Imagine if you will that Doctor Who had a brilliant hippie brother named Brian Cox who visited Earth and decided to settle down and smoke a little weed instead of flying around the universe in the TARDIS. Now, imagine that he teamed up with the BBC to travel around the planet, hang out with sea turtles, and blow people's minds with the second law of thermodynamics and the arrow of time. BBC's Wonders of the Universe is a nature documentary series that knocked me off my feet because it is a documentary series that I always wanted but never knew I did. Not only is it shot beautifully and shows parts of the world I might not see in my lifetime but Professor Brian Cox's narration and style makes Wonders of the Universe completely different from Discovery Channel'sPlanet Earth (the standard all others try to live up to) or the numerous IMAX documentaries that have great cinematography but paper-thin messages about saving the environment.
Wonders of the Universe is split into four segments titled “Destiny,” “Stardust,” “Falling,” and “Messengers.” Each episode is narrated by Professor Brian Cox who, despite his vast knowledge of the universe, still has an obvious desire to learn and understand Earth's place in the universe. The whole series runs about 232 minutes in total length or about 58 minutes per episode.
The pacing is a little slower than some of the other nature documentaries out there, and some people might complain that Cox meanders and wanders off topic a lot. Still, I didn't mind because all of his tangents eventually came together by the end of the episode. Besides, the slower pace gave me more time to admire the cinematography, which looks great in high-definition, and as cheesy as it sounds, there were moments of real wonder, even as Cox is talking about stars burning out and our own planet ending. BBC's Wonders of the Universe isn't just for the usual nature documentary crowd but reaches beyond that to appeal to anyone with a good mind and a healthy curiosity.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
There are no special features on the Blu-ray release.
"Wonders of the Universe" is on sale August 30, 2011 and is not rated. Documentary, Education. Directed by Chris Holt, Stephen Cooter. Written by Brian Cox. Starring Brian Cox.
