The series encompasses his university days to the 1859 publication of his book On the Origin of Species and his death and is loosely based on Darwin's own letters, diaries, and journals, especially The Voyage of the Beagle and The Autobiography of Charles Darwin.

[1] It starred Malcolm Stoddard as Darwin and Andrew Burt as Captain Robert FitzRoy.

It was broadcast in the US on PBS starting 27 January 1980 and was hosted by Neil Armstrong.

[3] The Christian Science Monitor called the series "a profoundly stimulating mix of entertainment and information".

It also won Best Documentary Series from the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards in 1979.