Channel 5 offers a different kind of exploration Thursday night, as James May sets sail in “James May’s Great Explorers” to dissect the life and times of Captain James Cook. Was he a pioneering navigator and scientist, or a catalyst for the destruction of indigenous cultures? May attempts to reconcile these conflicting narratives, offering his own hands-on take on a complicated historical figure.
Beginning with Cook’s early days as an apprentice on coal ships, which May experiences aboard the tall ship Bessie Ellen in Cornwall, the program traces Cook’s remarkable voyages and his contributions to navigation, biology, and geography. May even tries his hand at 18th-century navigation techniques, sampling scurvy cures and ship’s alcohol along the way. He’ll even examine the H4 chronometer and investigate if Cook’s method of preserving sailors health, was in fact a sign of him being a caring captain.
But the show doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Cook’s legacy. The program directly addresses the controversy surrounding his interactions with indigenous populations and the devastating impact of his expeditions on their societies. May visits the Natural History Museum to examine creatures Cook brought back on the Endeavour. He also examines artifacts and documents, offering a nuanced perspective on a man who remains both celebrated and condemned.
“James May’s Great Explorers” airs Thursday at 9:00 PM on Channel 5.
