Rating: 
Summary: Biased!
Review: A very well funded, but secularly slanted series. This series pushes evolutionary theory as a scientific fact that should just be accepted. No mention is given to the fact that many established scientists do not believe in evolution, and out of those that do, many are in disagreement over just about everything from the fossil record to the age of the earth. Evolution is passed as a proven fact instead of hypothesis. Creationism is given no more than a cursory wave of the hand. Ken Ham, a respected creationist, is portrayed as no more than a religious zealot, with no mention that many bona fide scientists from all fields are part of the same organization (answers in genesis-check out their website for rebuttals). Creationism has many scientific proofs, but is portrayed in the last part of the series as a strictly religious belief.
Even aside from this, the tough questions about evolution are not addressed, such as: 1.) the origin of the universe and the first existing matter, 2)how did single cell organisms become multicelled organisms, 3)how did the first invertebrates evolve to vertebrates (there are no transitional forms), and 4)if evolution is part of the natural processes of the universe, where is everyone else?, to name a few.
In short, this series does not aim to really answer any questions, it intends only to push a questionable theory as fact, and stamp out The God of the Bible with the god of Darwin and secular humanists. A true educational series would be thorough and unbiased. This is not what i want my children learning in school!
Rating:
Summary: I guess I'm a "religious fundamentalist" cuz this film stink
Review: Are evolutionary biologists so intimidated by Intelligent Design Theory that they can't even admit this series stinks? By an objective standard, this simply isn't a good film to use to teach students about evolution. I personally believe in evolution via common descent, but this film is perposterous. Let me list some examples:- It spends an entire segment on "evolutionary psychology," also known as sociobiology. This field of study claims that human behavior can be explained in evolutionary terms (e.g., fat women have trouble bearing children, so men prefer Playboy bunnies). But most scientists think evolutionary psychology is the modern equivalent of mesmerism or alchemy - psuedoscience without a shred of real evidence to back up its claims. Do we realy want our kids to swallow the unsubstantiated claims of EP without criticism? That's exactly what this series suggests. - One of the lead spokesman for the series is Daniel Dennet, an MIT philosopher whose book, Darwin's Dangerous Idea, seriously suggested putting Baptists in concentration camps. He called them "cultural preservation areas." Do we want our kids getting biology lessons from a reptilian, totalitarian individual like Dennet? - The series flatly states that the only people who dispute Darwinism are Young Earth Creationists. I'm always up for some good YEC bashing. But let's face it - Princeton-educated mathematicians, Physicists, biochemists, molecular biologists, etc. are not YEC ruffians. There are real scientists with genuine complaints about Darwinism. Can't Darwinists even admit that? - I'm a trained anthropologist. I know that the entire evidence for human evolution can fit into a medium-sized shoe box. Why does PBS' Evolution pretend that we know everything there is to know about how life evolved? We don't. Most of what we have is speculation, and even that barely scratches the surface. Can't we encourage kids to have open minds and an appreciation for how little we really know? Can't we rejoice in the mysteries rather than pretend they don't exist?...Evolution gets 1 star, period.
Rating: 
Summary: Science Wars
Review: Darwin's Theory of Evolution has recently been seriously challenged by new scientific evidence, particularly in the field of biochemestry. In the past several years, better understanding of how cells work has uncovered what appear to be insuperable challenges to the idea that natural selection could be responsible for the diversity of life on our planet. That's just one of many new challenges. This series appears to be a vehicle by the "old guard" scientists to steamroll over any challenge to the theory. The timing of this series -- at a time when credible, scientific questions have been raised over parts of the theory, and some states have considered allowing these new challenges to be introduced to students in the classroom -- supports the idea that this series is mainly designed to squelch criticism rather than offer enlightenment. Unfortunately it means that the series deals with ideas of the past rather than the legitimate controversies of today. New science has often had to deal with resistance from the established scientific community, and it should. If it is true science, it will eventually prevail. Clearly the new questions being raised about evolution are legitimate, scientific questions for which answers should be sought. It may be that the answers will come through a greater understanding of evolutionary processes. Or it may be that parts of the theory of evolution will have to be discarded or seriously altered. The answers certainly will not come by ignoring the questions. But this series does just that, ignoring the questions and the new scientific challenges from several different fields. It concentrates on the official party line as propounded by the old guard. As such, it becomes basically a political weapon in the controversy rather than a real exploration of the current status of our understanding of evolution. For my kids in school, I would hope they would have a teacher wise enough to make it clear that our understanding in science is continually growing and developing, that what we discover is often surprising even to the most learned scientists, and that the dogma of today is sometimes the rejected theory of the future. I would hope that they would be given current ideas on science and encouraged to explore them, not just accept on faith the views of the establishment. After all, that's often how science makes new advances. What if Darwin had simply accepted the prevailing scientific theory of his day?
