CinemaOSSeries · 1978–1979 · 1 Season

The Body in Question

80%(3)IMDbDocumentary

The Body in Question is a landmark British medical documentary series of 13 shows made for the BBC. It was a groundbreaking show, being the first to ever televise an autopsy (in the final show on 29 Jan 1979). Dr Jonathan Miller considers the functioning of the body as a subject of private experience. He explores our attitudes towards our bodies, our ignorance of them, and our inability to read our body's signals. The first episode starts with vox populi asking where various organs in the body are located. By the final episode we are left in no doubt. Taking as his starting point the experience of pain, Dr Miller analyses the elaborate social process of "falling ill", considers the physical foundations of "disease" and looks at the types of individuals humankind has historically attributed with the power of healing. The series was nominated for two 1979 BAFTAs: Best Factual Television Series and Most Original Programme/Series.

Created byJonathan Miller

Play
Status
Ended
Language
EN
First aired
November 6, 1978
Last aired
January 29, 1979
Seasons
1
Episodes
13
Network
ABC TVBBC Two

Season 1

Episodes

No episodes found for this season.

Featuring

Cast & crew

1 credited
Starring
Jonathan Miller

Jonathan Miller

Creative team
Created by
Jonathan Miller
Jonathan Miller

Keep watching

More like this

Victorian Pharmacy10.0

Victorian Pharmacy

2010 · Series

Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time

Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time

2026 · Series

Body Invaders

Body Invaders

2012 · Series

From Handsaw to Scalpel

From Handsaw to Scalpel

2023 · Series

Agree to Disagree!

Agree to Disagree!

2023 · Series

Incredible Medicine: Dr Weston's Casebook

Incredible Medicine: Dr Weston's Casebook

2017 · Series

The Brain: A Secret History

The Brain: A Secret History

2011 · Series

Origins: The Journey of Humankind6.5

Origins: The Journey of Humankind

2017 · Series

Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders6.8

Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders

2025 · Series

Countdown to Life: The Extraordinary Making of You9.0

Countdown to Life: The Extraordinary Making of You

2015 · Series

Remaking American Medicine

Remaking American Medicine

2006 · Series

Fatal Experiments: The Downfall of a Supersurgeon10.0

Fatal Experiments: The Downfall of a Supersurgeon

2016 · Series

J'aurais donc dû, docteur!

J'aurais donc dû, docteur!

2016 · Series

The Wonderful Machine10.0

The Wonderful Machine

1990 · Series

Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery10.0

Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

2008 · Series

Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines7.5

Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines

2013 · Series

Trauma: My Broken Brain

Trauma: My Broken Brain

2026 · Series

Jewel in the Palace8.5

Jewel in the Palace

2003 · Series

Parallel World Pharmacy7.0

Parallel World Pharmacy

2022 · Series

Picked for you

Recommended shows

Top Gear8.0

Top Gear

1978 · Series

Biography6.7

Biography

1987 · Series

Doctor Who Confidential8.0

Doctor Who Confidential

2005 · Series

The New York Times Presents7.0

The New York Times Presents

2020 · Series

Natural World7.4

Natural World

1983 · Series

Deadly Women7.9

Deadly Women

2005 · Series

Down to Earth with Zac Efron7.7

Down to Earth with Zac Efron

2020 · Series

Trust Me: The False Prophet7.5

Trust Me: The False Prophet

2026 · Series

TYSON8.6

TYSON

2026 · Series

How Do They Do It?7.5

How Do They Do It?

2006 · Series

Welcome to Earth7.6

Welcome to Earth

2021 · Series

Mind Field8.2

Mind Field

2017 · Series

The Story of God with Morgan Freeman7.4

The Story of God with Morgan Freeman

2016 · Series

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes7.8

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes

2022 · Series

World War II with Tom Hanks8.3

World War II with Tom Hanks

2026 · Series

MegaStructures7.5

MegaStructures

2004 · Series

American Masters7.1

American Masters

1986 · Series

Earth at Night in Colour8.1

Earth at Night in Colour

2020 · Series

History 1017.1

History 101

2020 · Series

Nature7.9

Nature

1982 · Series