Tony Robinson
Self - Presenter
Series
Watch The Worst Jobs in History (2004) Online
No video is available for The Worst Jobs in History - S1E1 yet. Check back soon.
8.02 votes20041hEndedDocumentary
Synopsis
The Worst Jobs in History is a British television series hosted by Tony Robinson on Channel 4. The second series was shown in March 2006 on History Television in Canada, then in April 2006 on Channel 4 in the UK. The first season is also shown with some regularity on History International. Tony Robinson tries his hand at each of the jobs, ultimately nominating which one he thought was the worst in each programme.
Episodes
Season 1
PreviousNext
- 1. Dark AgesNow viewing2004-08-281hThere have been a lot of rotten jobs throughout the history of Britain, especially in the 10 centuries before 1066. When the Romans invade in AD 43, they bring with them a civilised way of life, but they also create some truly terrible job vacancies that just have to be filled. Some 400 years later, when the Romans are becoming a distant memory, Anglo-Saxon England is able to offer a whole new range of miserable ways to make a living. Not a people to be outdone in the misery stakes, the Vikings, too, are no strangers to uncomfortable, dangerous and all-round grim working conditions. This is an era with an abundance of contenders for the title of the worst job in history.
- 2. Middle Ages2004-09-041hIf you are living in the Middle Ages, you are experiencing the period between AD 1000 and 1500. This is a time of castle building and cathedral construction, honour, chivalry and the development of the law. However there are also horrible wars and such significant hiccups as outbreaks of the Black Death and rebellions. While noblemen and their ladies flounce around in sumptuous clothes and are entertained at court and tournament, an army of unlucky souls toils away in some spectacularly hideous employment. In this time of thanes and barons, the lowly peasant is in for a rough time. The worst jobs in the Middle Ages are pretty grim.
- 3. Tudors2004-09-111hThe Tudor period is one of dynastic stability. Starting with the accession of Henry VII to the throne in 1485 and ending with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, there are five Tudor monarchs, not counting Lady Jane Grey who ruled for just nine days. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I are the most powerful and best remembered. Under the Tudors, England becomes established as a world power. The government runs increasingly smoothly, the systems of justice and taxation are regularised across the kingdom and the arts blossom. But it is the ordinary citizen, rather than the royal court, who contributes most to this national success, not least by filling some of the least desirable job vacancies in history.
- 4. Stuarts2004-09-181hJames VI of Scotland follows Elizabeth I to the throne, becoming James I of England in 1603 and so initiates the Stuart period of English history (in Scotland, just to be different, he's a Stewart). The party ends for the Stuart line in 1714 when Queen Anne, all of whose 18 children have died, also expires, leaving the throne to George, elector of Hanover, who becomes George I. Pockmarked with numerous tragic events such as the Gunpowder Plot, the Civil Wars, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London, the Stuart period produces some exceptionally awful jobs, which, as usual, fall to the unfortunate poor or to the downright deranged.
- 5. Georgians2004-09-251hThe era of the Georges – George I to George IV, 1714-1837 – begins with a king who can't speak English, sees the survival of Britain in its wars against Napoleon and through the reign of a king who is seriously mad, and ends with a king who is more concerned with wine, women and song than with governance.If you are looking for some of the worst jobs in history, this is a particularly rich hunting ground, with life for the personnel in Nelson's navy being particularly horrendous. The Industrial Revolution also affects millions of people's lives and produces a whole new set of employment nightmares for the young, the vulnerable and the poor.
- 6. Victorians2004-10-021hVictoria comes to the throne at the tender age of 18 in 1837 and reigns supreme for a staggering 64 years until her death in 1901. Not only is she queen of England, she is also the empress of India and head of the rest of the enormous British empire. Her reign sees Britain at the height of its power. It also sees the Industrial Revolution accelerate its pace and the transfer of people from the countryside into the cities, where most live in rotten slums and have equally rotten jobs. Not, of course, that life in the countryside is any better for those left behind, especially for those looking for anything other than really bad career choices.
- 7. Worst Christmas Jobs2005-12-011hLet's face it, there's always been plenty of extra work to be done at Christmas time. Be it late night shelf-stacking at your local mall, cramming this year's must-have items into valuable shop space in an effort to fuel the 'pile 'em high, sell 'em dear' festive shopping frenzy, or doing the night shift down the sorting office to help out the postie, it's a tradition for students, down-at-pocket teenagers and lonely housewives. But the seasonal labour market hasn't always been just about earning pin money and having a lark. Back in the olden days, folks had to work their fingers to the bone in some of the worst Christmas jobs in history …
Cast
Top Billed Cast
Availability
Where To Watch Legally
No legal streaming, rental or purchase options for The Worst Jobs in History were reported for this region.
Recommended
More Like This
SeriesBiography
6.71987
Series30 for 30
7.52009
SeriesHistory 101
7.12020
SeriesHow Do They Do It?
7.52006
SeriesMysteries at the Museum
8.82010
SeriesMind Field
8.22017
SeriesDeadly Women
7.92005
SeriesAmerican Experience
6.51988
SeriesDrug Lords
7.32018
SeriesTop Gear
8.01978
SeriesNatural World
7.41983
SeriesEarth at Night in Colour
8.22020
SeriesThrough the Wormhole
7.72010
SeriesThe Reluctant Traveller with Eugene Levy
7.42023
SeriesKylie
8.72026
SeriesAntiques Roadshow
7.41997
SeriesHulk Hogan: Real American
7.42026
SeriesLegacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
8.02022
SeriesAmerican Manhunt: Osama bin Laden
7.72025
SeriesI AM A KILLER
6.82018
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Worst Jobs in History available to watch online?
Vidbox does not currently have a legal streaming, rental or purchase option on record for The Worst Jobs in History in this region.
How many seasons does The Worst Jobs in History have?
The Worst Jobs in History has 2 seasons and 12 episodes.
When did The Worst Jobs in History first air?
The Worst Jobs in History first aired in 2004.
Is The Worst Jobs in History still running?
The Worst Jobs in History's status on TMDB is: Ended.
What genre is The Worst Jobs in History?
The Worst Jobs in History is classified as Documentary.