About this season
The Genius of Charles Darwin is a three-part television documentary, written and presented by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. It was first shown in August 2008 on Channel 4. It won Best TV Documentary Series 2008 at the British Broadcast Awards in January 2009.
Episodes (3)
1. Life, Darwin & Everything
Aired 4 August 2008 • 49 min
Who was Charles Darwin, and how did he conceive his revolutionary idea? How does evolution work? Most important, why does it matter? Darwin's treatise, On the Origin of Species, represented the culmination of years of research and thought. And, the evidence confirming natural selection has continued to mount.
2. The Fifth Ape
Aired 11 August 2008 • 49 min
As a product of natural selection, the human species has nevertheless managed to transcend the evolutionary process by developing altruism. Dawkins explores the social and political implications of evolution--and how some proponents have misused science to promote genocide, eugenics, and ethnic cleansing.
3. God Strikes Back
Aired 18 August 2008 • 49 min
Despite overwhelming evidence, many religious fundamentalists around the world refuse to accept evolution. Face to face, Dawkins takes on those who would deny or attack Darwin's idea. Finally, Dawkins explains how people might find consolation in the idea of a world ruled by brutal natural forces rather than benign Creator.