If you are interested in this series, you've obviously looking for knowledge. This show is both enlightening and surprisingly slapdash given how much content there is to absorb.
Firstly, the good. I have had many questions about the universe and this show has answered many of my questions. That in itself is a huge plus for this series. The content is digestible and paced well. The general structure within an episode is easy to follow and logical.
The Bad Part 1. This show often resorts to hyperbole and sloppy language. It leaves the audience with the impression these people really don't know what they're talking about. Multiple things are THE most powerful single thing in the universe. Then, the ONLY reason we are here is because of this single phenomena ... but this other phenomena is also the ONLY reason we are here. This thing is infinitesimally small (which is impossible but they still say it). In each episode, I find multiple statements grating. Keep in mind, these people are scientists. You don't need hyperbole to communicate ideas. If you want sloppy language and half baked ideas, use hyperbole. To educate, just stick to the facts!
The Bad Part 2. There are way too many presenters. Rather than picking the best presenter for their knowledge and communication skills, they're picked to tick boxes. It's disappointing and distracting. Jani Radebaugh is easy to listen to and she's very knowledgeable. There's a young African American girl who is almost unintelligible (her Bronx accent may be understandable in the Bronx, but across the entire world... she's hard to understand and it's very distracting). Then you get ridiculous analogies about roller-blading, wedding rings, etc. that really don't help. This dumbs the show down, especially when they spent a long time showing a car being processed in a chop shop! The creators should go back and watch "The Ascent of Man" from the 70s ... a show that NEVER talked down to its audience. Cut out about 90% of the presenters. Look for someone who speaks in an international voice and someone who knows their stuff who can communicate well. Michio Kaku is lovely to listen to ... but he's a little aloof at times. However, his passion is contagious and I'd be happy to see him again.
And now for the funnies. My young child heard a presenter talking about hairy black holes ... and lost it! When a young child thinks that scientists are pulling a fast one (cracking a rude joke), it made my day. And it keeps the kids entertained! You can be factual, non-Woke and entertaining! Woke is a huge turn-off in education!
Michelle Thaller said something i'd like the producer/director to listen to carefully. She said her inspiration came from Luke in Star Wars. She was inspired, regardless of the skin color and sex of the star. Can you please note that and stop pushing woke politics to tick boxes!!
And lastly, I'd like to finish on Erik Dellums. If I ignore Erik's race baiting YouTube content, I love his work as Koh the Face Stealer ... his voice is amazing. However, as a narrator, he was totally the wrong voice for this show. By far, the best narration voice is Richard Lintern ... can you please please please start focussing on what the audience wants and will enable them to absorb the content the most? It's not some Bronx accent or roller derby. Please just eliminate woke from education. Is that too much to ask for? Jani is excellent ... not because she's a woman but because her knowledge and presentation style fits the content perfectly. Many other presenters are just wrong and quite distracting. It's as if the creators want to annoy the audience.
Review of How the Universe Works
