First aired in 1980 this series, written and presented by astronomer Carl Sagan, has one of the most ambitious aims of any documentary; to teach us about the vast Cosmos around us. From distant galaxies, nearby stars and the planets around us to the history of life on our planet from its ancient beginnings to modern humanity. There is also speculation; is there more life out there on other planets and if so what is it like? Will we ever find proof of such life or will we somehow destroy ourselves? There is also the history of science and scientists from ancient Greece to the renaissance to modern times.
The success of this series is largely down to Carl Sagan; his presentation shows his passion for the subject and this passion is passed on to the viewer. I first watched the series as a child and found it awe inspiring; especially the then recent revelations about our solar system revealed by various probes; most notably the two Voyager missions. Watching again thirty five years later the series feels almost as fresh as it did then; some of the science has obviously progressed but this doesn't feel dated and the DVD does include some 'science updates'. The special effects might show their age slightly at times but that doesn't distract from the information Sagan is trying to impart.
The success of this series is largely down to Carl Sagan; his presentation shows his passion for the subject and this passion is passed on to the viewer. I first watched the series as a child and found it awe inspiring; especially the then recent revelations about our solar system revealed by various probes; most notably the two Voyager missions. Watching again thirty five years later the series feels almost as fresh as it did then; some of the science has obviously progressed but this doesn't feel dated and the DVD does include some 'science updates'. The special effects might show their age slightly at times but that doesn't distract from the information Sagan is trying to impart.