Hyperspace Online

Also called "Hyperspace", this three hour BBC astronomy documentary, hosted by Sam Neill, consists of six self-contained topical programs, each one about 30 minutes in length: (1) Star Stuff, (2)Staying Alive, (3) Black Holes, (4) Are We Alone...?, (5) New Worlds, and (6) Boldly Go.

The photography, visual effects, and computer graphics are stunning. And the sound effects and music are appropriately cosmic. All of which combine to create a production that entertains, and encourages interest in space exploration.

That said, "Space" did not tell me anything I did not already know. There's very little in the documentary that has not been described or explained elsewhere. For adults who keep up with advances in astronomy, these six programs provide only a rehash of current knowledge, in layman's terms.

Overall, "Space" is a technically well-made program, suited especially to kids, as well as to adults who are new to astronomy.

For the most part, this series is a blast, with Sam Neill clearly having fun playing interstellar tour guide. The special effects are amazing, though some of the science is a bit basic. This makes for a rousing first and final ten minutes, with things dragging a bit in the middle.

That said, this is an entertaining introduction to some of the newer and stranger theories in astronomy. Neill is at his avuncular best and the marriage of weird, stunning New Zealand scenery with all the cgi is remarkably effective. Certainly worth a look.

When it comes to making good, informative and visually stunning documenters, the BBC stand head and shoulders above the rest. Shows like `Space' and `Walking with Dinosaurs' may not be hard-science, but they are good-science and understandable. I have a scientific education, but I still love shows like this. It helps you to understand things by placing them in a visually captivating way.

If you want hard facts and hard science, go watch `The open university', if you want to understand what's going on without needing a PhD in Astrophysics, watch `Space'.

Sam Neill continues to stun audiences again after "Jurassic Park" in this beautifully directed and presented documentary. Like Stanley Kubrick's movie "2001, A Space Odyssey", the vastness of space shows just how truly amazing our universe really is and just how insignificant mankind is on Earth.

The computer graphics are terrific and anyone who criticizes about how boring this documentary is because of the lack of action, obviously need to get out more and experience the world.

After watching this documentary series I have developed a new appreciation for life on Earth and in the universe, and maybe like Sam Neill suggests we might one day be able to travel to new exotic locations in this awesome universe.

This whole new series is brilliant! There really is no other way to describe this series. Sam Neill really does host this series well and the graphics are really good, for instance when the diagrams showing how stars super nova at the end of their lives you will be really impressed by the amount of detail in the computer animation. I really recommend this show for anyone who is interested in space or who has ever wondered the answer to the question 'where do we really come from?' The whole series will not be a let down to anyone who watches it!

This DVD explains in a very graphic way, and in layman terms, the universe from its inception with the so-called Big Bang through to the future.

Some of the conclusions drawn, and indeed the questions left unanswered, are slightly disturbing - the Sun will explode eventually, and Earth will disappear. It's all detailed 'how and why'. Black holes are a very real threat, and there are lots of them in just our galaxy - their power is put into such perspective by Sam Neill that it's mind-boggling.

But the real beauty of 'Space' is that its presentation conveys a lot more understanding about how insignificant our little planet is in the 'whole scheme of things' - for instance, there are a million stars in the universe for every grain of sand on Earth. Distances become meaningless. Fascinating stuff.

And for those interested in a broad philosophy, the series also hints at a new approach to the meaning of life. Or at least it will give you more to think about.

The computer simulations here are first class, taking you on an adventurous ride through the universe, and the documentary on the 'making of' is very good. Sam Neill is excellent, and is obviously engrossed in his subject.

'Space' will leave you awestruck.

Also known as "Space", this is a masterpiece of a documentary. It is for all ages and explains in simple terms, the origins of our universe and our future in space, passing through every kind of known and unknown phenomenon, here on Earth or elsewhere.

Sam Neill ("Event Horizon", "Jurassic Park", "Merlin") takes you by the hand and through a holographic projector "launches" you into an adventure that spans various billions of years.

BBC has outdone itself in this documentary.

"Cosmos", hosted by Carl Sagan, was a unique milestone in explaining the Universe. It also was a masterpiece in its genre. "Hyperspace" is nothing else than its natural successor.

I loved every minute of it and I kept it running and running in my DVD player until I almost memorized the data.

The 3D recreations of galaxies, stars, planets and stellar phenomena are hauntingly realistic and offer a firework of the highest CGI design I have ever witnessed in a documentary of this sort.

Sam Neill is a fascinating, talented and multi-faceted actor and could manage to convince you to walk on water. With his suave and debonnaire way, he manages to explain science in such a way, that even the most unaware person would accept and understand.

All in all, if you are a documentary collector, or simply somebody who loves astronomy and space travel, you will have to own it.

But careful! If you watch it once, you may wish to watch it again. It is highly addictive. Consult a doctor for any counter-indication.

