The Universe - The Complete Season One (History Channel)

The Universe - The Complete Season One (History Channel)

The Universe - The Complete Season One (History Channel)
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DVD details

Actor: The Universe
Brand: A&E
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 705 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-11-20
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: A&E HOME VIDEO

DVD Reviews of The Universe - The Complete Season One (History Channel)

DVD Review: the universe sucks (but the TV series is pretty good).
Summary: 4 Stars

No doubt these days especially but probably as long as our species exists people will want to think positively of the universe and not think it's a drag. A friend told me, "It's all we got" and so it is and I dont care too much for it. Now before I type another word I should say again that this series brought to us by the History Channel is actually quite good. The History Channel has, it would seem, stepped up it's game. I recall a few years ago or so coming across virtually nothing but shows about Hitler and the Third Reich. 80% of the time Adolf, the other 15% military related and usually WW2 stuff and the sliver of remaining programming was reserved for the rest of history, human or otherwise. But times, or ratings, haved changed and we are now treated to history programs that cover everything from Hitler to supernovas and beyond. Universe the series has familiar spokesmen for the universe Michio Kaku, Alexei Filippenko and Neil deGrasse Tyson who are entertaining, likable fellows with contagious enthusiasm. They all could have had careers at PR firms or in advertising. The production value is top-notch and we're treated to some great pictures of real planets and stars and of course CGI images of stuff. It's not only hard but sometimes impossible to take photos of some of much of the universe. So, it is quality TV and if you wanna tour the cosmos on DVD do it with Carl Sagan whose landmark series has been updated and if you want to take another trip the Hitler Channel will give you a good time. And now there are two seasons to enjoy. As for the universe sucking, I don't think you, me or anybody has to like it. It's not an ethical judgment and it doesn't mean being a curmudgeon. I find the place kinda creepy, absolutely bizarre and unfriendly --or uninviting if you like. What is called space is so vast you simply cannot imagine how big it is. By far most people have even less an idea of how enormous just our solar system is. Scientists know numbers and they can throw them at you and use them to figure out where to point telescopes and how to send satilights but scientists are humans too and so even they will admit it is actually impossible to grasp the sheer, staggering vastness of cold empty space. Check out the "Thousand Yard Model" for fun. Optimistic predictions to the contrary, I doubt human beings will ever leave the solar system. It is simply too big and even if they do they will not go far. Going at light speed they will not go far and from what scientists believe they know of the universe I'm skeptical people will reach light speed. And then where to go? It looks now like there could be life scattered across the universe, but most likely similar to that at the bottom of the deepest oceans around geothermal vents. In anycase it's in worlds we probably couldn't survive on. Our human type of life I guess you could put it, is surely rare. In practical terms, we are alone. And if -if- there is "intelligent" life "out there" it is so far away we will likely never have contact. But if people do meet aliens my bet is they'll be sorry. Judging how people treat "lower life forms" if the aliens are advanced to a point where they can travel to us...yikes. Well, I'm getting this about aliens from Stephen Hawking (not present in the series). Hawking also pretty much rules out time travel, except for particles. And so we're on this planet and our species seems hell bent on ruing it to a point that human type life might not survive or will at least be stuck in a wasteland. And when it's all said and done in about 1 billion years or so the Sun will balloon out as a "red giant", burning away the atmosphere and oceans. I also find so called "black holes" with their "event horizons" the stuff of nightmares (I love how that the French thought the term obscene). And then what's the deal with "dark matter"? They don't know--that's why it's called dark matter. We can't see it and don't understand it yet. This mystery stuff--which btw is what most of the universe is made of--plays a role in the whether the universe stops expanding, keeps on expanding or stops expanding and then falls back into itself destroying everything in existence. Wonderfull. At the moment it's looking like the universe will expand forever which sounds cool except that everything is moving even further away from everything else so that eventually space will be starless and pitch black from almost any point of view and nothing will be in reach of nothing. In the end all suns will die and new suns will not be born and no new planets either. Well, they have lots of ideas about what's going on and what might or might not happen. They're still learning, so I hope a lot of what they say is wrong, but of course we'll all be so long dead what's it matter. And well, anyway the universe IS fun to contemplate and does make for some great TV when relaxing after work or whatever.

