Empire is a 2012 docuseries co-produced and written by the BBC and Open University and presented by Jeremy Paxman.

[citation needed] The series was criticised by some for its handling of controversial material while trying to avoid offense to numerous stakeholders and audiences.

Associate editor of The Guardian, Michael White, said that "the structure of the programme was ramshackle" and he found the narrative to be "episodic and superficial".

While White also found "the photography pretty as always", he concluded that "the overall effect was curiously patronising, serving to reinforce the impression that the great man was basically on a jolly and going through the motions".

[2] Stuart Jeffries, also for The Guardian, offered similar views, concluding that "Jeremy Paxman fails to argue strongly enough".