Stephen Hawking's Grand Design

2012 - 2012

The Meaning of Life

13th September 2012

Episode 1

"The Meaning of Life," explores what the laws of physics reveals about who and what we humans really are? Do we have free will or are we just complex biological machines working to the laws of nature? From Descartes to the latest advances in quantum physics, Hawking explores this fascinating territory with his famous fearless zeal as he questions the very nature of reality itself.

The Key to the Cosmos

20th September 2012

Episode 2

"The Key to the Cosmos," poses the ultimate-of-ultimate questions: Why does the universe exist and why does it follow rules and laws? What's the point of the enormous, endless cosmos, and why is it so perfectly tuned so as to allow life to exist? From Newton's ground breaking discovery of gravity, through hidden extra dimensions, to a muti-verse of billions more universes where anything - and everything - is possible.

Did God Create the Universe?

27th September 2012

Episode 3

Professor Stephen Hawking unfolds his personal, compelling vision of the biggest question of all: Is there a god who created and controls the universe in which we live? To answer this controversial and age old question, Hawking takes us on a journey through humanity's history of appraising our place in the Universe - from Vikings facing down eclipses to the laws of modern cosmology. Using the laws of physics, Hawking argues that the universe can pop into being from absolutely nothing, that there was no time before the creation of the universe and therefore, no room for a Grand Designer.

Top Cast

Benedict Cumberbatch•Stephen Hawking•Tom Bonington

Stephen Hawking draws on 40 years of research to answer some of life's most compelling questions.

Watch Providers 🇬🇧

Discovery+

Production Companies

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Full Cast

Benedict Cumberbatch Image

Benedict Cumberbatch

Narrator (voice)

Stephen Hawking Image

Stephen Hawking

Self

Tom Bonington Image

Tom Bonington

Brain Surgeon

Bill Hutchens Image

Bill Hutchens

Galileo

Full Crew

Brooke Lyndon-Stanford

Visual Effects Supervisor

Simon Greenwood

Editor

John Smithson Image

John Smithson

Executive Producer

Peter Findley

Production Design

Sheridan Tongue

Original Music Composer

Kerry von Lillienveld

Art Direction

Ben Bowie

Executive Producer

Maria Papandrea

Costume Design

Ben Harding

Editor

Siobhan Harper Ryan

Makeup Artist

Oliver Schofield

Director of Photography

Dan Clifton Image

Dan Clifton

Producer

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