DVD Review: The complete idiot's guide to the galaxy
Summary: 5 Stars

Although the presentation could have been organized a little better, this series is an excellent introduction to the current knowledge and theories in astronomy.

It's very up-to-date, mentioning discoveries made as recently as 2007.
The visuals are mostly cutting edge too, with some occasional CGI effects from the late 80s ;).

Overall, a very informative and engaging series, with excellent educational value.

DVD Review: The Universe -- a mind boggling revelation
Summary: 5 Stars

Ahhh the Universe, a mind-boggling, imagination-defying subject. This is an excellent documentary, presented in layman's terms, of what the universe is all about. No complex terminologies or head scratching terms, everything is laid out in a simple and comprehensible presentation. It reveals places in our solar system that is totally outrageous and different in Earth's standards. Your imagination will start to unfold as the scenes visits the surface of each planet--Venus being a hellish place where volcanoes abound, Mars having the tallest Volcano in the solar system measuring 15 miles high, Jupiter having the biggest and longest running storms, Saturn having no solid surface, Neptune with seas of liquid methane and Uranus whose poles are tilted sideways. It also dwells on the galaxies whose size and distance from the Earth just purely defies the imagination! This documentary will open your mind (and fascination) on how the Universe functions.

DVD Review: The Universe...An excellent deal with great possibilities!
Summary: 5 Stars

Excellent product, as described, and a great transaction with no glitches. Most highly recommend!

DVD Review: incredible
Summary: 5 Stars

this series is amazing. so glad to see a channel dedicated the money to creating the beautiful and fascinating visual simulations and explanations of the bizarre universe we live in.

Description of The Universe - The Complete Season One (History Channel)

From the mysteries of our own solar system those that surround unexplored galaxies, history and science collide in this ambitious investigation of the Universe.

Questions about the Universe have consumed man since the dawn of time. In the 50 years since humans made their first tentative explorations of space, we have increased our knowledge of the cosmos dramatically, using powerful telescopes, robotic probes, and manned missions. But only recently has computer technology allowed scientists to illustrate in stunning detail their awe-inspiring conclusions. THE UNIVERSE, a groundbreaking series from THE HISTORY CHANNEL?, employs cutting-edge computer-generated imagery to bring distant planets and faraway stars up close, allowing viewers to gaze at black holes and comets, and witness the births and deaths of galaxies and solar systems.

This epic miniseries takes viewers on an exhilarating voyage through the cosmos. From the farthest reaches of distant galaxies back to the familiar face of our moon, THE UNIVERSE brings the mysteries of the heavens down to earth.
The sky and outer space have fascinated man for centuries and the History Channel's series The Universe is the story of man's study of the cosmos from his earliest attempts to map and understand the heavens through modern day scientific studies, advances, and theories. A mix of historical footage, modern space imaging, and conceptual computer graphics presented in high-definition, the visual component of this production is absolutely breathtaking. Each of the 13 44-minute episodes begins with a general introduction of subjects ranging from the sun to individual planets, alien galaxies, the search for extra-terrestrial life, and scientific theories like the Big Bang. Each topic is then broken down into a series of segments that detail specific ideas, theories, or components integral to the understanding of the main topic as well as historical material, current studies and theories, and projections of potential future events and scientific advances. The 90-minute "Beyond the Big Bang" feature relates "the story of everything"--from the universe's formation following the "Big Bang" to its eventual projected demise from unchecked expansion dubbed the "Big Rip." Leading experts from universities and scientific institutions around the world do a great job of taking very complex subjects like galaxies with spiral density arms and relating them to easily graspable concepts like a city with a downtown core surrounded by suburbs and plagued by freeway traffic jams. Amazing photographs from the Hubble space telescope, infrared views from the Spitzer space telescope, and x-ray images from the Chandra X-ray Observatory augment understanding as do demonstrations of modern science's ability to simulate historical events like the formation of earth and to project future cosmic events. The Universe is a fascinating and understandable study of space that speaks to viewers ranging from the generally curious to the serious student of cosmology. --Tami Horiuchi

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