Rating: 
Summary: The most comprehensive science documentary to date
Review: Although the "Cosmos" series is nearly 20 years old, it remains as relevant today as it did in the early 1980s. The series was devised and written by the astronomer Carl Sagan of Cornell university. Based on the book he wrote by the same name, the late Carl Sagan put together the most ambitious and far-reaching inquiries into the human scientific endeavor to date.Within "Cosmos" is an assortment of discussions of the history of scientific ideas, as well as the personages who conceived and promoted those ideas. The collection includes such diverse fields as astronomy, theoretical physics, zoology / taxonomy, molecular biology, cosmology and chemistry. Sagan takes his viewers on a tour of some of the most pivotal epochs in science history. Incorporated into the historical overview are such personages as Eratosthenes of Alexandria, Hypatia of Alexandria, Anaxagorous, Aristarchus of Samos, Archimedes, Democritus of Abderra, Aristotle, Johannes Kepler, Leonardo Davinci, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein (among others). Sagan does a wonderful job of recounting the intellectual milieu in which these pioneers lived, and also explains what inspired their revolutionary ideas. There have been many scientific documentaries put out on video since the debut of "Cosmos." Virtually all of them, however, were influenced by Sagan. His vision was to make science more accessible to the general public, as opposed to being confined to the stuffy laboratories and lecture halls of academia. After all, the fruits and treasures of scientific discovery belong to all of us, not just a select educated few. It was not so long ago, however, that it was widely thought that laymen were not intelligent enough to follow the general principles of scientific polemics. Sagan disagreed with this premise and has taken tremendous efforts to dispel it. "Cosmos" is an example of those efforts. This is a truly outstanding piece of work and is recommended for everyone who has so much as a peripheral interest in science. Yes, it is a bit on the expensive side, but it is also nearly 12 hours worth of intellectual fervor. This version on DVD also contains updated material in which Sagan introduces scientific revelations which have been made since the PBS series came out. It also contains commentary by his widow, Ann Druyan. So, buy this box set and enjoy all the cosmos has to offer.
Rating:
Summary: The most captivating science program in history...
Review: If I could recommend only one television production as required viewing for everyone, this would most definitely be my choice. Carl Sagan's masterpiece is in itself, almost a complete education of Life as we know it in this wondrous and mysterious Universe. Anyone who searches for a clear, logical understanding of the Cosmos should own this priceless set. I personally know dozens of people deeply touched by the power of this series and I've read the positive reviews of hundreds more. A compelling and engaging musical score accompanies Sagan's erudite voice as we journey through time and space. Sagan leaves behind an enlightening contribution through this brilliant offering! Inspiring and totally captivating...Don't miss it!
Rating: 
Summary: Dated
Review: Very much on the humanist/pre-end-of-cold war axis. Very ponderous. Spends way too much time "debunking" pseudoscience (who cares about those nuts?), not enough time espousing science. Very presumptive in many areas. The time spent on Hindu religion as being a mystical association with the expansion/collapse cosmological theory is fine, unless you know of recent discoveries of the expansion/expansion of the universe. So it's populist in a way that is very topical and very grounded to the period it was developed in, but it's not timeless, not a classic. Too much is a sophomoric antithesis to the popularity of science fiction and the UFO community. Good thing X-Files hadn't been out then. :-) Sagan's later work (Contact, the Demon-Haunted World) builds upon the worst of Cosmos, and is uninspired. Sagan is essentially a hack for a very narrow 80s-centric viewpoint. Nice Vangelis soundtrack. I loved this series when it came out. Now... it's kind of embarrassing. I was 14 then, 37 now. Oh, well. For those interested in a technical review of history, there are better ways of getting it. I also dislike the revamps that others have noted. Hubble. There was also a WWW segment. R.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best!
Review: I was fortunate to purchase all 13 episodes a few years ago before they became unavailable, and believe me it was difficult then to get them. I have learned the following from the Carl Sagan Productions website: The COSMOS series has recently been fully acquired by Carl Sagan Productions but it cannot be sold until the music rights have been re-cleared. We are planning to re-issue it on DVD and VHS after the legal work is complete. We will also be reissuing the album, Music of Cosmos, on CD. I am sorry none of these items is available at this time. --So hopefully it won't be much longer for these extraordinary programs to be available for purchase. In the series, Carl Sagan masterfully guides one through the wonders of our Universe and lets us see just who we are in it. From stars to micro-organisms, to trees and whales, to Johannes Kepler and the little-known, woman scientist named Hypatia from ancient Alexandria, to warnings of the perils of human aggression and foolishness of the past and perhaps future, and mostly of our striving, never-ending need to explore and understand through science; Sagan takes us on this journey. This is not just some science documentary, but rather, an experience that gives one a spirit, an appreciation, and a zest for science and understanding and mostly for being alive in this marvelous Universe. The photography is lovely. The music is full of wonderment. Sagan explains complex subjects to easy understanding (his greatest talent). When the videos become available again, I will be purchasing them again for fear of wearing the old ones out. They are great for everyone! The best purchase I ever made.
Rating:
Summary: A Life Altering Experience
Review: If I could reccommend only one series on VHS to the public, this would definitely be my choice. Carl Sagan's masterpiece is in itself, almost a complete education of Life as we know it in this wondrous and mysterious Universe. Anyone who searches for a clear, logical understanding of the Cosmos should own this priceless set. Over the years, my late husband, Jim, watched this series more than any other video we owned. He always gained something of value with each new viewing. Haunting music connects one to a place which seems instinctively familiar through "billions and billions" of stars as Carl's soothing voice guides the path ahead. Sagan leaves behind an enlightening contribution through this brilliant offering! Inspiring and totally captivating...Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best !!!
