Fossil Detectives, BBC4, Thursdays, 19.30.
Fossil Detectives comes from the serious but low-budget end of BBC tv's science output - presenter (the excellent Dr Hermione Cockburn), location, simple graphics, interview with expert, that's it. Not that this is a bad thing as it leaves plenty of space for science content. In the two episodes broadcast so far we have had a good basic introduction to the formation of fossils, places they can be found, and of both modern and historic interpretations of fossil evidence.
Both episodes have also included interviews with David Attenborough (future episodes will feature interviews with musicians and fossil fans Billy Bragg and Alex James). These possibly sit slightly oddly within the style of the rest of the programme and perhaps could have been made into a stand alone programme of their own. This is not to say that the interviews have been uninteresting in any way. David Attenborough is always good value and here he is talking about one of his childhood passions, fossil collecting.
Less spectacular than Earth: the Power of the Planet (currently getting a re-run), Fossil Detectives is nonetheless an informative and intelligent yet still accessible series. I look forward to the remaining six episodes and hope for an eventual repeat on BBC2 which should bring it to a wider audience.
