The Human Body is an eight-part documentary series, first shown on 20 May 1998 on BBC One and presented by medical scientist Robert Winston. A co-production between the BBC and The Learning Channel, the series looks at the mechanics and emotions of the human body from birth to death.
| The Human Body | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Intimate Universe: The Human Body |
| Genre | Science |
| Directed by | Richard Dale Emma De'Ath Andrew Thompson Peter Georgi Christopher Spencer Liesel Evans John Groom |
| Presented by | Robert Winston |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Lorraine Heggessey |
| Producer | Richard Dale |
| Production companies | BBC The Learning Channel |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 20 May – 25 June 1998 |
The series was nominated for numerous awards, winning several, including three BAFTA awards, four RTS awards and a Peabody Award.
Production
editDescribed as the BBC's "first major TV series on human biology",[1] it took over two years to make and aimed to be the definitive set of programmes on the human body.[1] The series was produced by Richard Dale and presented by Professor Robert Winston, a fertility expert.
The series used a variety of different techniques to present the topics being discussed, including endoscopes and computer graphics for internal shots, time-lapse photography to show the growth of hair and nails, magnetic resonance imaging and scanning electron microscopy.[2]
Episodes
edit- "Life Story" – Every second, a world of miraculous microscopic events take place within the body. (20 May 1998)
- "An Everyday Miracle" – The drama of conception activates the most sophisticated life support machine on earth. (27 May 1998)
- "First Steps" – In four years, the new-born child learns every survival skill. (3 June 1998)
- "Raging Teens" – The hormone-driven roller-coaster otherwise known as adolescence! (10 June 1998)
- "Brain Power" – The adult human brain is the most complicated - and mysterious - object in the universe. In this episode, Winston deliberately intoxicates himself in a restaurant to show the effects alcohol has on the brain. (17 June 1998)
- "The Making of the Human Body" – Winston reveals the secrets behind his human biology series (21 June 1998)
- "As Time Goes By" – Ageing is far more complex - and fascinating - than mere decline. (24 June 1998)
- "The End of Life" – Even in death, the body reveals remarkable secrets. (25 June 1998)
Reception
editThe series gained 6.3 million viewers and an audience share of 38%.[3]
Awards
editThe series was nominated for numerous awards, winning several, including three BAFTA awards, four RTS awards and a Peabody Award.
| Year | Award | Result | Category / Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | British Academy Television Awards | Won | Best Factual Series (Richard Dale)[4] |
| Won | Originality (Richard Dale)[4] | ||
| Won | Best Graphic Design (Tim Goodchild, David Haith)[4] | ||
| Nominated | Best Photography (Factual) (Chris Hartley, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Rob Franklin)[4] | ||
| Nominated | Best Sound (Factual)[4] | ||
| Royal Television Society Awards | Won | Best Graphic Design – Programme Content Sequences (Tim Goodchild, David Haith)[5] | |
| Won | Best Lighting, Photogtaphy & Camera - Photography Documentary/Factual (Chris Hartley, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Rob Franklin)[5] | ||
| Won | Best Visual Effects (Tim Goodchild, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Steve Bowman)[5] | ||
| Won | Craft and Design Innovation[5] | ||
| Nominated | Team Award[6] | ||
| National Television Awards | Nominated | Most Popular Documentary Series[7] | |
| George Foster Peabody Awards | Won | "Never needlessly technical and always witty, energetic, and innovative, The Human Body takes us on an incredible voyage, and for so doing, is deserving of the Peabody Award."[8] | |
| 1999 | International Monitor Awards | Won | Documentaries – Director (Christopher Spencer for "The End of Life")[5] |
| San Francisco International Film Festival Silver Spire | Won | Television – Science and Nature (Alan Bookbinder, Lorraine Heggessey, Richard Dale, Christopher Spencer for "The End of Life")[5] | |
| International Documentary Association Awards | Nominated | Limited Series (Sandra Gregory, Richard Dale)[5] |
Other formats
editA DVD of the series was released in July 2001 and includes a 50-minute feature on The Making of the Human Body - A final overview that reveals the techniques and developments that made the series possible.[9]
The series was adapted into a film released for IMAX cinemas, with Robert Winston returning to narrate. The film won the Giant Screen Theatre Association's Best Film For Lifelong Learning award.[3]
Book
editThe book accompanying the series was written by Anthony Smith. According to one review, "Smith transcends anatomical trivia to record our bodies' powerful tale with empathy and clarity."[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Fantastic journey through the seven ages of man". BBC News. 29 July 1998. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Shooting the human story". BBC News. 24 June 1998. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ a b "The Human Body wins prestigious large format award". BBC Press Office. 15 October 2002. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Television Nominations 1998". BAFTA. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Awards for The Human Body". IMDb. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "RTS Programme Awards 1998". Royal Television Society. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Viewers' favourites to be revealed". BBC News. 27 October 1998. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ 58th Annual Peabody Awards, May 1999.
- ^ http://chaos.com/product/human_body_381892_137188.html Episode Comments. Retrieved 18 July 2009
- ^ Smith, Anthony; Winston, Robert (1998). "The Human Body". tvfactual.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
