At last, a science documentary that’s engaging, doesn’t dumb down science too much and doesn’t create fake controversy (see last week’s New Scientist article about technological populism - we see all too many examples of that). And the mini series is mostly about animals – not natural history, but the science of genetic modification.

Animal Farm is the sort of programme that perhaps only Channel 4 has the guts to commission. It avoids the Brave New World and Frankenstein cliches, although it does include some weird and wonderful animals (mostly used in food production). The concept involves two presenters who investigate GM from different perspectives but in a very straightforward way. Dr Olivia Judson is an enthusiastic scientist, while Giles Coren is a sceptical foodie. I loved Sam Wollaston’s review in today’s Guardian which characterised both of them as GM creatures.

But there should have been more rigorous testing of the GM food. It’s all very well Giles Coren appealing to the yuk factor and having his prejudices confirmed by the apparently bland taste of his ‘GM’ steak, but where was the blind taste test?

Next week I’m hoping to see some cute mice instead of featherless chickens and muscle bound cattle. The real benefits of genetically modifying animals are in medical research, which uses close to one million GM mice every year in the UK alone.