Doesn't exactly sound fascinating, but it is - the middle episode last night was more of a social history of the last 40 years, taking in the motorway's role in everything from caravanning to "orbital" raves. And I hadn't realised how aspirational service stations were when they began - Terence Conran's restaurant at Leicester Forest Gate and the Forte at Newport Pagnell were places people actually went for a night out, rather than passing through. I shall have to ask my parents if they actually did that!! They also made the point (implicitly) that, to an extent, that culture has been replaced by places like Bluewater - no longer just a shopping centre, but rather an antiseptic all-in-one "experience" site where people can go for the day and shop, followed by a visit to the spa, a meal and a film or an evening class at the Education Centre.
The amusing thing about it was that the deadpan narration was done by Philip Glenister, aka DCI Gene Hunt from "Life On Mars", so I was expecting every dramatic pause to be followed by: "Tyler, you poof, get out there and round up some nonces."