CIVILISATIONS
Series premiere ★★★★
7.30pm, SBS

To open this series that casts its net wider than Kenneth Clark's 1969 landmark historical of (almost) the same name was able, Simon Schama applies his rebellious approach to the dawn of art and culture. With each episode presented by either Schama, Mary Beard or David Olugosa, the series explores the origins of creativity. Fascinating as Schama's take on the first cave paintings is, he omits those in the Pilbara thought to predate the ones shown.

STORY OF EUROPE
Double episode series premiere ★★★½
8.35pm, SBS

Australian-born historian Sir Christopher Clark (who tells his British audience that his fascination with European history began in the "far-off country" where he grew up) presents this convenient companion piece to Civilisations. Despite some awkward dubbing, the dramatisations add colour to Clark's telling of how religion shaped the continent and set in motion prejudices that sadly endure. This is an enriching history lesson detailing blood shed in the name of God.

VICTORIA
★★★
7.30pm, ABC

The regal diaries on which showrunner Daisy Goodwin reportedly based much of her characterisation of her Queen Victoria reveal, at this point in her reign, a perennially upbeat young mother and determined monarch – a personality very much at odds with that of her sulky German husband. Here they make their historic voyage across the channel to meet the king of the French, Louis Philippe (French actor Bruno Wolkowitch​) and be respectively enchanted and mortified at Gallic ways.