Big Problems With Helen Keen

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Death

20150610

20150617/18 (BBC7)
20191012 (BBC7)
20210705 (BBC7)
20210706 (BBC7)
20210710 (BBC7)
20230202 (BBC7)
20180404 (R4)

The biggest problem of them all - death.

From praying for life-everlasting to uploading our minds into a giant cloud of data - is there anything at all we can do to avoid it?

Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity.

Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and sometimes absurd solutions.

Co-starring:

Peter Serafinowicz

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill

Producer: Gareth Edwards

A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015.

The Yorkshire-born alternative comedian begins with the biggest problem of them all.

Love

20150617

20150624/25 (BBC7)
20191019 (BBC7)
20210712 (BBC7)
20210713 (BBC7)
20230209 (BBC7)
20180411 (R4)

Helen looks at love and the problems of finding the perfect mate.

Including the invention of computer dating; how we might chemically engineer love; how the bicycle revolutionised sex; having a row in Ikea; and a pair of romantic prairie voles.

Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity.

Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and sometimes absurd solutions.

Co-starring:

Peter Serafinowicz

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill,

Producer: Gareth Edwards

A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015.

The problems of finding the perfect mate, including how the bicycle revolutionised sex.

Other People

20150624

20150701/02 (BBC7)
20191026 (BBC7)
20210719 (BBC7)
20210720 (BBC7)
20230216 (BBC7)
20180418 (R4)

Helen looks at the challenges posed by other people.

What are the unspoken rules that make society work?

How can we make the internet polite?

How did air-conditioners win an election?

And are emoticons completely pointless ? ?

Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity.

Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and the surprising ways we have devised to solve them.

Co-starring:

Peter Serafinowicz

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill,

Producer: Gareth Edwards

A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015.

Helen Keen, Peter Serafinowicz and Susy Kane explore how to get on with everybody else.

And are emoticons completely pointless ☹ ?

Boredom

20150701

20150708/09 (BBC7)
20191102 (BBC7)
20210726 (BBC7)
20210727 (BBC7)
20230223 (BBC7)
20180425 (R4)

Helen looks at the problem of boredom, and the potential solution that is gamification.

Covering everything from bear-baiting to loyalty points, the show also asks how many times you can spot the mystery word?

Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity.

Starring Helen Keen.

Co-starring:

Peter Serafinowicz

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill.

Producer: Gareth Edwards.

First broadcast on BBC Radoi 4 in July 2015.

Helen Keen tackles the problem of boredom and the potential solution that is gamification.

Food

20171020

20220317/18 (BBC7)
20230923 (BBC7)
20220310 (R4)

Natural resources are dwindling, so how can we make sure everyone is fed?

How has our food shopping and food production changed? Can science help? Will the future be meals in a pill?

And, most importantly, what will Helen have for her tea?

Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions.

Starring Helen Keen

With:

Jon Culshaw

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Laura-Alexandra Smith

Producer was Katie Tyrrell

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2017.

Natural resources are dwindling. How can we make sure everyone is fed?

Women

20171027

20220324/25 (BBC7)
20230930 (BBC7)
20220317 (R4)

You may not immediately identify women as a problem.

But, when 'normal' has meant 'male' for centuries how does that affect our perception of women from the past - and how does it affect women in the present?

Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions.

Starring Helen Keen

With:

Jon Culshaw

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Marc Abrahams and Dr Stuart Richie.

Producer: Katie Tyrrell

A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2017.

Helen looks at our perception of women from the past and in the present.

Personality

20171103

20220331 (BBC7)
20220401 (BBC7)
20231007 (BBC7)
20220324 (R4)

Who are we?

Why do we have a personality?

Do different brains give us different personalities?

Does our environment shape our personality?

Is, as they believed in Shakespeare's day, the liver still the seat of the passions?

Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions.

Starring Helen Keen

With:

Jon Culshaw

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Professor Richard Wiseman.

Produced by Katie Tyrrell

A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2017.

Helen Keen ponders why we have a personality.

Care

20171110

20220407/08 (BBC7)
20231014 (BBC7)
20220331 (R4)

Who cares? Why do we care? If genes are selfish why is altruism attractive?

Is fairness built into our brains? What is the future of empathy? What is the cost of love?

Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions.

Starring Helen Keen

With:

Jon Culshaw

Susy Kane

Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan.

Producer: Katie Tyrrell

A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2017.