Rating: 
Summary: Public Broadcasting's Dangerous Program
Review: Despite all our resources and responsibilities, many Americans fail to recognize biological evolution. In my case, local schools never mentioned the subject, and I failed to learn the science behind the science of Life. Compounding this common problem, anti-evolutionists make incessant and persuasive claims against biological theories. But solutions exist; WGBH Boston and Public Broadcasting bring eight hours worth to DVD. *Evolution: A Journey into Where We're From, and Where We're Going* (2001) offers an updated summary of biological evolution. As a student, it seems to me *Evolution* successfully introduces selected elements of Darwinian and modern synthetic evolution, but its aim is too short and too broad to be a serious argument. Purpose and People Don't expect to find a technical treatise in this collection. The program does not delve into punctuated equilibrium, does not delve deeply into genes, and does not delve much into biology formulas or statistics. Concepts such as genetic drift, bottleneck effect, and founder effect are demonstrated'but not labeled. Most noticeable is the absence of classic fossil evidence, such as hominid and dinosaur transitions. Likewise, the program does not seek to underestimate its audience either. Terms such as 'DNA', 'genes', 'mutation' and 'evolution' fly about with minimal definition. Doctors and researchers regularly spout dates as if the audience should already agree with them. *Evolution* seems to reach for a middle ground'for people who learned some biology, just not its uniting principle of descent with modification. Discs with Modifications That target audience includes me, and *Evolution* reaches out in force. An encyclopedia of biologists, zoologists, and ecologists explain their experiences and present their evidence. Famous evolution-theory authors such as Stephen Jay Gould and Kenneth Miller make brief appearances, and evangelist Ken Ham airs some concerns. Cheesy computer animation helps to reinforce pre-history points. Original footage forms the bulk of this set; much of the footage takes the audience on-location from fossils beds to Neanderthal caves to tropical jungles. Finally, in the same soft tone as his character in *The Phantom Menace*, actor Liam Neeson narrates all four discs, seven episodes, and eight hours. *Evolution's* first disc contains a two-hour introduction, including a well-produced drama about Charles Darwin. Remaining discs each hold two single-hour episodes. From the title screen the user may play the episodes concurrently or individually, select chapters, and access web-links and closed captioning. The discs also include a reference list of related DVDs. I find the layout simple and direct. Exhibiting Evidence Speaking of direct, *Evolution* plunges into biological change. Anti-evolutionists, such as lawyer Philip Johnson or evangelist Duane Gish, argue that little or no evidence demonstrates biological evolution between species. Episode two, 'Great Transformations' provides a summary of fossil evidence for current evolutionary theories. Paleontologist Philip Gingrich displays the fossils of an extinct land predator with the inner ear of a whale, which he first discovered in Pakistan in 1978. He also displays fossils of whales with small hind legs, discovered in a Sahara Desert valley in 1994 by one of his former students. Not long thereafter the program shows the older fossil layer of the Devonian period, and paleontologists such as Jennifer Clack of the University of Cambridge provide a variety of extinct marine animal fossils with the limb bones of land animals. Many of these prehistoric marine fossil beds are shown at the tops of mountains or in deserts. Throughout the parade, fossils are compared and examined onscreen to establish they are transitions between fish and land animals, and land mammals and whales. *Evolution's* fossil evidence does not speak alone, nor does it speak on just one disc. But equally important is the focus *Evolution* brings to controversy in its final episode 'What About God?' Evangelist Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis ministries explains to the camera: 'The Bible says, God created the Earth covered with water; the sun, moon, and stars on day four. Well that's very different to the big bang. If the big bang's true, well the Bible got it wrong on astronomy. The Bible says there was a global flood, but uh, today we have a lot of people say, 'No there wasn't.' Well if the Bible gets it wrong in geology' [and] gets it wrong in biology, then why should I trust the Bible when it talks about morality and salvation?' Geology major Nathan Baird of Wheaton College asks us: 'What do you do when the evidence is before you' and you want to say, 'Well then this goes completely against my whole upbringing. This completely goes against everything I have known to be true, thus far'' That's a struggle I've gone through this year. Where is God?' Good questions. And now I must question the scope of the program. *Evolution* is too short and too broad to stand on it's own as an argument. I already mentioned many things left out in the above Purpose paragraph. I also mentioned the failure to fully define many basic concepts. In addition, the show does not differentiate between old-earth and young earth creationism. *Evolution* does not mention intelligent design theory. *Evolution* often fails to anticipate opposing arguments, leaving me to wonder about alternative interpretations of data. Indeed, my mind felt hungrier than ever by the end of the set. Conclusion I wanted to see more evidence, and learn about the techniques used to interperate it. A subject as detailed and complex as biological evolution seems to me should have been presented step-by-step, in a regular series. By making a regular series, at least one year long, *Evolution* could be a thorough, methodical, and perpetually updating focus on biological evolution. But that is an argument for another essay. I think *Evolution* is much too short and too broad. But I also feel it made selected ideas within biological theories more credible to me. High school and college students especially may find *Evolution* more interesting than a textbook. At the very least, it will help some Americans recognize the science behind the science of Life.