Review: I did a review on this series for the VHS set sometime ago. Recently I bought the DVD set and could not be pleased more. The DVD set has incorporated newer images of stars and galaxies from more recent pictures taken by the Hubble telescope and earthbound observatories. Also the graphics in some sequences have been improved. The visuals are clean and sharp and I have had no problems playing these DVD in my player. Producer, Ann Druyan, Carl Sagan's widow, opens the first episode and talks a little about when Cosmos was made and what's happened since. She also talks about what were Dr. Sagan's thoughts and how they transpired into what's currently known in science. I found more on the production company for these programs at: carlsagan.com Also, most of the episodes end with a "Cosmos Update" that was filmed 10 years after Cosmos was made. In the updates, Carl Sagan discusses and sometimes demonstrates anything new that's been learned on the material just viewed. The DVD's come in a handsome case with a breif synopsis of each episode printed on it.
In the series, Carl Sagan masterfully guides one through the wonders of our Universe and lets us see just who we are in it. From stars to micro-organisms, to trees and whales, to Johannes Kepler and the little-known, woman scientist named Hypatia from ancient Alexandria, to warnings of the perils of human aggression and foolishness of the past and perhaps future, and mostly of our striving, never-ending need to explore and understand through science; Sagan takes us on this journey. This is not just some science documentary, but rather, an experience that gives one a spirit, an appreciation, and a zest for science and understanding, and mostly, for being alive in this marvelous Universe. The photography is lovely. The music is full of wonderment. Sagan explains complex subjects to easy understanding (his greatest talent). They are great for everyone! The best purchase I ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive science documentary to date
Review: Although the "Cosmos" series is nearly 20 years old, it remains as relevant today as it did in the early 1980s. The series was devised and written by the astronomer Carl Sagan of Cornell university. Based on the book he wrote by the same name, the late Carl Sagan put together the most ambitious and far-reaching inquiries into the human scientific endeavor to date. Within "Cosmos" is an assortment of discussions of the history of scientific ideas, as well as the personages who conceived and promoted those ideas. The collection includes such diverse fields as astronomy, theoretical physics, zoology / taxonomy, molecular biology, cosmology and chemistry. Sagan takes his viewers on a tour of some of the most pivotal epochs in science history. Incorporated into the historical overview are such personages as Eratosthenes of Alexandria, Hypatia of Alexandria, Anaxagorous, Aristarchus of Samos, Archimedes, Democritus of Abderra, Aristotle, Johannes Kepler, Leonardo Davinci, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein (among others). Sagan does a wonderful job of recounting the intellectual milieu in which these pioneers lived, and also explains what inspired their revolutionary ideas. There have been many scientific documentaries put out on video since the debut of "Cosmos." Virtually all of them, however, were influenced by Sagan. His vision was to make science more accessible to the general public, as opposed to being confined to the stuffy laboratories and lecture halls of academia. After all, the fruits and treasures of scientific discovery belong to all of us, not just a select educated few. It was not so long ago, however, that it was widely thought that laymen were not intelligent enough to follow the general principles of scientific polemics. Sagan disagreed with this premise and has taken tremendous efforts to dispel it. "Cosmos" is an example of those efforts. This is a truly outstanding piece of work and is recommended for everyone who has so much as a peripheral interest in science. Yes, it is a bit on the expensive side, but it is also nearly 12 hours worth of intellectual fervor. This version on DVD also contains updated material in which Sagan introduces scientific revelations which have been made since the PBS series came out. It also contains commentary by his widow, Ann Druyan. So, buy this box set and enjoy all the cosmos has to offer.
Rating: 
Summary: Portuguese Subtitles ??
Review: More than 250.000.000 people in the world speak Portuguese. Why didn't they made subtitles in portuguese language for Cosmos? I hope that in the next edition, this problema will be solved. How can we show this DVD for children and teens who doesn't speak english yet? This is my only complain about.
Rating:
Summary: Dated
Review: Very much on the humanist/pre-end-of-cold war axis. Very ponderous. Spends way too much time "debunking" pseudoscience (who cares about those nuts?), not enough time espousing science. Very presumptive in many areas. The time spent on Hindu religion as being a mystical association with the expansion/collapse cosmological theory is fine, unless you know of recent discoveries of the expansion/expansion of the universe. So it's populist in a way that is very topical and very grounded to the period it was developed in, but it's not timeless, not a classic. Too much is a sophomoric antithesis to the popularity of science fiction and the UFO community. Good thing X-Files hadn't been out then. :-) Sagan's later work (Contact, the Demon-Haunted World) builds upon the worst of Cosmos, and is uninspired. Sagan is essentially a hack for a very narrow 80s-centric viewpoint. Nice Vangelis soundtrack. I loved this series when it came out. Now... it's kind of embarrassing. I was 14 then, 37 now. Oh, well. For those interested in a technical review of history, there are better ways of getting it. I also dislike the revamps that others have noted. Hubble. There was also a WWW segment. R.
Rating:
Summary: not as good as the original
Review: Disappointed that Hubble shots and such replaced some of the original artistic special effects. Also, why so many disks?
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