National Geographic - Ape Man (NG) (2013) Part 1 The Alpha Male

Ape Man

Do apes and humans have the same way of flirting and trying to hook up? Do men meeting for the first time look classically like chimpanzees establishing dominance? And do children sneaking candy parallel chimps deceiving their alpha male? Six million years ago, we branched off from the family tree we share with our ape cousins and monkey uncles. We may have evolved since then, but there's still an ape in all of us…. You may have evolved over the past six million years, but there's still an ape in all of us. Ape Man combines stunts, humorous experiments, hidden-camera footage and expert analysis to demonstrate the curious, unspoken customs that govern your behaviour. Presented by Brit actor Peter Elliot (dubbed ‘the film industry's primary primate’) this one-off special explores the daily battles for power, territory, sex and allegiance. aka Going Ape.

Part 1: The Alpha Male

Food and sex: with all the benefits that come with being the alpha male, it's no surprise that male apes work so hard to get to the top. But it's not just our chimpanzee cousins who are in a constant struggle for power. From the world leader's power walk and the CEO's dominance posture, to our subtle everyday power struggles with strangers, this episode explores how those similar instincts remain, and how - just like in the jungle - so many human interactions can be a battle to become king of the swingers.