HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: The Universe: The Complete Series Megaset

The Universe

The Complete Megaset

Studio: History Channel
Year: 2007-2010
US Rating: NR
Film Length: 3055 Minutes (16 Disc Set)
Video: 1080P High Definition 16X9 - 1.78:1
Audio: PCM 2.0 (Uncompressed) Audio / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English

Release Date: April 26, 2011

Review Date: April 24, 2011

“In the beginning there was darkness, and then – Bang – giving birth to an endless expanding existence of time, space, and matter. Everyday new discoveries are unlocking the mysterious the mind-blowing, the deadly secrets of a place we call – the Universe. "

Introduction

Humanity is on the precipice of unlocking the foundational mathematics of everything. Not the meaning of life itself, but what all the complex mathematics that makes up the theoretical constructs of everything from the smallest to the grandest pieces of our universe (string theory – and more deeply, M-Theory). When we look up into the night sky, through novice or professional telescopes and observatories, or even with the naked eye away from the light pollution of civilization, we are seeing but the tiniest sliver of what the grand universe has to offer. Like the theoretical vibrating strings of string theory – that may very well be the heart of the unifying theory of everything – we are just specks in the eye of the universe. The sense of being small and  insignificant in the majesty of the billions upon billions of galaxies – and yet big enough to ponder the meaning and scale of it all – is often captured by The Universe, a show that through its five seasons has found ways to educate and entertain simultaneously. This Complete Megaset containing all five seasons and the 3D presentation of 7 Wonders of the Solar System, is the perfect way to absorb everything this show has produced – whether there will be more is still to be determined – so this might just represent all there will be.

The Show: 4 out of 5

There’s a wannabe astrophysicist inside me wanting to get out. If I was just a little smarter, and demonstrated a penchant for remembering the complex mathematics that are ingrained requirements of that fascinating scientific field, I would be applying to be apprentice to Dr. Neil DeGrasse Dyson with disturbing frequency. But alas, that is not the path meant for me, and so shows like The History Channels The Universe serve up delicious, lamens-term loaded eye and brain candy that dance on the precipice of the meaty mechanics that churn at the center of understanding the rich and riveting realities of the realm of everything around our little blue planet.

Confidently narrated by Erik Thomas, the approach of The Universe is to explore the fantastic side of science, and explore the giddy, tantalizing spheres of possibility in the quest to understand the universe around us. And the balance between ideas grounded in plausible scientific hypothesis, and the outright off-the-wall, upper end of possibilities spectrum (more commonly the realm of science-fiction than science fact) is reasonably well maintained.  

For legitimate students in the study of galaxies, supernovae, gamma ray bursts (GRB), particle physics, the unified theory of relativity, and countless other elements that make up the canvass of study for everything not held hostage by Earth’s gravity, The Universe will seem too pulpy to be taken seriously. But there are incredibly complex theories and scientific questions under investigation through this series. Episodes through this series cover just about everything imaginable (and a few unimaginable items) including Death Stars. The mere name conjures a snicker of delight in sci-fi fanboys, and the narrator happily makes mention of the Star Wars ultimate weapon, but almost surreptitiously, information is unloaded on to the viewer on the nature of gamma ray bursts (truly a deadly phenomena), how they are created, where the nearest likely source to threaten our planet lies, and how the creation and explosion of stars throughout time have distributed heavier elements about the universe making such explosive forces (which create the GRB in the first place) less common than earlier in the history of everything we know.

The entire first season is primarily is concerned with our backyard of planets, planetoids, asteroids, meteors, and the average star we call the Sun, and runs the gamut of stories from the secrets of our live-giving star, the mysterious ringed planets, and our silent orbiting partner, the Moon. This set also includes the documentary ‘Beyond the Big Bang’. Perhaps due to a particular adoration of the ringed planet – it was the first solar system object that I saw through my telescope that literally took my breath away but the episode Saturn: Lord of the Rings is a standout. Though the subject matter becomes somewhat diluted as the seasons progress, as the meatier concepts have been explored earlier, The Universe still manages to pique curiosity about everything around us beyond the stratosphere!

