Fry's Planet Word

Season 12011

Fry's Planet Word sees Stephen Fry finding out more about linguistic achievements and how our skills for the spoken word have changed. He dissects language in many of its guises.

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5 Episodes

E01 Babel

In this first episode, Stephen seeks to uncover the origins of human language and how and why we are the only species on the planet to have this gift.

September 25, 2011

E02 Identity

What is it that defines us? Stephen argues that above all, it is the way we speak. Be it a national language, a regional dialect or even class variation - we interpret and define ourselves through our language.

October 2, 2011

E03 Uses and Abuses

This programme looks at the ways language is used and abused. While not everyone approves of 'bad' language, Stephen learns that swearing plays an important part in human communication the world over.

October 9, 2011

E04 Spreading the Word

In this programme, Stephen Fry explores 'the written word'. Writing is a great invention - making it possible to communicate across space and time. Without writing we would have no history and very little technology.

October 16, 2011

E05 The Power and the Glory

In this programme, Stephen Fry celebrates storytelling. It has been with us as long as language itself and as a species, we love to tell our stories. This desire to both entertain and explain has resulted in the flowering of language to describe every aspect of the human condition.

October 23, 2011

Fry's Planet Word

E01 Babel

E02 Identity

E03 Uses and Abuses

E04 Spreading the Word

E05 The Power and the Glory

Two Guys and a Girl

I Am Not an Animal

Oz

APB

Keeping Up with the Kardashians

Timeless

The Flash

Entourage

Postcards from Buster

90210

Secret State

North of 60

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

London Spy

Life

Covert Affairs

Elementary

The Young Ones

Ray Donovan

The Message

E01 Babel

E02 Identity

E03 Uses and Abuses

E04 Spreading the Word

E05 The Power and the Glory