125 minSeason 1 • Episode 2
LatestRallying after sickness to prove the integrity of their marvelous seafaring chronometers, the Harrisons still had to fight for official recognition, and Gould's restoration of the Harrison clockworks provides a fitting coda to this exceptional story about the thrill of discovery and the tenacity of remarkable men.
The fascinating story of John Harrison who, in the 18th century, believed he could make a clock that would work on board a ship—and so solve the problem of finding longitude at sea.
Acting
Gambon's Harrison: furious, fragile, unforgettable.
Production
Lavish 18th-century detail without the usual BBC stuffiness.
Writing
Dual timelines that actually illuminate rather than confuse.
Creator
Charles Sturridge
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Michael Gambon learned actual clockmaking for the role and could disassemble Harrison's designs by hand.
The real H1-H4 timepieces still exist at Greenwich and were consulted during production; Gambon wept upon seeing H4.
GB
