"Darwin, portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick ("Lost"), spent years refining his ideas and penning what he called his "Big Book." Yet, daunted by looming conflict with the orthodox religious values of his day, he resisted publishing—until a letter from naturalist Alfred Wallace forced his hand. In 1858, Darwin learned that Wallace was ready to publish ideas very similar to his own. In a sickened panic, Darwin grasped his dilemma: To delay publishing any longer would be to condemn all of his work to obscurity—his voyage on the Beagle, his adventures in the Andes, the bizarre fossils of Patagonia, the finches and giant tortoises of the Galapagos. But to come forward with his ideas risked the fury of the Church and perhaps a rift with his own devoted wife, Emma, portrayed by Frances O'Connor ("Mansfield Park," "The Importance of Being Earnest"), who was a strong believer in the biblical view of creation."

im EXCITED!!!

www.pbs.org/nova/darwin
Program broadcast date: October 6, 2009