Beatles: Endgame. We discuss how the documentary gives George Harrison and Ringo Starr the space to craft their own narratives around how they left and then returned to the band, and we go over how it treats the Beatles' breakup, to the extent that it does at all.
We talk about All You Need is Love in the context of the Beatles as rabble-rousing religious icons, and about how Yoko Ono is shown mainly in the context of her being a disruptive force.
Plus: how the Anthology fails to tell a coherent story around the White Album. Was it a disjointed series of solo performances or a unified and enjoyable creative experience? It's the bloody Beatles White Album, shut up!
If you want to watch the original version of The Beatles Anthology you can buy the DVD box set pretty cheaply.
Guide to our Beatles Anthology episodes
This series of episodes discusses the 2003 DVD box set release, which expanded the original 1995 TV broadcasts.
The Beatles Anthology: episodes 1 and 2 (original version)
Why were the three Beatles interviewed separately? Did they get the name from Marlon Brando's The Wild One? And how are Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best treated?
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The Beatles Anthology: episodes 3 and 4 (original version)
It's the Beatlemania and touring years: but why is Paul McCartney interviewed in a tugboat? And how did Ringo Starr feel when he was replaced by Jimmie Nicol?
The Beatles Anthology: episodes 5 and 6 (original version)
We see how George Harrison and Ringo Starr remember Manila differently to Paul McCartney, plus: Shea Stadium and Sgt Pepper: the Beatles' two imperial phases?
The Beatles Anthology: episodes 7 and 8 (original version)
How does the series treat the Beatles' breakup? Does it tell a coherent story around the White Album? And did All You Need is Love make them religious icons?
The Beatles Anthology: DVD special features (original version)
We look at the 1994 Threetles footage, and their behaviour when interviewed together versus apart. And we talk about the making of the Free As a Bird video.
We've also covered the 2025 remaster released on Disney+.
The Beatles Anthology (2025 remaster): episodes 1 to 8
How have the episodes been altered: what's new, what's been removed and why? Plus: what are the implications of AI upscaling the early performance footage?
The Beatles Anthology (2025 remaster): episode 9
We look at the decision not to include any new interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. What effect does it have on how this rounds off the series?