Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Universe: Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray Movie Review

Forty-four episodes, thirty-five hours, three seasons, and a partridge in a pear tree...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 13, 2009

Has there ever been a more compelling, more confounding quest than the search for the secrets of the universe? How many billions of people have asked themselves whether chance, fate, or a supreme deity holds the reigns of existence? How many intellectuals and laymen have longed to understand the very nature of the cosmos? Young or old, rich or poor, brilliant or simpleminded, curious souls have spent countless millennia searching for answers they may never find; investing their days, faith, money, and effort into uncovering the truth at the heart of reality. Thankfully, we live in a day and age where the latest information is available at the click of button, making our search for answers decidedly easier. Whether perusing the internet or soaking up a sprawling documentary series like The Universe, anyone with the time and willpower can begin to amass as much knowledge as they desire.

The strange wonders of our universe are simply breathtaking...

For anyone who isn't already intimately familiar with The Universe, you're in for quite a treat. The ongoing History Channel series has spent the last three years investigating the far reaches of space; everything from neighboring planets to distant solar systems, enduring suns to collapsing stars, and shimmering comets to indescribable phenomena. In its first mesmerizing season, series creator Tony Long sets his focus on the heavenly bodies we see every day, refining our view and understanding of our own solar backyard: the Milky Way galaxy. In "Secrets of the Sun" we learn about the life-giving star that simultaneously nurtures and threatens our young planet, providing everything we need and fear in a single, blazing force of cosmic nature. From there, "Mars: The Red Planet," "Jupiter: The Giant Planet," "The Moon," "Mercury and Venus: The Inner Planets," "Spaceship Earth," "Saturn: Lord of the Rings," and "The Outer Planets" deliver a point by point tour of the planets and moons that populate our solar system, spending a generous amount of time at each destination and relying on endless scientific fact, theory, and universal history to paint a portrait of the space surrounding Earth. Thankfully, these episodes aren't basic, remedial overviews that rehash grade-school tidbits and factoids -- they're intriguing, complex, at-times thrilling explorations of the neighboring planets whose existence we take for granted every time we glance at the night sky.

Even more interesting is "The End of the Earth: Deep Space Threats to our Planet," an ominous look at the dangers -- asteroids, comets, solar flares, and other notable global killers -- that frequently brush by our homeworld; "Alien Galaxies," the series' first extended jaunt into the far cosmos; "Life and Death of a Star," a stunning look at the destructive powers that lie within suns in countless galaxies across the universe; "The Most Dangerous Place in the Universe," a fun filled visit with hot spots like black holes and other nasty surprises; and "Search for ET," an investigation of life (or the lack thereof) in the universe at large. In all, Season One is a fitting introduction to Earth's stomping grounds as well as a tantalizing preview of the topics and locations covered in future entries in the series. Over the course of each episode, a slew of experts, astronomers, and scientists provide an absorbing trek through the void that, despite an abundance of lofty concepts and challenging theories, should satisfy laymen and astro-buffs alike. While a fair amount of time is spent introducing facts and establishing the inner-workings of the Milky Way, it sets the stage for everything that follows.

For his second season, Long ups the interstellar ante, digging into material both casual viewers and amateur astronomers will find absolutely fascinating. Granted, several episodes -- "Mysteries of the Moon," "The Milky Way," "Space Travel," "Colonizing Space," and "Gravity" -- stick close to home, but the majority push deep into space and focus on a variety of recent discoveries. First up is "Alien Planets," "Astrobiology," and "Unexplained Mysteries," all of which dig into the latest theories surrounding life on other worlds, as well surprising new evidence that Earth may not be as unique as was once thought. An "Alien Planets" episode appears every season, but this one is by far my favorite. Bizarre and lethal as they are beautiful and alluring, the various worlds covered in this lively outing are still circling my brain. "Astrobiology" and "Unexplained Mysteries" are suitable companions as well, offering viewers the unique opportunity to not only examine strange new worlds, but to understand their creation and continuing development.

"Alien Moons," "Cosmic Holes," "Constellations," and "Biggest Things in Space" cover the physical properties of the universe, offering viewers an understanding of what they're actually seeing when they look at the stars. "Supernovas," "Cosmic Collisions," "Wildest Weather in the Cosmos," and the fittingly bleak "Cosmic Apocalypse" deal with the volatility of the universe and the startling spontaneity of its ongoing expansion. And "Dark Matter" and "Nebulas" hones in on things we've only just begun to understand; mysterious elements that shape and influence time, energy, and matter. Surprisingly, I never felt lost, I never felt overwhelmed, and I never felt as if the series had left me behind in favor of more knowledgeable viewers. It wasn't condescending or unwieldy either, forging ahead at a comfortable pace and urging me to keep up with its rapidly advancing episodes. With each passing episode, I knew I was retaining more information in a single television season than I had in an entire semester of astrophysics. Yes, some episodes are better than others (the Earth-bound entries, particularly in light of their universe-hopping brethren, remain my least favorite) but, on the whole, I was thoroughly pleased with the overall experience.

