How the Earth Was Made, reviewed by David vun Kannon

I picked up Seasons 1 and 2 of this History Channel series at Barnes & Noble recently.

This is excellent science television. Season 1 takes the viewer through a history of the Earth from its formation to the arrival of Mankind, sort of like the original conception of Fantasia's Rite of Spring. I was most interested in the first episodes that dealt with the formation of the Earth until the beginnings of life. Was there an era in the past when the seas were green and the sky pink?

Season 2 focuses of specific features or events and explains them in depth. I was very impressed by how the series showed the experimental evidence for each idea and tied it to the facts observed. A large variety of working scieintists were showcased. Even one from my alma mater, Hofstra University! Talking about rocks that I've visited!!

Worth watching, worth owning.

State of Play (BBC production) DVD review

I don't buy a lot of TV series on DVD (read, any). Dang, that's not true. On the back of a pleasant evening in the theater with State of Play, I bought the BBC mini-series on which it is based.

All I can say is, wow. A much better all around production. Six hours gives a lot of time to develop characters. The series is much more journalistic-procedural than the film, which is good. Excellent music. I love Kelly Macdonald's accent. Bill Nighy is amazing as usual.

Solid drama, worth your money over the film version. The film has some elements in its favor, such as the old media/new media tension, and Helen Mirren. That's not enough in the end. The original is better.