TV Show83%

The Real Thing

Documentary

Asking how you tell what's real and what isn't sounds like an obvious question. But in this series of six programmes, James Burke shows that the more you think about it the harder it is to answer. After all, what have you got, apart from your five senses, to prove those senses are giving you the real thing?

Mar 20, 19801 seasons6 episodesEndedEN

Start Watching

Cast spotlight

Jump into full cast pages for bio, socials, and recent work.

James Burke

Presenter

View profile

Seasons

Season 1

6 episodes

Premiered Mar 20, 1980

Episodes

1–6 of 6

No preview

Ep 1

The Private Eye

Mar 20, 1980

21m

James Burke employs a detective to illustrate how the senses pick up clues from the outside world, how the brain solves the mystery and decides what is out there. Illustrates how easy it is to fool the best detective and asks: 'What is reality?'

No preview

Ep 2

This Way Up

Nov 8, 1983

21m

James Burke goes to the top of the Blackpool Tower and turns upside down to discover how the ears talk to the eyes and how we know which way is down

No preview

Ep 3

Time Out of Mind

Nov 15, 1983

21m

In order to answer the question 'When is reality?' James Burke finds himself in a Salvador Dali-like landscape and examines what motivates man, why light can never stand still and why one man's 'now' can be another man's 'then'

No preview

Ep 4

The Memory Lingers On

Nov 22, 1983

21m

From the stage set of 'The Mousetrap', James Burke examines the memory and asks: does it stay the same, how does it influence everyday actions and is the script for the future already written - from memory?

No preview

Ep 5

The View from Within

Nov 29, 1983

21m

Looks at the complexity of the brain handling the simplest activity. James Burke's consciousness steps out of his body for a while to demonstrate how it acts as 'Mission Controller' for his own private universe.

No preview

Ep 6