Travelling into the past

I don't like finishing work on time. The buses are more crowded around 5.30pm, which makes them stuffier and, at this time of year, means there are more sick people spreading their germs. There's sod-all chance of me being able to sit down and read my book (currently, Douglas Coupland's "JPod") and the rush-hour traffic means the trip can take up to twice as long - ie. 40 minutes instead of 20.

However, today I willingly endured the claustrophobia, coughing fits and cramming into the aisle in an attempt to reach my abode by 6.05pm and see the TV show "Time Team". I'd heard mentions of this British archaeology series for years but had no idea if it was serious history or just lightweight, after-school fare. I walked through the front door of my flat at 6pm and turned on the telly.

"Time Team" turned out to be a treasure worth excavating. Hosted by the impossible not to like Tony Robinson ("Who Dares Wins", "Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden", "Blackadder", "Maid Marian And Her Merry Men", various excellent documentaries), it's like a cross between a doco and a reality show as a team of experts attempt to solve an archaeological puzzle in the space of three days.

Today's episode was a search for a Yorkshire village called Henderskelf known to have existed on the spot of Castle Howard prior to the early 1700s. Tony and his advisors, plus a group of labourers I'm guessing were largely volunteers, used a geophysical survey and modern maps in conjunction with records from the time to home in on the most likely locations of the settlement's remains.

False starts and rethinks were followed by unexpected leads and a tale emerged of a village that stood for several centuries, only to be wiped from the landscape to make way for a massive manor. It was the sort of riveting-yet-educational show I could watch 24/7. Strangely, the ABC are only screening "Time Team" on Tuesdays. Maybe I can put up with one awful 5.30pm bus ride per week...