I was looking forward greatly to seeing this series, since Cook -- and even more so Banks -- have been central figures in my own research into the scientific discourse of the eighteenth century. Unfortunately, I gave up halfway through the first episode, due to the distasteful -- almost embarrassing -- style of the presenter, Vanessa Collingridge. She seems to be unable to make up her mind whether she's running a game show, presenting a soap-powder commercial, or trying to get a date with the cameraman (or the audience). Her high-pitched, breathless, girlish delivery, her perpetual flirtatious smile, her naively over-dramatic style, made at least this viewer very uncomfortable. They also deprive her of any authority -- which is a pity, since she probably knows quite a lot about her subject. All in all, a great disappointment.
