My TOP 5 Historical TV Shows for Leaders

If you’ve asked me a few years ago what I would choose for a lazy afternoon in bed, a book, or a movie, I would always choose a book. But then I met my husband, and the rest is history.

Enjoying TV shows became a sacred time in our home. It’s the only time when we’re all together, switched off from school, work, deadlines, and upcoming projects.

I like historical TV shows. They show you how people used to live years ago, their morals, and how they dealt with different situations. When watching a historical movie, I like to observe the decisions they make. It doesn’t matter whether we live in 1900 or in 2000, we’re all under the control of the same emotions and passions, we are driven by the same aims. If you’re interested in leadership and you’re a fan of movies, here are my top 5 recommendations of TV shows that can teach you essential leadership lessons.

#5: The New Pope

“The New Pope” is one of my personal favorites. It shows the lives of some of the most influential men in the world. We are all aware that there are many secrets hidden behind the Vatican’s walls. The TV series lifts the curtain and brings us to a whole new place that we’re not used to seeing on TV or read in the newspapers. The show can get a bit complicated to understand at times, but it keeps you waiting with anticipation. 

#4: Victoria

“Victoria” is a relatively new TV show, but it is exciting. It brings us to the royal court where we can take a peek in everyday life of the country’s authority figures. To observe what kind of decisions the Queen had to make and how sometimes even her title wasn’t enough for her to get what she really wants is interesting. It shows us that no matter how much power we possess, life brings us surprises that we’re not prepared for and have to live with.

#3: The Borgias

As I already mentioned, historical TV shows are my favorite, and “The Borgias” is another excellent TV series. It has an incredible cast – Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI, Francois Arnaud as Cesare, Holiday Grainger as Lucrezia, David Oakes as Juan, and Aiden Alexander as Joffre. Similar to the New Pope, this show tells the story of influential men and women who are fighting not so much for fortune but for power and fame. I like it because it shows the human side of some of the most influential people – their love, hatred, and passion. We are used to seeing Popes and Cardinals as people who are spiritually elevated and dedicated to God. The Borgias shows you that they are just like us, humans under the control of their own emotions. 

#2: Berlin Babylon

“Berlin Babylon” is a movie that is a bit different. The story takes place in 1929, Berin, during times of societal and political tension. Modern society is faced with the threats of the far right-wing extremism, the hits on the global economy, and the shadow of the Great depression. I have to confess that the more I dive into this story, the more I can see the resemblance with the current socio-political environment. It is influenced by the right-wing populist parties in Europe and the U.S. Many movies and TV shows have been influenced by the Holocaust. Still, it is rare to see ones about the period right before that. The political plotlines that also involve human stories are exciting to follow.

#1: On the other side

“On the other side” is a bit different from the movies and TV series I listed above. The plot is rather psychological. What would happen if we leave the world as we know it and put it in an unknown reality? I like the unknown, the war between heroes and the ability to dream, and to say: “What if this happens to me one day and I meet my doppelganger.”

Share:

Ivelina Atanasova Genchev

Ivelina Atanasova Genchev

Ivelina is a founder and manager of Newtrend Agency – a marketing agency focused on digital transformation and marketing automation. Ivelina is also an author of the theory for “digital kids” and the main engine for the global initiative for education transformation DigitalKidZ: “Open Source School".

featured posts

Follow us:

more blog categories

Related Posts