A personal view - Jacob Bronowski
I had not thought to see this again without having to spend money on a dvd set (though this is not as expensive as I thought on amazon).
I have two transcripts of the series, hardback and a paperback edition (with some editing).
There are few documentaries that come close to having the sincerity and gravitas and sheer dignity contained within this series. As a child I was spellbound by the program.
There are no flashy graphics or cgi, no banal platitudes so common in some of the discovery/national geographic/history channel programming today.
There are only two others who hold such a place of respect for me: David Attenborough (who incidentally had a hand in commissioning The Ascent Of Man as the then controller of bbc2) and Carl Sagan.
Bronowski has a clear and engaging charisma that guides the watcher, without ever leaving you feeling like a mere passenger throughout.
Serialised in its entirety. (all 13 episodes)
If you're old enough to remember it, indulge yourself once again with a masterful study of humanity.
And if you're still a young'un; settle down and forget about your playstation or nintendo ds for a moment and consider something
so much more worthwhile -
The Ascent of Man: A Personal View - Jacob Bronowski