Browse episode ratings trends for The Ascent of Man. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of The Ascent of Man's 13 episodes.
Best Episodes of The Ascent of Man
The Long Childhood
S1 Ep13
8.9
28th Jul 1973
From his home, Dr Jacob Bronowski takes stock of man's complex and often precarious ascent, drawing on experiences from his own lifetime.
The Ladder of Creation
S1 Ep9
8.1
30th Jun 1973
How did life begin on earth? Dr Jacob Bronowski recounts the adventures of Alfred Russell Wallace, and how they triggered off the ideas of Charles Darwin.
World Within World
S1 Ep10
8.1
7th Jul 1973
Dr Jacob Bronowski tells the story of the men and ideas that gave concrete expression to the invisible, intangible structure that lies beneath all matter.
The Hidden Structure
S1 Ep4
7.9
26th May 1973
The programme follows the beginnings of chemistry: from the techniques of ancient metallurgy in China and Japan to the mystical searchings of the alchemists.
Worst Episodes of The Ascent of Man
Knowledge or Certainty
S1 Ep11
7.0
14th Jul 1973
Dr Jacob Bronowski considers how the great achievement of physics in the 20th century has been to show that absolute certainty, in science or outside of it, is beyond our grasp.
Lower Than the Angels
S1 Ep1
7.3
5th May 1973
The programme follows the changes in Man as he marches out of Africa, through desert and ice age, to leave the print of his hand in a dark Spanish cave.
The Grain in the Stone
S1 Ep3
7.4
19th May 1973
The wandering nomads cease their migrations and settle in townships, learning new skills.
The Harvest of the Seasons
S1 Ep2
7.6
12th May 1973
As the ice retreats and the land flowers, Man the hunter turns to agriculture, domesticating plant and animal, imposing his will on the wild wheat and the horse.
The Ascent of Man Episode Guide
Lower Than the Angels
S1 Ep1
7.3
5th May 1973
The programme follows the changes in Man as he marches out of Africa, through desert and ice age, to leave the print of his hand in a dark Spanish cave.
The Harvest of the Seasons
S1 Ep2
7.6
12th May 1973
As the ice retreats and the land flowers, Man the hunter turns to agriculture, domesticating plant and animal, imposing his will on the wild wheat and the horse.
The Grain in the Stone
S1 Ep3
7.4
19th May 1973
The wandering nomads cease their migrations and settle in townships, learning new skills.
The Hidden Structure
S1 Ep4
7.9
26th May 1973
The programme follows the beginnings of chemistry: from the techniques of ancient metallurgy in China and Japan to the mystical searchings of the alchemists.
Music of the Spheres
S1 Ep5
7.8
2nd Jun 1973
Mathematics is a way of describing the world that we see, hear and touch.
The Starry Messenger
S1 Ep6
7.8
9th Jun 1973
From the earliest times, Man has looked outwards from the earth and wondered at the movements of sun, stars and planets. The programme hinges on the crisis of the scientific conscience in the person of the astronomer Galileo and in the rich cities of Venice and Rome, the scenes both of his triumph and his punishment.
The Majestic Clockwork
S1 Ep7
7.9
16th Jun 1973
The universe of Newton, clear, English, stately, like the music and the great buildings of his century ticking away with a fine clockwork mechanism, wisely regulated by laws. Then the quizzical world of Einstein whose direct truth and questions could turn the dignified universe upside-down in the interests of a clearer understanding. We ride with Einstein on his beam of light to end our journey in our own century.
The Drive for Power
S1 Ep8
7.8
23rd Jun 1973
As political revolutions shook France and America, another quieter, yet more profound restructuring was taking place in Britain - the Industrial Revolution.
The Ladder of Creation
S1 Ep9
8.1
30th Jun 1973
How did life begin on earth? Dr Jacob Bronowski recounts the adventures of Alfred Russell Wallace, and how they triggered off the ideas of Charles Darwin.
World Within World
S1 Ep10
8.1
7th Jul 1973
Dr Jacob Bronowski tells the story of the men and ideas that gave concrete expression to the invisible, intangible structure that lies beneath all matter.
Knowledge or Certainty
S1 Ep11
7.0
14th Jul 1973
Dr Jacob Bronowski considers how the great achievement of physics in the 20th century has been to show that absolute certainty, in science or outside of it, is beyond our grasp.
Generation Upon Generation
S1 Ep12
7.9
21st Jul 1973
Dr Jacob Bronowski follows the history of genetics, from the lonely experiments of Gregor Mendel to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Should we see human sexuality as a gift?
The Long Childhood
S1 Ep13
8.9
28th Jul 1973
From his home, Dr Jacob Bronowski takes stock of man's complex and often precarious ascent, drawing on experiences from his own lifetime.
The Ascent of Man is a thirteen-part documentary television series produced by the BBC and Time-Life Films first transmitted in 1973, written and presented by Jacob Bronowski. Intended as a series of "personal view" documentaries in the manner of Kenneth Clark's 1969 series Civilisation, the series received acclaim for Bronowski's highly informed but eloquently simple analysis, his long unscripted monologues and its extensive location shoots.
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The best rated episodes of The Ascent of Man are:
The Long Childhood S1E13 rated 8.9
The Ladder of Creation S1E9 rated 8.1
World Within World S1E10 rated 8.1
The Hidden Structure S1E4 rated 7.9
The lowest rated episodes of The Ascent of Man are:
Knowledge or Certainty S1E11 rated 7.0
Lower Than the Angels S1E1 rated 7.3
The Grain in the Stone S1E3 rated 7.4
The Harvest of the Seasons S1E2 rated 7.6
The first episode of The Ascent of Man aired on May 05, 1973.
The last episode of The Ascent of Man aired on July 28, 1973.