Why do we care? Why is altruism attractive? Is fairness built into our brains? With Jon Culshaw and Susy Kane. From 2017.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	01	Death	20150610	20150617/18 (BBC7) 20191012 (BBC7) 20210705 (BBC7) 20210706 (BBC7) 20210710 (BBC7) 20230202 (BBC7) 20180404 (R4)	The biggest problem of them all - death. From praying for life-everlasting to uploading our minds into a giant cloud of data - is there anything at all we can do to avoid it? Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity. Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and sometimes absurd solutions. Co-starring: Peter Serafinowicz Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill Producer: Gareth Edwards A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015. The Yorkshire-born alternative comedian begins with the biggest problem of them all.
01	02	Love	20150617	20150624/25 (BBC7) 20191019 (BBC7) 20210712 (BBC7) 20210713 (BBC7) 20230209 (BBC7) 20180411 (R4)	Helen looks at love and the problems of finding the perfect mate. Including the invention of computer dating; how we might chemically engineer love; how the bicycle revolutionised sex; having a row in Ikea; and a pair of romantic prairie voles. Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity. Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and sometimes absurd solutions. Co-starring: Peter Serafinowicz Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill, Producer: Gareth Edwards A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015. The problems of finding the perfect mate, including how the bicycle revolutionised sex.
01	03	Other People	20150624	20150701/02 (BBC7) 20191026 (BBC7) 20210719 (BBC7) 20210720 (BBC7) 20230216 (BBC7) 20180418 (R4)	Helen looks at the challenges posed by other people. What are the unspoken rules that make society work? How can we make the internet polite? How did air-conditioners win an election? And are emoticons completely pointless ? ? Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity. Helen Keen looks at the biggest problems that have faced our species since the dawn of time, and describes humanity's incredible and the surprising ways we have devised to solve them. Co-starring: Peter Serafinowicz Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill, Producer: Gareth Edwards A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2015. Helen Keen, Peter Serafinowicz and Susy Kane explore how to get on with everybody else. And are emoticons completely pointless ☹ ?
01	04	Boredom	20150701	20150708/09 (BBC7) 20191102 (BBC7) 20210726 (BBC7) 20210727 (BBC7) 20230223 (BBC7) 20180425 (R4)	Helen looks at the problem of boredom, and the potential solution that is gamification. Covering everything from bear-baiting to loyalty points, the show also asks how many times you can spot the mystery word? Comedy series that explores the triumphs and disasters of human ingenuity. Starring Helen Keen. Co-starring: Peter Serafinowicz Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill. Producer: Gareth Edwards. First broadcast on BBC Radoi 4 in July 2015. Helen Keen tackles the problem of boredom and the potential solution that is gamification.
02	01	Food	20171020	20220317/18 (BBC7) 20230923 (BBC7) 20220310 (R4)	Natural resources are dwindling, so how can we make sure everyone is fed? How has our food shopping and food production changed? Can science help? Will the future be meals in a pill? And, most importantly, what will Helen have for her tea? Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions. Starring Helen Keen With: Jon Culshaw Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Laura-Alexandra Smith Producer was Katie Tyrrell First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2017. Natural resources are dwindling. How can we make sure everyone is fed?
02	02	Women	20171027	20220324/25 (BBC7) 20230930 (BBC7) 20220317 (R4)	You may not immediately identify women as a problem. But, when 'normal' has meant 'male' for centuries how does that affect our perception of women from the past - and how does it affect women in the present? Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions. Starring Helen Keen With: Jon Culshaw Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Marc Abrahams and Dr Stuart Richie. Producer: Katie Tyrrell A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2017. Helen looks at our perception of women from the past and in the present.
02	03	Personality	20171103	20220331 (BBC7) 20220401 (BBC7) 20231007 (BBC7) 20220324 (R4)	Who are we? Why do we have a personality? Do different brains give us different personalities? Does our environment shape our personality? Is, as they believed in Shakespeare's day, the liver still the seat of the passions? Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions. Starring Helen Keen With: Jon Culshaw Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan and special thanks to Professor Richard Wiseman. Produced by Katie Tyrrell A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2017. Helen Keen ponders why we have a personality.
02	04	Care	20171110	20220407/08 (BBC7) 20231014 (BBC7) 20220331 (R4)	Who cares? Why do we care? If genes are selfish why is altruism attractive? Is fairness built into our brains? What is the future of empathy? What is the cost of love? Comedy series looking at the biggest problems our species has faced since the beginning of time - and offering some incredible, absurd and possible scientific solutions. Starring Helen Keen With: Jon Culshaw Susy Kane Written by Helen Keen, Jenny Laville, Lloyd Langford and Carrie Quinlan. Producer: Katie Tyrrell A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2017. Why do we care? Why is altruism attractive? Is fairness built into our brains? With Jon Culshaw and Susy Kane. From 2017.