The Genius of Charles Darwin

Born (1809) in Shropshire, England - Charles Darwin was a brilliant biologist who firmly established that all species of life had descended over time from common ancestors.

In his scientific studies Darwin confirmed that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he defined as "natural selection".

Through stills and interviews - This intriguing presentation offers the curios viewer a well-rounded overview of all aspects of the life, the times, and the theories of Charles Darwin.

*Note* - In 1882 - Charles Darwin (73 at the time) died of heart failure.

Episode 1, Dawkins takes a group of school children to task for their sceptical response to his evolution lesson. He then covers some biographical detail surrounding Darwin's voyage of the beagle and draws on modern research into genetics as well as the older fossil evidence to argue convincingly in support of evolution.

In episode 2 Dawkins explores the social implications of Darwinism, he examines the way it was taken and used to justify right wing politics. Competition they argued has been shown to be the natural order, lets copy this model, let the strongest thrive and do not waste your time trying to help the weak, over time a healthier stronger society will emerge and the most able people will thrive. Dawkins who himself had his own book "the selfish gene" misunderstood and exploited rejects this interpretation of Darwinism. He points out the many social aspects in primate behaviour, as well as visiting a group of women looking for sperm donors, kindness it turns out is just as important to them in selecting a mate as health and ability. The episode though doesn't really address the prickly questions out there. Is war and genocide also a result of our biological urges from our evolutionary past? Dawkins doesn't seem to think so but worryingly doesn't really have an argument against this point of view. Evolution, for him, it seems is allowed to take credit for our positive mental attributes but not the negative ones.

Episode 3 goes to pieces, Dawkins appears before creationist after creationist, he refutes their arguments though they carry on regardless, some of them are truly bizarre people and they are by no means all Americans. The people who Dawkins takes on are pretty light weight and I found it odd how their answers would be faded out and narrated over by Dawkins himself who would speak over them in a slightly self-satisfied voice-over. It's comes across as not only unintentionally funny but it also creates the impression that he's trying to shut them up or hide something. Exasperated by the revival of biblical literalism Dawkins next visits the Archbishop of Canterbury who tells Dawkins that he's quite happy with Darwin's ideas and that evolution has proved no real threat to the established church. Dawkins however is equally unsatisfied with this response and races off in his car to see his good friend the philosopher Daniel Dennett. For a man who at times seems to have little patience with philosophers strangely there's a touch of almost reverence in Dawkins voice when he speaks of his friend. Dawkins finishes the episode by using a quote from Darwin to help reinforce his atheist views, he conveniently neglects to mention those occasions when Darwin indicated that science and faith were compatible, such as his letter to Asa Gray, it's naturally left out of the programme of course because it doesn't fit with his agenda.

Overall I thought this was a bit of a missed opportunity for Dawkins to set out what the theory of evolution is, what evidence there is for it, the history of the theory and how it changes of perspective on the natural world and ourselves. Anybody who's read his book Climbing Mount Improbable will be left with no doubt about his skill in explaining complex ideas to the layman. Dawkins knows his stuff and his passion is second to none but unfortunately there's a tendency to go off in tangents. When it comes to episodes two and three you also get the feeling that there's a certain destination that he's determined to arrive at and will make the evidence fit this worldview. Some of the cinematography too is also a little bad, during the interviews the camera seems a bit shaky. Dawkins is also made the real focus of the show rather than Darwin, he clearly sees himself as Darwin's successor, a man on an unstoppable quest for the scientific truth which he in turn will relay back to us. The three episodes are full of shots of Dawkins rather than Darwin, Dawkins walking, Dawkins sitting, Dawkins meeting his fans, Dawkins reading, Dawkins staring into the distance, Dawkins shaking his head & lamenting the fact that the rest of the planet is not as rational as he is. In spite of some the presentational flaws, the subject matter of Darwin's theory is fascinating and Dawkins introduces us to a range of experts. For a complete account of Darwin's life and theory though I'd recommend the BBC's 'Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life.'

This is a great documentary series from Channel 4, hosted by professor Richard Dawkins, well-known darwinist.

The series mixes segments on the life and discoveries of Charles Darwin, the theory of natural selection and evolution, and Dawkins' attempts at convincing a group of school children that evolution explains the world around us better than any religion.

Most of the story line and the presentation is compelling, and the evidence for evolution is completely overwhelming. This, however, is also what limits the appeal of the series: Dawkins tries a bit too hard - a slightly less argumentative presentation of evolution would probably serve Dawkins' cause better.

If you want to get an understanding about Darwinian Natural Selection and how it works then this is required viewing. Richard is wonderful as always in explaining in a matter of fact way how the process works. It's such a simple process but it's not intuitive and as such is very much misunderstood. Unfortunately it leads to most people thinking it's "survival of the fittest" when it's really about survival in the environment to maturity and ability to reproduce. I cannot recommend this documentary enough. Beautifully produced and directed - it should be shown in every school wherever science taught.

As someone incredibly smart and constantly pondering the apparent clash between faith and science, I should be the perfect viewer for this. Alas, it seems I am too smart...

First off, the score (4) is a verdict on the series, not on the merits of prof. Dawkins as a scientist - he is obviously at the top of his field. Would that he would stay in it. For this supposed celebration of Charles Darwin actually has more important goals:

1) To present not Darwin but Dawkins, the clever but not heartless - Heaven forfend! - thinker. The man on a Lifelong Quest for truth, who unflinchingly faces the implications that scientific truth casts before us. The series is filled with images of him walking, talking, facing the camera or gazing elsewhere. And, more often than not, scowling at the disturbing fact that not everyone is as rational as he. Frankly, ought the title of the series to have been changed?

2) To once and for all establish the indisputable fact that religion is always wrong and can at best be tolerated - if it doesn't interfere with science. Dawkins has never made his impatience with religious belief a secret and this is yet another bout in the boxing ring, intended to provide the definitive knockout.

It fails in both regards. While comfortably at home in the science lab or when summing up his evidence, Dawkins seems almost childlike when trying to describe the belief in Something More, rigidly unable to look past the scornful caricature he prefers. He also, for some reason, resorts to cheap tricks. This is annoyingly obvious in the "confrontations" where he either takes on lightweights who are easily dismissed (in the poorest Penn and Teller Bullsh*t tradition) or, when talking to someone actually able to speak for themselves, he (or the producer) feels impelled to fade out the answers and superimpose Dawkins's own comments in a self-congratulating voice-over. It's so clumsy that he looks as if he has something to hide. He probably doesn't, he just has no patience with those who disagree with him and seems less curious in other viewpoints than eager to shoot them down and swiftly move on.

The most important definition of a scientist is the thirst for knowledge, but when it comes to faith Dawkins is absolutely certain that he has nothing more of value to learn. He would hardly dispute this statement, but it makes this "quest" seem as labored as a morality play. His guests are there to prove his point, whether or not they agree with him.

He is, in short, just as confrontational as Michael Moore taking on a favorite cause, but with this difference: he has no sense of humor. When he dryly describes the enormous empathy he feels for others when they suffer, the effect is rather comical but surely unintended.

Let's face it: religion has survived Darwin's evolution for a very long time. If he actually means to dismantle it, he will have to come up with something better than this half-assed diatribe.

That said, the parts about Darwin himself are interesting. Perhaps there should have been more in that vein. What with the title and all...