Wonders of the Solar System

Continues a fantastic tradition in the making of science documentaries. Yes, I'm talking about the grand tradition of making science film documentaries with ever-increasing narcissism. Brian Cox has made a remarkable series of videos. About himself and about the universe as well. He's on a grand mission to teach humanity about the wonders of .. every zit on his face. In some of the scenes, his face literally covers the entire screen, for several minutes. Now, imagine watching that on IMAX! If he could please get even closer to the camera, we could perhaps see the individual cells in his skin, and the visuals could perhaps get more scientific that way!

Having said all that, I'd still watch this over "Last Man Standing" any day, hence the 9 stars.

Brian Cox is the kind of man who can incite excitement in adults, change career paths of the young, and generally engage and include people of all levels of intelligence. His rock star credentials have clearly allowed him to transcend stereotypical geekiness, and purvey complex matters in simplistic formats. Maybe he is a genius? A man who clearly has a highly active brain in both the areas of arts and science. It is just such a guy that the country needs as it seeks to transform itself from a Nation of number crunching Accountants to a re-establishing Nation of scientists, engineers and innovators. He is clearly a reminder of what we once were and what this great Nation once spawned, and more importantly he has answered some of the biggest questions that have shadowed mankind since the creation of time.

Our family loves this series, and it offers something for all ages. Professor Brian Cox is remarkably youthful in his presentations and appearance, and his fresh approach is accessible and exciting to watch. Brian has a wonderful way of bringing together modern and classic topics of astronomy to produce a truly breathtaking experience. In Episode 1, Empire of the Sun, Brian discusses the elements of the Solar Wind, its vast expanse, and the how our magnetic field protects us from these high energy particles. Then there's a tremendous visual and narrative the clearly explains the Northern Lights. And Brian is constantly traveling the globe to experience first hand these wonders. When Brian is viewing a full solar eclipse, he presents the event in the context of the everyone around him witnessing this remarkable event. When the sky goes dark, I could actually see what it was like for these folks, and minutes later, when the sun begins to reappear, you can really feel the emotional outburst of the crowd. Each episode is dramatically and skillfully crafted for an unbelievable experience. Not since the days of Carl Sagan and Cosmos have we enjoyed these wonders.

Many reviewers I believe are entirely missing the point of this documentary series, people complain about the lack of complexity and detail. It is very clear that Brian has an immense passion for what he is talking about and wishes to share that passion, to show those who had no prior interest in science what it is all about.

If you are looking for an array of fun little facts about the solar system then this isn't for you, I can recommend "The Universe" documentary series for that. If you are already a fan of science and enjoy watching other similar documentaries then chances are you won't learn a great deal, but again that isn't the point.

Brian is trying to show that there is more to science than learning facts and is attempting to illustrate the wonderous side of science. Many it seems are utterly unable to handle anything that isn't loaded with CGI and facts. But for those who can enjoy a humble and passionate series presented by a humble and passionate presenter, I would recommend this series to.

Granted Brian Cox is no Carl Sagan and this series is no 'Cosmos' it can definitely do what it sets out to do which is to inspire those capable of holding a child-like sense of wonder and a passion for deeper thinking.

This series will encourage the curious minds to think deeper about things and won't attempt to overload you by repeatedly shouting interesting space facts at you.

This show legitimately changed my life when I first watched it. I finally understood what the point of physics lessons at school were. But more than that, it set a fire within me to learn more, not just about astronomy but about all science. I became interested in biology, history, culture, psychology all because I'd watched this series. After watching it I realised the enormous gaps in my knowledge about how the world and the universe work. Although I know I will never completely fill those gaps, trying to do so gives my life purpose and brings me no end of pleasure.

Brain Cox is a wonderful science presenter who makes it easy to grasp the basics of very complex ideas. The visuals are gorgeous and the soundtrack is a perfect match for them. I can't thank the BBC enough for creating this series.