My first impression of this, as I watched it, was that the visuals were very well done, and indeed they are. Great graphics make you really see how it looks when the events described occur. If it were just a graphic presentation, I would have given it a 10/10.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. While the presentation, including Sam Neill's narration, was very well done, the content was extremely scarce, and what was there had me raising my eyebrows. There is very little information in this that can't be gotten out of a grade school level book. The series makes very simple, obvious assertions about the universe and stretches them out for a half hour each. What's more is that it is strangely alarmist, giving the feeling that we could all die at any moment from some huge cataclysm. While that's true on some level, it's also extremely unlikely that a comet or asteroid will strike us out of the blue. To watch this series, you would think it was inevitable within our lifetimes.

It also makes the assertion that the only hope for humanity's future lies in colonizing the stars. This may or may not be true. In the several billion years before this even becomes an issue, we may very well discover how to keep the sun burning longer, how to live in the vacuum of space, or any number of other things that would make that much less relevant. There is no pressing need to colonize other worlds right now, though I admit I love the idea of doing it.

In all, outside of the alarmism, I suppose this would be good for someone who is very unfamiliar with astronomy in general. But if you have some knowledge of the subject, you won't get much out of this besides nice graphics.

This is the sort of tabloid "science" program that devotes more screen time to special effects, spectacle and catastrophism than education. Any single episode of "Nova" contains more hard science than this entire series. I'm surprised there wasn't a chapter on horoscopes.

Neill is engaging, and the topic is presented in a natural, conversational manner. But is this really an original series? The script seems in places at least to follow Carl Sagan's Cosmos series, which ran decades ago. I want to think it's a consequence of similar subject matter, but some of the phrases are identical - "star stuff", "billions and billions", etc.

Of course it's been some time since Cosmos aired, and today's audience may be too young to recall it, too lacking in attention span to sit through the statelier pace, and too critical of the dated visual effects. It seems this newer series achieves a brisker pace and wider audience by avoiding the pitfall of explaining how we "know," for instance, that life does not exist on other planets in our solar system.

This shorter series, presented by a professional actor (he should do a disclaimer "I'm not a scientist, but I've played one in cinema") in lieu of a genuine scientist like Sagan or Hawking (or a historian/journalist like James Burke) may better appeal to a younger crowd, with less interest in fussy details like actual evidence.

This is a great series for teaching those who know nothing about space or universe history, or more importantly school age children about our universe.

Those who pan it are looking for a math based, deep level learning experience which is irrelevant.

This is a great way for lay people to understand the universe in which we live.

If you want more in-depth, buy a book or take a PHD.

This is a great series.

I found it fantastic and so did my 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter. Who cares about quirks and quarks..this is an introductory series and should be treated as such.

This is the worst space/science documentary I have ever seen. There is no real science in it, mostly is just tries to amaze with doomsday scenarios where the earth is destroyed. (ohh the sun will blow up one day ... scary!) Also, there seems to be a lot of time spent on corny graphics, which isn't necessary nor visually pleasing.

The section on black holes does not even describe the event horizon or singularity, very simply and key traits.

Then there is the fact that it is called hyperspace, yet I don't think it mentions higher dimensional space anywhere in the documentary.

My opinion, If you want a science documentary, look elsewhere.

space is probably the best documentary i have ever seen and Sam Neill presents it brilliantly.

FIRST - the graphics are superb, realistic, when you see the documentary it almost feels as if the makers went out in a high speed space ship and filmed space themselves with a camera

SECOND - the series is entertaining, i think it can appeal to anyone, even people not interested in space will like it.

THREE - it's easy to understand. everything is explained very simply so that children and people who know nothing about space can expand their knowledge in a very short space of time (3 hours)

FOUR - it's not too long. space is vast and there is an infinite amount of information that scientists have on space, telling it would take hundreds of dvds and thousands of hours. this series condenses most of that information into just one DVD disc and three hours, spread over six- 30 minute episodes, so you can watch it bit by bit at your convenience.

excellent. see this 10/10

After brilliant documentaries from BBC, like The Planets or The Life of Birds, I'm surprised they bother to sell this c*** on DVD.

In stead of checking out "Space" try Armageddon. The effect are better.

In an age where fundamentalism is on the rise and science is under attack - its is documentaries like these that should inspire imaginations and help the layman to appreciate the depth and breadth of science. Instead, this whole documentary skips over the real good stuff and focuses on doomsday scenarios...constantly! Countless times Sam would talk about an aspect of space and then somehow find a way to link it to the end of the world...then comes the dramatic music and a 3D model of the Earth blowing up.

Incredible shame that someone like the BBC with its financial means and influence would resort to a Macdonalds wrapped sensationalist piece of garbage devoid of real science. Think I will stick to PBS for 'real' science documentaries from now on. Don't bother with this tripe!

Another astounding BBC achievement, this series is a gift to all of us who are fascinated in space, and what's beyond. Sometimes it borders on Trek-ishness, but I don't care, because it bravely does the same thing as does Star Trek (at least Next Gen) - it dares us to the marvels of space, and of mankind, and it tells us that we are all alike and from the same seed. A small sparkling promise that all futures not have to be blackened with greed and hatred; a light in these truly Dark Ages. Of course I know very well that this isn't on the series agenda, but I can't help but see it that way. And I'm sure that a lot of the "space crazies" out there share my feelings on this. If you're one of them (us!) - don't miss this show!