Human side of genetics

Colin Tudge's article on Steve Jones's forthcoming BBC2 series In the Blood ("Too reassuring by half", Review, 28 April) illustrates exactly why we made the six documentaries the way we did.

Genetics has too often been explored on television with test-tubes, DNA spirals and the weird inventions of modern animal breeders. That is why In the Blood features humans and some of their major concerns: who our ancestors are, who to choose as a mate, crime, race, national identity and the future of human evolution. This is a series about what is happening and is important now.

Steve Jones is a scholar, and opinionated. He would not expect agreement among all his colleagues, or all the viewers. But at least he will not claim, as your writer does, that "the new genetics is changing everything". Everything? Really!

Robin Brightwell

BBC Television

London W12