Television Review: Space (2001)

For much of the last century, the BBC enjoyed an unparalleled reputation as the world's finest broadcaster, setting exceptionally high standards of quality, particularly with its documentary output. At the turn of the millennium, this reputation was further enhanced by the corporation's enthusiastic adoption of computer-generated imagery, a technological leap that, as demonstrated in its seminal series Walking with Dinosaurs, allowed for previously unimaginable recreations of Earth's distant past. With the 2001 documentary series Space, the BBC applied this same cutting-edge approach to the distant and fascinating worlds that constitute our present universe, promising viewers an unprecedented visual journey through the cosmos. Hosted by the distinguished Sam Neill and comprising six tightly constructed thirty-minute episodes, Space represented an ambitious attempt to bring the wonders of astronomy to mainstream audiences through the medium of state-of-the-art visual effects.

As the title suggests, Space arguably possessed the most ambitious thematic scope of any BBC project to that point. Its promotional material boldly promised to take viewers "from the birth of the universe to the end of our world," a sweeping narrative that spanned cosmic history from the Big Bang to humanity's potential future among the stars. The series was meticulously structured, with each episode focusing on a specific astronomical theme: "Star Stuff" explored the stellar origins of life's building blocks; "Staying Alive" examined the very real threat of asteroid impacts on Earth; "Black Holes" delved into these mysterious cosmic phenomena and their potential effects on our solar system; "Are We Alone" pondered the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence; "New Worlds" envisioned future human colonisation and terraforming efforts; and "To Boldly Go" tackled the technological challenges of interstellar travel.

Two elements of Space genuinely excel and deserve recognition. Firstly, the special effects were genuinely superb for their time, offering viewers breathtaking visualisations of distant astronomical objects, cataclysmic cosmic events from the universe's past, and speculative visions of future stellar disasters. These sequences, particularly the depictions of supernovae, black hole encounters, and planetary transformations, remain visually impressive even by today's standards. Secondly, Sam Neill proved an unexpectedly effective host. Best known to audiences as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park – another CGI-heavy production where he played a scientist – Neill brought a unique credibility and comfort level to his role. His experience working with visual effects technology meant he delivered complex scientific concepts with natural authority and engaging warmth, making each half-hour episode pass with remarkable fluidity.

However, despite its visual splendour and capable hosting, Space suffers from a problematic tendency that would increasingly plague the BBC in subsequent decades: the desire to compete with the "cool" and "edgy" content produced by Hollywood blockbusters and commercial television networks. This manifests most clearly in the series' content choices. While generally adhering to established scientific principles, each episode consistently pushes towards the most sensationalist hypotheses – those that would generate the most spectacular visual effects sequences or provoke the greatest emotional response, particularly fear. The educational purpose of the documentary format becomes secondary to entertainment value, with scientific nuance frequently sacrificed for dramatic impact.

The consequence is that Space, despite its impressive production values, ultimately steers too far towards sensationalism. Its scientific foundation often feels only marginally more substantial than the technobabble occasionally heard in science fiction franchises like Star Trek. Rather than offering thoughtful exploration of cosmic phenomena, the series frequently resembles a tabloid newspaper of astronomy – prioritising shock value and visual spectacle over genuine understanding. The true educational purpose that had historically defined BBC documentaries seems somewhat lost beneath the weight of CGI-driven catastrophes and apocalyptic scenarios.

This shortcoming becomes particularly evident when Space is compared to Carl Sagan's Cosmos, produced two decades earlier. Without access to the sophisticated visual effects technology available to the BBC in 2001, Sagan crafted a series that covered remarkably similar cosmic territory but with far greater depth, poetic insight, and genuine intellectual rigour. Cosmos succeeded not through spectacular visuals alone, but through Sagan's profound ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity, wonder, and philosophical depth. As a result, it remains a far more memorable and educationally valuable viewing experience than Space, despite the latter's technological advantages.

Nevertheless, Space retains some value for contemporary audiences. It can be cautiously recommended, but primarily as a very basic primer for those seeking rudimentary explanations of astronomical terms and concepts frequently encountered in hard science fiction cinema. More importantly, it serves as a useful stepping stone – an accessible, visually engaging introduction that might inspire viewers to seek out more substantive works of popular science. For those beginning their journey into astronomy, Space provides an entertaining gateway, though they would be well-advised to progress quickly to more rigorous and thoughtful explorations of the cosmos. The series ultimately represents both the BBC's technological ambition at the millennium's dawn and its growing struggle to balance genuine education with the demands of popular entertainment – a tension that continues to define science broadcasting today.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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