While The Universe's third season takes a small step back with just twelve episodes (as opposed to the second season's eighteen), I'm pleased to report they're just as engrossing, if not more so, than everything that's come before. The season starts off, quite literally, with a bang as "Deep Space Disasters" analyzes the perilous realities of modern space travel. From there "Parallel Universes," "Light Speed," "Alien Faces," "Living in Space" and, easily the series' oddest episode, "Sex in Space" -- a rather serious look at the challenges copulation and birth face in the cold, unforgiving confines of space -- detail the practical challenges faced by interstellar and, to a far lesser extent, interdimensional travel. While each one comes dangerously close to tipping over the edge of the science fiction ravine, they manage to maintain the tone of previous episodes and treat each subject with welcome sincerity. After a brief layover with "Deadly Comets and Meteors" (one of the only redundant episodes I've encountered in the series), "Another Earth" tackles the likelihood of finding another planet that possesses the same properties and life-sustaining traits as our own.

Season three draws to a close with "Stopping Armageddon," a look at the statistical probability of an asteroid or comet striking Earth, and the real technologies being developed to prevent it; "Strangest Things," a survey of various particles and quantum anomalies in the universe; "Edge of Space," a review of low-Earth orbit and commercial space travel; and "Cosmic Phenomena," a study of the properties, radiation, and particles that bombard Earth on a daily basis, and their effects on our world and lives. Taken as a twelve episode whole, it's certainly a more theoretical outing than Universe fans might expect -- particularly those who've only sampled the show's first season -- but it's just as rewarding. Packed with more fascinating information, startling theories, and scientific wonders than I can possibly process after a single sit-down, the series has proven itself to be a consistently entertaining and engaging intellectual treat; one that will continue to earn my affections for as long as the History Channel keeps it on the air.

The Universe: Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Universe Megaset features a trio of decent presentations -- seasons One and Three include a pair of 1080i/AVC-encoded transfers, while Season Two offers a comparable 1080i/VC-1 transfer -- that handle both the series' scattershot video sources and budgetary constraints in stride. Long's vibrant palette comes alive in high definition, flooding the screen with blazing suns bent on their galaxies' destruction, vivid waterworlds teeming with life, and inky expanses that extend beyond the series' star-soaked space. The CG sequences (while of varying quality) are fairly impressive, injecting color and visual oomph into what could have been a bland and cynical overview of the heavens. Textures are nicely rendered, edges are satisfying, and the overall presentation bests the seasons' DVD counterparts. Interview segments are strong as well, blessing each passionate participant with lifelike skintones and revealing fine details. Minor softness plagues their faces, but it isn't overly distracting. Granted, the series' video sources (comprised of everything from standard definition archive footage to problematic telescopic photography) make for an uneven viewing experience, but documentary enthusiasts will be completely unfazed by such inherent inconsistencies.

If I have any lingering complaint with each season (and, subsequently, each episode), it's that the technical image is unpredictable and unstable. Frequent (sometimes debilitating) artifacting is a constant distraction; black crush haunts the depths of space; heavy banding occasionally surrounds light sources, hurtling debris, and glowing particles; and minor aliasing continually threatens to undermine the otherwise attractive CG sequences. But all things considered -- including the limitations of the series' modest production values -- The Universe looks pretty good.

The Universe: Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sadly, The Universe's three seasons are burdened with unfulfilling PCM stereo mixes that rarely capture the pulse of the cosmos as readily and effectively as their video transfers. The series' narration and the majority of its interview segments are clean and intelligible, but a tad hemmed in. Likewise, outdoor interviews occasionally suffer from a variety of minor issues (air noise, hiss, and wind among them), but generally sound as good as can be expected. Unfortunately, effects are little more than flimsy additions to each mix, bass tones are dull and muddy, and scene transitions are thin and tinny. The series' musical score helps matters a bit, but ultimately underwhelms as the front-heavy sonics fail to draw the listener into the many wonders on display. I would have loved to hear solar flares blaze past my ears, to sit boldly amidst the destruction of an imploding star, or cower at the aural majesty of a massive black hole. Instead, I was left to my own devices on the outskirts of such phenomenal events, longing to hear them as they were meant to be heard.

Ah well, I suppose the PCM mixes could be a lot worse. Considering this is a History Channel documentary series -- one whose audio tracks weren't designed to deliver the weight, presence, or immersiveness of other high-end presentations -- the stereo mixes are passable additions to this release.

The Universe: Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Like most documentary releases, The Universe Megaset doesn't offer much in the way of supplemental material. Season One delivers the meatiest extra of the bunch in the form of an extensive 99-minute documentary called "Beyond the Big Bang;" Season Two includes a 56-minute bonus episode, "Backyard Astronomers," that delves into the world of amateur star-gazing; and Season Three serves up a bland, text-based list of "Universe Facts" and a "Photo Gallery." While the discs aren't overflowing with supplemental content, it nevertheless adds some value to this somewhat pricey 10-disc set. As for the packaging itself, the Megaset consists of a lightweight cardboard collector's box that houses three, separate multi-disc cases (one for each season). the box set is attractive, practical and, above all else, doesn't look out of place next to other Blu-ray releases.

The Universe: Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Universe Megaset collects all three seasons of the History Channel's successful series -- that's forty-four episodes and more than thirty-five hours of universal exploration -- and presents them with an AV presentation that outclasses their standard DVD brethren. While its video transfers are problematic, its audio tracks underwhelming, and its supplemental package leaves something to be desired, it's difficult to deny the value of this mammoth 10-disc set. Newcomers should sample a few episodes before committing to a purchase, but fans (at least those who haven't already picked up one of the individual seasons) should give this aptly titled Megaset some consideration.