Episode Guide
Chasing Starlight: The Cosmic Clock Turning Seasons Elemental Water World Force of Attraction.
Our Universe is a big series. It’s unfathomably big, and it would be impossible to fit all of its content into 6 episodes of a Netflix documentary. But that’s okay, because this series also tries to be a natural history lesson. In an effort to be the best of both worlds, Our Universe comes up short. It’s still enjoyable, and full of flashy visuals and intriguing facts, but it doesn’t quite live up to the depth and beauty we’ve come to expect from series that dive a little deeper into its subject material. ..
This year has seen a lot of great space documentaries released, with The Planets, Frozen Planet II, and Green Planet being some of the best. These documentaries take a look at different aspects of space and the natural world, and are sure to leave a lasting impression on viewers.
Our Universe is a series that tries to juxtapose between the big and small; the minute struggles with the larger struggles. However, the numerous “whoosh” sound effects and a pendulum swinging narrative that feels unfocused and messy, gives the series an uneven and off-kilter feel.
The first episode of Morgan Freeman’s new series follows a cheetah as it searches for food in the African bush. Meanwhile, we follow the origin of our sun and how it provides energy to our planet. We also follow two different stories about stars, one from a green sea turtle and the other from two King penguins. These stories are connected by gravity and the forces of physics.
The journey into space is truncated by the interludes that zoom out and show the universe’s inception. Those after something more spacey will find the animal segments an annoying distraction.
The show has some beautiful visuals and a few standout segments, but it’s fatally flawed and still has some problems. If you can overlook the tone and narrative problems, you may find enough to enjoy here.
