The Astronomers Boxed Set (1990)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Features:

• 6-episode series on 2 discs (5 hr 42 min running time)
  

Rating: NR, suitable for all audiences

Anamorphic: N/A, presented in original TV aspect ratio.

My Advice: Own it.

Ever wondered what the Universe was made of? Perhaps you want to know how it's put together, and where the sign would be if you could create a map saying "you are here"? Or maybe you're just fascinated with time, stardust, or black holes? The Astronomers will investigate all these questions and more, with in-depth looks at the astronomers themselves who have devoted their lives to a search for answers.

This series is a breath of fresh air for documentaries. Without resulting to Sesame Street animations or MTV-type flash and dash, The Astronomers keeps you glued to the screen the way education should be entertaining: with the strength of the material and the nature enthusiasm that specialists in a field bring to study. You'll see why people become astronomers, as well as what they do, and along the way learn a great deal about your Universe.

The Astronomers presents six different episodes, each explaining an important aspect of astrophysics today. Primarily focusing upon contemporary astronomers who are actually doing the work they're discussing, viewers get to meet these brilliant individuals and become infected with their enthusiasm. Viewers are taken inside world-famous observatories and labs to see where the work happens and what it looks like as it happens.

The Astronomers does a great job of balancing complexity with accessibility. Viewers who know next to nothing about, for example, dark matter will not feel left out in the cold, but old hands to physics won't be bored either. From a look at black holes to the search for planets outside our solar system, six of astronomy's most intriguing mysteries are covered in depth with clarity and inspiration.

The features are non-existent, but the sound and video quality are really the focus here. The entire series is contained in the box set, making it much more convenient to follow the narrative of the overall series. However, it would have been nice to have a gallery of current images added to the older images of the series itself, or perhaps even a timeline or something to place discoveries in their temporal context. A documentary of this type might also have benefited from a computer tie-in, such as online links to find more information.

The video quality is excellent, especially as views are so important to astronomy. While some of the views are now ten years old, the beauty and importance of the selected images is as interesting today as it was when they were cutting edge. The sound was also excellent, just as it would be if you were watching the series fresh on television. The interviewees have clear, crisp voices, so that you can understand every word they say and follow their theories.

Fans of astronomy and science will no doubt give this series a chance and be well rewarded for their faith, but those of you who have less experience with science will enjoy it also. People who are fond of biographies will love the look at the scientists making scientific history in cosmology and astronomy, and those viewers who just enjoy gorgeous sites and interesting stories will appreciate the information presented. Anyone who has ever hungered to know more about the Universe in which we are all stuck will be well-pleased with this series. The producers have gone out of their way to create something full of information, but not the dry, pedantic documentary that you fear you'll get.