The Universe has at its disposal a talented team of computer animators bringing to life in vivid detail, and with exciting visuals, many of the concepts explored in each episode. In the episode covering ways in which the earth could be destroyed, the CGI artists clearly have had fun smashing, disintegrating, and cracking apart our fair blue planet. It is this sense of fun and wonder that makes this show such a pleasure to watch. During the episode pitting science-fiction against science-fact, Star Trek writer and science advisor, Andre Bormanis appears to discuss transporter technology, as does Battlestar Galactica’s science advisor, Kevin Grazier. Calling upon hidden heroes of the sci-fi realm is fun fodder for the show. And all this exciting scientific possibility, mixed with excellent CGI work, is punctuated with legitimacy by the appearance and postulations of noted scientists, astrophysicists, and other assorted ‘nerds’, such as Alex Filippenko of the University of California, Berkeley, and Pamela L. Gay, of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. 

A cynic might call The Universe ‘dumbed-down’ science, but as a person with a greedy love of all things related to the formation and continued mystery of the universe, and a persistent desire to read all things written by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Stephen Hawkin, or Brian Greene (and his excellent The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory), I find The Universe to be as persistently entertaining.

The Episodes:

The Video:  4 out of 5

The image quality throughout the five seasons (over 16 discs) is remarkably consistent and looks very good on blu-ray. The computer generated graphics are incredibly sharp, super-clean, fluid, and high-quality rendered. The filmed sequences, including the interviews with guests and regular experts, and the analogous demonstrations filmed, look good here. Only the occasional use of stock footage stands out as being of poorer quality (as you can expect from stock footage). The Universe is a bright show, with vibrant yellows, blues, reds, and greens used in the graphics really showing off the look of this show.

As for the last disc – the 3D presentation of 7 Wonders of the Solar System (which can be seen in 2D on disc one of season 5), from Ron Epstein’s review the following observations were made:

The image quality and 3D rendering is perfectly fine. There's a decent amount of separation within the computer animation but one can't help but think that they took old footage and upconverted it.  The 3D actually looks far better when it is focused on live-action such as scientists and various nature footage.

Don't expect much "In Yo' Face" 3D despite the fact that the show tries so hard to throw space debris at the screen. Most all of it stays firmly within its own dimension.  The only truly interesting piece of footage in this entire documentary consists of an actual 3D image taken from space of the Sun which pokes itself out from the screen towards the viewer. There are traces of ghosting to be seen here though nothing persistent enough to ruin the 3D experience.

The Sound: 2.5 out of 5 (4 out of 5 for the 3D Disc)

Curiously, and disappointingly, each season of this show is presented with an underwhelming PCM 2.0 uncompressed audio. When broadcast on History HD, the explosions, scenes of destruction, and even the rumble of the music provide a solid audio accompaniment to the series, but on blu, there is no depth of dimension. Erik Thompson’s narration, and the voices of those interviewed, can be heard out of the front speakers (rather than the center channel), and the lack of activity in the surrounds, while images of the universe zip by, and rogue black holes devour matter and light, is noticeable and disappointing. The audio is extremely crisp – but as a partner to the fine image, fails to deliver what is required. The 3D disc, however, comes with a better sound mix. From Ron Epstein’s review of the 3D disc, the following observations were made:

The Blu-ray features a robust 5.1 DTS soundtrack that features clear narration supported by a bass-heavy music soundtrack. The rears provide ambience for the space effects which include asteroids that pass from front to rear as well as wind noise;  Nothing overly immersive but just effective enough.

The Extras: 3 out of 5

Season One:

Feature Length Documentary: Beyond the Big Bang

Season Two:

Backyard Astronomers

Season Three:

Universe Facts

Photo Gallery

Season Four:

Meteors: Fire in the Sky (9:32)

Comets: Prophets of Doom (3:17)

Season Five – No Extras

7 Wonders of the Solar System – No Extras

Final Thoughts

I am an unabashed fan of this show. The flirting with concepts that astonish and fascinate is alluring, and the fun of the show is consistent. For every diversion into how the Earth could end up fried, smashed, or imploded, is a discussion or explanation of the Higgs-Boson particle, miniature black holes, quasars, quantum entanglement, and other assorted elements of a universe far vaster and varied than any human imagination could possibly hope to match. This set is recommended for science and budding astrophysics enthusiasts and Highly Recommended for fans of the series that have yet to pick up any of the series.

Overall 4 out of 5

Neil Middlemiss

Kernersville, NC