
With regard to self-appointed grandeur, you are the one with Ö÷²¥´óÐã in your user name.
I still don't get your Simpson's comparison.
Kind regards
M Whitehouse

Clean like Fithy Cities? Glad to hear somebody at the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is listening.

I think this is a great series, informative and engaging, well done! My only complaint, why didn't Edward Jenner - creator of the smallpox vaccination - get a name check on tonight's Paris episode? Looking forward to the next episode.

Having just watched the Paris edition of Filthy Cities, I am compelled to say that this programme appeared to have been produced by 12 year olds for 12 year olds. Yes, I know the Ö÷²¥´óÐã lost the plot years ago.... yes, I know the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is riddled with all sorts of incestous family connections and "old firm" favouritism.... but this programme really wasn't fit for broadcast.

As surprising as it might seem to you super-annuated ivory-towered Ö÷²¥´óÐã metropoles, the majority of Ö÷²¥´óÐã viewers do not want to revel in the slaughter and gore of the guillotine, nor to be regaled with stories of "pissing" and urination. For goodness sake, please try to realise that we're not all children out here in the greater part of dear old blighty.

For my part, I would love to see a programme about historic Paris, about Belleville and Menilmontant, about the Rue Piat - about the citie's great film locations, about it's cafe culture......
What we don't need is a "Horrible Histories" type crock of a programme, wallowing in death and urine.

Get a grip.

Much as I am enjoying the Filthy Cities, I wanted to know about the fact that more than once Dan touched an old document without gloves on. The oils in our skin are bad for the documents arent they? Plus they are very old any way or were these not really?

I thought this series is brilliant! Well done Dan Snow.

I don't agree with the comments mentioning too many shots of poo - it was about filthy cities and this was how people lived so we can't just skip over historial facts to suit our 21st century sensabilities.

I found it very interesting and hope the Ö÷²¥´óÐã continue to make great history programmes as I think that history and our past is very important.

Just wish there were more than 3 episodes!!

in general, a laudable effort to show the real life beyond classical litterature - two things I remember though: repeating the shots of clean shoes, an unforgiveable prop mistake, walking through the filth does not improve screenplay nor does it add to the quality of the prog; the producer abusing the theme to show off his trained body? how cheap is that! Mosley and Murray were pimping stupid SUVs in their documentaries, here the presenter is pimping himself! How about a documentary on when the Ö÷²¥´óÐã was good television?

I found the programme very entertaining, the repeated shots which are designed to enhance the viewers understanding and imagination of what these modern cities used to be like are great-not pointless. Makes you wonder if we could cope and survive in such squalid conditions in which some people still live in slums all over the world.

I'm finding this series fascinating, though some aspects of the theme are repeatedly a little overstretched, no doubt for effect, but can become tiresome padding. I feel humbled by realising how quickly we'd descend into a swamp of poo, were all our civilising services of refuse collection, sewers and sewage plants to cease functioning. We take them for granted at our peril.

Absolutely loved this series; however I like things to be factually correct. At the end of the New York episode, Dan Snow referred to New York as the biggest city in the world. This is incorrect, New York is neither biggest by land area or by population. London is bigger by land area.

I absoluetly loved filthy cities! Informative and accurate with great cgis!
More history like this please!

The New York programme was much the best, containing much interesting information, but the abiding handicap of Ö÷²¥´óÐã documentaries now is the terrible need to blitz the viewer with visual cacophany. There has been an abandonment of fluent film-making and thogether this adds up to a massively distracting pantomime of effects. Concentrating on the subject matter is almost impossible without the replay iplayer function. I imagine this is the dreaded immersiveness which means if Dan mentions swimming, next moment, to let us know what 'swimming' is, he's wading in.

Somebody ought to wake up to the fact that this counterproductive innanity ..... and I wish Dan would ease up on the Mad Strangler hand gestures. The programme itself? 6/10 - what I could make out of it. Twenty years ago Gavin Weightman made a brilliant series on the Making of Modern London - an engrossing model of how it should be done.

By programme 3 Dan had relaxed and was much better; being more himself. The actor Mark Williams has excellently presented a series on many aspects of industrial development. Passionate, jokey, watchable and authentic. I wish the Ö÷²¥´óÐã could take a cue from him. Unlikely.

...... and furthermore, a link to Industrial Revelations presented by Mark Williams, which I hope will be accepted as contribution to discussion of presentation technique. I did feel that in programme 3 Dan was moving towards his relaxed personal spontenaity. I do feel Dan is a good bloke and any complaint is not about him at all.

The trouble is more to do with a lack of confidence in people's ability to be interested in the subject. There is such misguided effort to make a fascinating subject interesting. What was all that driving around of a model T Ford, the digression into how guillotines work. the loony business of shovelling manure through the night, the visit to a treatment plant to tap off some liquid excrement (you say it smells bad?!!), shoving foul stuff into poor Parisians faces ...... This is Blue Peter stuff. It is an insult to viewers intelligence akin to tabloid journalism - expecting the least of viewers.

That the Ö÷²¥´óÐã should come to this.

What a fantastic journey Dan took us on. The whole production was cleverly done, and enabled us to "be" there. Many of our cities in Britain are less beautiful and less clean than they were twenty years ago. Perhaps we need another "White Army"!

I enjoyed this series, although the second episode on Paris was my favourite because of the greater socio-political context. I did like the new style drama and graphics too which never seemed contrived and enhanced my viewing!

Fascinating series that really made me apprciate the iPlayer - not only to allow me to catch up with the first episode about London but rewind often as there was so much to take in. The conditions in all three cities were bloomin grim but the programme about had the most "shock" factor for me - the thought of executed bodies just left lying around on the streets would have been truly terrifying.

I enjoyed watching the series even though I found much of it too graphic. It was quite informative and my favorite was "Revolutionary Paris" but I have a question.

Why is it that part 3-Industrial New York has a "contains upsetting scenes" warning?

I watched all three parts and actually thought "Revolutionary Paris" had more "upsetting scenes" with the executions and bodies.

The filth and disease of Industrial New York as potrayed in the series seemed quite mild compared to that of London and Paris so why the "contains some upsetting scenes" warning for Industrial New York? It just seems quite odd or did I miss something?

I have just watched the programme on filthy Paris. Félicitations ! France has made a lot of efforts to restore ancient buildings. It helps to create a sense of national identity and is a powerful tourist asset. The drawback is that some French people have forgotten about the filth of the past. Some critics today say that France looks like a museum. I am French and I have been very pleased to hear about the gruesome past of France in a way that is never used in French media. Some footage of filthy towns around the world today would be a good idea to remind us that the respect of others begins with the respect of the place you share with others.

London and New York programmes are just as good as Paris. I loved the three of them

Although I kind of enjoyed the series - the 'poo' and 'entrails' bit was laid on a bit thick. There was also quite a bit of repetition. I got the impression this was history 'dumbed' down a bit to make it more accessible.

The New York programme was the most enjoyable precisely because it turned down the 'poo' aspect.