Discovered by Disaster

Cataclysms and Secrets is a single‑episode documentary that slots into the long‑running BBC archaeology strand. It’s fronted by veteran presenter Dr Helen Grant, with field archaeologist Tom “Muddy” Hughes doing the heavy lifting on‑site. Think of it as a mash‑up of Time Team’s hands‑on digs and the more cinematic flair of National Geographic’s “Lost Worlds”. The episode kicks off with a drone sweep over Norfolk’s mysterious Seahenge timber circle, before whisking us off to a remote Ukrainian village where an oddly‑shaped canoe has just been pulled from a peat bog. The story then jumps to a mudslide‑buried Bronze‑Age settlement in the Scottish Highlands, where the team uncovers a cache of charred bones and pottery that hint at a sudden disaster. Finally, they trek to the desiccated lakebed of Lake Mead, digging up a rusted, water‑logged relic that may rewrite part of the American West’s engineering history. All of this is stitched together with a neat narrative thread about how sudden environmental upheavals can lock away whole cultures for centuries. No spoilers, but you’ll get a decent dose of “what if” speculation without the usual over‑dramatic voice‑over. Honestly, the episode is a mixed bag. The drone footage of Seahenge is surprisingly crisp, and Tom’s enthusiasm is infectious, but the pacing does drag a bit when they linger over the mudslide’s paperwork. The graphics look a tad dated compared with today’s 4K standards, and the Lake Mead segment feels a little shoe‑horned in. Still, if you enjoy a proper, down‑to‑earth archaeology show with a dash of adventure, it’s worth a watch—just don’t expect the slickness of a Netflix docuseries. Rated PG for mild graphic content (skeletal remains and some blood‑spatter from the excavation). First terrestrial broadcast on BBC Two this Thursday, part of the 2023 “Cataclysms and Secrets” series. Fair warning: the technical jargon can get a bit heavy, so a quick glance at the on‑screen glossary helps.