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7 Episodes 1978 - 1978
Episode 1
56 mins
After denying his father's wish to become a physician or theologian, Darwin makes acquaintance with Professor Henslow, who recognizes his talent for geology and biology, thereby supporting him to join the travel of Captain FitzRoy for mapping the coasts of South America.
Episode 2
59 mins
The three years voyage starts. Darwin has to come over his seasickness, he learns to team-up with the crew of the small ship and makes first steps toward his later profession when he set foot on the shore of Brazil, learning the richness of diversity of flora and fauna but also the inhumanity of slavery when he visits a Scottish farmer.
Episode 3
56 mins
Getting down to Argentina, FitzRoy continues with mapping of the coast while Darwin is continuing with his explorations. He sends his findings and commentaries back to London. Getting closer to the lands end, Captain FitzRoy makes a stop and let the three natives, he had taken with him to Britain giving them on his first voyage, accompanied by a young missionary to a camp to bring education and the right believing to the natives. But one year later when FitzRoy comes back, he has to recognize that the mission has failed.
Episode 4
57 mins
Coming back from a land expedition there is a strong debate between FitzRoy and Darwin regarding the firm religious conviction of FitzRoy and the scientific thoughts of Darwin, that beclouds the friendship between them. Not satisfied with the results of the mapping, FitzRoy decides to go back to Rio de la Plata. Darwin takes the opportunity to travel over land to Buenos Aires, learning the cruelty of the white race against the indigenous people. Sailing back to Fireland, the moral of the crew weakens and crew members are dying. Finally they reach the Pacific and Valparaiso. Darwin joins a trek across the Andes. He finds fossils in a height of 4000 m, leading him to a theory, that something must have created the Andes from beneath the sea to the height of more than 5000 meters.
Episode 5
58 mins
Captain FitzRoy suffers a deep depression but recovers. Being ashore, they experience a vast earthquake. As a result, some small rocks normally covered by the sea are now about one meter above sea level. The ongoing voyage leads them to the Galapagos islands. FitzRoy feels disgusted when he sees the creatures. For Darwin it is a richly laid table to continue with his exploration. Nobody knows where the animals came from. It was astonishing to Darwin that each species on the various islands has developed variants. He starts to think about the reason behind.
Episode 6
57 mins
Darwin is ongoing with his exploration. He recognizes that only the fittest will survive. On their voyage home after 5 years, Darwin starts to draw a conclusion about his experiences and what he will going to do professionally when back in England. At the end, the differences between FitzRoy and Darwin regarding religion and rational understanding will be ongoing. But they agree that FitzRoy will take chance to take over parts of Darwin's travel report in his one. Darwin's patrons at Cambridge introduce him into sciences. His considerations lead him to the question, what was the origin of living and what does the development of species cause. Beside the working of his travel journal, he works on a scientific study of the advantages and disadvantages of marriage. At the end he marries the daughter of his uncle.
Episode 7
58 mins
Darwin meets Joseph Dalton Hooker, botanist and friend, and discusses with him his theory about the evolution of species, but he has still too little evidence to make it public. Captain FitzRoy is now in politics. But his inability to control himself hinders his political career in parliament. He becomes governor of New Zealand for 5 years. The loss of Darwin's daughter and later on of his son make Darwin an agnostic. Forced by a publication of Alfred Russel Wallace, Darwin agrees to make his results public. FitzRoy is visiting Darwin. He has not changed, he still deeply believes in the words of the bible but also recognizes the happy times of friendship they had on the Beagle. Darwin finishes his book "The Origin of Spcies" and it is published. The reaction of the common people and especially of the church is disastrous. Because of his health, Darwin rejects the invitation of the University of Oxford for the annual meeting. Hooker and Thomas Henry Huxley, knowing that Darwin's latest publication will be central part of the discussion, take sides for Darwin. Bishop Wilberforce accompanied by FitzRoy argue against Hooker and Huxley for the theory of Darwin. FitzRoy sees this as a defeat and seems to be depressed. Later on he commits suicide. The series ends with an aged Darwin contemplating his life.