(The 10/10 rating applies to the first two seasons.) "People come together, coz we're all made of stars..." Don't be a ninny like Moby, quoting a fraction of a scientific detail you overheard from a documentary program while channel-hopping during a cocaine-induced stupor (vegan cocaine, I gather...). Watch the whole thing. Because if the hairless, tone-deaf, talentless, nepotistic little turntable bunny had listened more carefully, he would have known that we're all made of supernovas. Besides, whereas it is true that most of us are made of stars, certain NY jet-set nerds are made of sewer material which I hear is made out of dung, not stars...Astronomy and cosmology in particular have reached their Golden Age, and have been experiencing a sort of accelerated evolution, in the past decade or so, with dozens of major new discoveries. What better way to present them to science fans and utterly clueless science-illiterate masses (people like Moby and his fans) than with this slickly executed TV series. The CGI sequences are top-notch, the best scientific minds of the day have their say, the shows move at a brisk pace, and the material is sufficiently simplified so that about a fifth of all potential viewers can follow it. (A fifth: that is a LOT.) Unfortunately, the vast majority of people don't even know whether cosmology is a science or a new religious cult for Hollywood's "intelligentsia", let alone what fascinating questions, theories, and facts had been brought forward recently in this field. When one considers that various "holy books" are still top-sellers while less than 0.1% of the population has an inkling what a Big Rip is, then it's small wonder that Western Civilization has been going the way of profound dumbing-down in recent decades. Idiocracy, here we come! Madonna's latest Third-World kidnapping (sorry, adoption) is so much more interesting to the sheep than concepts such as a cosmological decade or a quasar.I would particularly recommend TU to bog-worshipers, esoterics, the astrology-obsessed, and other witch-finders, ghost-seekers, and sasqwatch-spotters. TU might widen their horizons, make them finally aware that a real world exists out there, completely oblivious about and almost entirely unrelated to the numerous fantasy worlds humans had been concocting for eons out of pure abject fear. (Cosmic insecurity is a bitch.) Nevertheless, I am also aware that only five minutes of almost any TU episode would put off these viewer demographics from watching the rest, forever. There is no cure against Dummheit.The first two seasons are a must, and should be checked out first. The very best: "Dark Matter/Dark Energy", "Life & Death Of A Star", "Cosmic Apocalypse", "The Outer Planets". Other superior episodes: "Cosmic Holes", "Alien Moons", "Saturn", "Jupiter", "Alien Planets", "Secrets of the Sun", "The Biggest Things In Space".The lesser episodes are the ones dealing with space travel/colonization. Still quite interesting, but with too many of those laughable Mickey Mouse fantasy scenarios about terra-forming of alien planets and sending faster-than-light ships to other solar systems. Humanity will never move a millimeter beyond Mars, and when I say "humanity" I mean just the dozen or so luckless urine-sniffers (astronauts) who'll probably end up leaving their bones on the "red plant". I'll sooner believe that Tim Robbins comes up with a cure for the swine flu than that a successful colony will ever be established on Mars.So what happens when a Moby particle hits an anti-Moby particle? Something wonderful.

My views are already well presented in the first review of this title. But what I will say to those of you who argue that it really is a great show for those who are not familiar with astronomy and physics, it's not. And I want to warn off 12 year old kids as well, more than others, they might be watching it thinking this comet with 99.9% chance of NOT crashing into earth is something worth worrying about. As others also have written, this series rely more on sensationalism than actual science, and I find it hard to believe these educated astronomers would actually have anything to do with this War of the Worlds fiction. As they spit out random theory after theory, I find myself with my palm to my forehead more often than I'm actually intrigued.If the argument for watching this is that it's supposedly easy and understandable to "beginners of astronomy", then I strongly recommend watching Wonders of the Solar System in stead. It's a BBC production with professor Brian Cox as the presenter. Note that although he actually is a professor in particle physics, he still explains everything in simple terms without sounding like the voice-over for action trailers. Also, the imagery and animations in this series are beautiful, not like The Universe's cheap Hollywood production.

It really feels like the understand. Why? Because what i was looking for was a show that could teach me about the big damn universe. And so far, it really has. The only problem is, I've gotten addicted, and now i want around 600 episodes, not 50.Since i have already finished all the seasons, i have had to watch them all over again! Which is great, coz documentaries like this, is not like movies. Good movies you watch once. Great movies you watch twice. Favorite movie, you watch until you hate it. But a show like this, you never stop with! So much fact, some simplified so all can learn and understand!I love the space. It's big, and i want to learn more about it! This show has helped my understand so much! So. Do you like space? Do you like astronomy? Well then, you should really, really watch this show! It is so great!Give it a chance, and you will be truly amazed by the show's quality.

First a disclaimer. I could only tolerate watching two episodes: Life and Death of a Star, and Saturn. My 16 year old son was turned-off following only one episode.We found this introduction to astronomy and cosmology not only disappointing, but just plain irritating; not so much for the information it presents which is quite broad and at times fascinating, but for the presentation itself.I couldn't help but come away from each episode feeling that I had been insulted. It was as if the producers had instructed most of the scientists - and in particular the narrator - to speak as if they were addressing an audience of children. The information is presented in a dumbed-down manner, with the presumption that the audience isn't particularly bright or sophisticated, and has a short attention span.CGI is used far too lavishly, replacing much more fascinating astronomical images and intelligent discourse. The sensational and dangerous is emphasized rather than the awe and mystery of our universe. What I found very exasperating was the manner in which ideas were presented in a silly and unscientific manner. For example, one section described a hypothetical collision between our sun and a white dwarf. The narrator breathlessly said that the white dwarf would strike the sun at "supersonic speed". What? Does that mean we'd hear a sonic boom through the vacuum of space? It was this sort of laughable dialog that made me want to reach for the power-off switch.I couldn't help but draw comparisons between The Universe, and Carl Sagan's Cosmos and current BBC productions. Despite being somewhat dated now, Cosmos is a far superior production. I remember watching it spellbound in the early 1980s, and I believe it was responsible for arousing my interest in cosmology which lasts to this day. Similarly, BBC productions on cosmology, indeed virtually any BBC documentary, stands head and shoulders above The Universe. Watch Planet Earth, for example, and you'll see what I mean.So in summary if you are under the age of 12 The Universe might be your cup of tea. But if you are looking for an intelligent and thought provoking series, you might be disappointed.