50 minSeason 1 • Episode 7
LatestDecember 1953 - Oppenheimer falls foul of the Communist witch hunt.
This seven-part series highlights scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer from 1938 to 1953 as he develops the Atomic bomb.
Acting
Sam Waterston's haunted, cerebral Oppenheimer predates his Law & Order era.
Writing
Peter Prince's scripts prioritize psychological chess over explosions.
Production
BBC 1980s authenticity—no budget, all conviction.
Sam Waterston
Robert Oppenheimer
John Carson
Narrator
Shane Rimmer
Ed Condon
Alexander Knox
Henry Stimson
Jana Shelden
Kitty Oppenheimer
Phil Brown
Lewis Strauss
Edward Hardwicke
Enrico Fermi
David Suchet
Edward Teller
James Maxwell
Lloyd Garrison
Milton Johns
George Kistiakowsky
Barry Dennen
Isidor Rabi
Christopher Malcolm
Steve Nelson
Garrick Hagon
Frank Oppenheimer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sam Waterston spent weeks at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, walking Oppenheimer's actual paths to prepare.
This 1980 series was the first dramatic portrayal of Oppenheimer on screen, made during renewed Cold War tensions when nuclear anxiety was peaking again.
GB
