Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
Episode 1
Episode one begins over 900 years ago, with a Swiss German family, named after their castle - Schloss Habsburg. A family that emerged from bloody dynastic wars and religious conflict to become a central power in Europe. Choosing diplomacy over the battlefield, Emperor Maximilian I brokered some of the biggest dynastic matches in European history and created an empire that included South America, Spain, Italy and much of Central Europe.
From Maximilian onwards, the history of the Habsburgs became the history of Europe. The dynasty formed Europe's front line in the struggle to defend Christendom from the Ottoman Islamic advance, and the Catholic Church from the Protestant revolutionaries who plotted to destroy it.
Episode 2
As the Ottoman threat receded, this second episode describes how Vienna's cultural life grew hand in hand with its military and diplomatic victories.
Vienna at this time became a magnet for musicians including Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. The spoils of war also saw the construction of great palaces like Schonbrunn, home to the Habsburg's first female ruler Maria Theresa - the mother of Marie Antoinette.
It was this French Queen's execution that spawned revolution in France, Napoleon's occupation of Vienna and the near-humiliation of the city's imperial dynasty. But the Habsburgs were survivors. After Napoleon's defeat, they reinvented both themselves and their right to rule in an attempt to keep their troubled and fragile empire together.
Episode 3
In the final episode, Simon Sebag Montefiore follows the Habsburgs to their dramatic demise. From his struggles with Napoleon III and Bismarck and the suicide of his son Rudolf, to the assassination of his beautiful wife Sisi, Emperor Franz Josef's empire and his family proved impossible to control. But while the Habsburgs headed for extinction, Vienna blossomed. As the theories of Freud and the sensuality of the secession artists like Klimt and Schiele ushered in the modern age, Hitler and Stalin stalked her streets. It was here that World War I was sparked; it was here World War II was dreamed.
Recently Updated Shows
Dark Matter
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen, a physicist, professor, and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.
Murdoch Mysteries
Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama series that explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders. Murdoch's colleagues include the love of his life, coroner and psychiatrist Dr. Julia Ogden, a staunch ally who shares the detective's fascination for science; Constable George Crabtree, Murdoch's eager but sometimes naïve right-hand man; Inspector Brackenreid, Murdoch's skeptical yet reluctantly supportive boss; and coroner Dr. Emily Grace, Dr. Ogden's protégé.
Bob's Burgers
The series follows Bob who runs Bob's Burgers, with the help of his wife and their three kids. Bob has big ideas about burgers, but the rest of the clan falls short on service. Despite the greasy counters and lousy location, the Belchers are determined to make every "Grand Re-Re-Re-opening" a success. Bob's wife, Linda, stands by her man and often does so by bursting into song. Their eldest daughter, 13-year-old Tina has a slight obsession with boys and zombies. Middle child Gene is an aspiring musician with a thirst for life. Louise is the bunny ears-wearing youngest daughter with an off-kilter sense of humor that makes her somewhat of a liability in the kitchen – and with the public.