The Planets

I constantly come back to this series. It looks and sounds perfect with the score and narration. It impresses with the way it delves into extremely complex matters but you seem to understand them easily. It still looks modern now, nearly 20 years after release. It's quite simply one of the best TV documentaries that has been made. Personally, I think it holds its own against the outstanding BBC wildlife documentaries, such as Blue Planet and Planet Earth. Yes, they have the excitement of animals and the brilliance of non-generated shots but this makes Space interesting and paints a picture to inspire. If you haven't seen it, get the original UK version and binge, it's amazing.

I consider education to be best in a video format rather than a textual format. This series of documentaries are jewels in educating us about the solar system. I also developed a great deal of respect and admiration for the scientists who worked so hard to show us where the place of earth is in the universe.These documentaries should be definitely shown to all children in schools. This documentary really made me wonder about the place of mankind in the universe. The narration was nice. The visuals were also amazing. It also cleared many of my doubts about how the other planets in our solar system were. I hope there are more documentaries of this type in the future about the future findings.This documentary is a must see. I recommend it to all who have a passion for space exploration.

It is impossible for any documentary to be completely up to date. Criticizing this series for not including anything discovered after '99 isn't fair. Yet, we lament that this information is missing only because this BBC production does such a GREAT job of presenting it.

I would give this series a 9 for the 3rd installment "Giants", alone. The story of the Voyager probes is simply fascinating and must rank as one of man's greatest under appreciated accomplishments.

Would it not be nice to have this series updated with new data and presented in high definition? As others have commented, the information from Cassini alone warrants a "brush up" of the series.

Another reviewer title their review: This needs a 20yr follow up series.

A few months later the BBC delivered on that request. I bet the reviewer has a new sense of empowerment.

This series is awesome, and also a little melancholy. In episode 1 they make PLUTO the focus of the story. How were they to know the Pluto-intolerance the science community would engage in just a few years after they made this series. Life is funny, in a dark and sad way. But this series is inspirational and uplifting in many other ways.

As far as the 2019 series of the same name from the same organization, I highly recommend that one as well.

As I watch this series in December of 2018 I'm reminded of just how wonderful it is. Samuel West's elegant and soothing narration takes us on a fascinating journey through the solar system and a level of grippingness that is yet unmatched. This is supported by an absolutely mesmerising score by Jim Meacock which is both atmospheric, sinister and wondrous - just like space itself.

The series is a shining example of quality over quantity as, at only six episodes, it frees itself from the pomp and bloat which utterly plagues American productions, and with that is not only satisfying, but it leaves you wanting a little more.

As 2019 approaches it would be wonderful to see the series revived for a 20 year anniversary follow up, becasue literally the only flaw with this show is its age. There has been so much discovered in the last two decades that a lot of the information here, although still interesting, is obsolete, and so to have a follow up would be wonderful.

However, it would HAVE to be Samuel West back to narrate and Jim Meacock scoring again as they were an integral part of the show's appeal. I can't believe the Americans had the gaul to re-dub the show using an American voice actor. Sheer xenophobia at work there and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Still, obsolete or not, this is still a a fascinating watch today and I highly recommend it.