Rating: 
Summary: Closet-Evolutionist
Review: Despite being a Christian, I have always been inclined to the logical and scientific. And having read many books on the subject, I have always appreciated the elegance of the Darwin's thesis.
The PBS Evolution series provides many tidbits for the arsenal of the closet-evolutionist such as myself, and anyone interested in the subject, with or without an agenda. Obviously, the science is as deep as any layman can care to venture, and the series is by no means complete. But it does an excellent job of covering its breadth.
With carefully selected examples, you would have gained a good understanding of the forces that drive evolution by the end of the show.
Darwin's idea was a simple one. Yet it is one that strikes at the heart of all creation models, much like Galileo's assertions went against the dogma of his time. I see time and inertia on Darwin's side. They were with Galileo.
There is harmony in Creation and Science. Instead of denying it, find it. This series is a good place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Beware of false reviews from creationists!
Review: Do not be fooled by the poor ratings and reviews written for the PBS Evolution Set. These were written by anti-evolutionists who will do everything possible to dissuade the public from learning the fact of evolution. It would not surprise me if some of these negative reviews were written without even seeing the series! Have you noticed how anti-evolutionists have disgracefully and unappropriately used this review section as a forum for disseminating creationist arguments? This is even MORE of a reason to see this evolution series. See what the creationists and religous zealots are trying to hide from you! Anti-evolutionists are afraid of this series because it provides the hard facts and convincing arguments for biological evolution. The PBS Evolution series is highly entertaining, educational, and thought-provoking. To be sure, many scientists will find at least one topic in the series that they wish were presented differently (I found the discussion on the molecular mechanisms of microbial evolution to be somewhat thin). Nevertheless, the Evolution Series presents the facts of evolution clearly and effectively in a fresh, exciting and imaginative format. This series is especially good for those who do not have a strong background in biology, and would make an excellent addition to any science curriculum.
Rating:
Summary: Evolution Boxed Set
Review: Even though I do not fully belive in evolutionary theory, I found this series to be very well produced and not preachy and boring like some science series are. I am a devout Christian at heart and still found it to be fun, informative and wuite educational.
Rating:
Summary: The PBS 7-part primer on the theory of Evolution
Review: Everybody knows that when it comes down to the final question in a game of Trivial Pursuit that they should make me try and answer a science question because I know pretty much nothing about science and nature. This is because the one thing I knew about high school biology was that you dissected animals and being sick in front of the smartest girls in school did not appeal to me at all. So I took Life Through the Microscope (it involved drawing) and Ecology (it was the only class that fit my schedule) and missed out on Biology, Chemistry and Physics. However, since I did my dissertation on the infamous Scopes "Monkey" Trial I do have something of an interest in the controversy over evolution if not the concept itself. This seven-part series exploring various facets of evolution was perfect so someone like me who insists on having theory of any sort mixed with a heavy dose of practice. "Evolution" is as much about the profound impact the evolutionary process has had on our understanding of the world around us as it is on the various versions of the theory that have been expounded in scientific textbooks for the past century. The series basically focuses on five key concepts regarding evolution, sandwiched between episodes that constitute a dramatic introduction and a controversial coda: "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" offers dramatizations of key moments in Darwin's life along with contemporary talking heads explaining the profound implications of the evolutionary theory and the place it holds in the scientific community today as a pivotal concept. It takes a while to adjust to the episodic approach of the dramatizations, which come and go without a real sense of regularity, but since they dramatized the famous retort of Huxley to Bishop Wilberforce and other key moments in the popularization of evolution there is a certain effectiveness to it all. What you get from this episode is a better idea of what the initial complaints were to evolutionary theory and who was making them. "Great Transformations" explores the evolutionary changes that caused the incredible diversity of animal life that exists on earth. The focus is on the development of the four-limbed body plan, which is explained in the context of how animal life moved from water to land and eventually to human beings, thereby answering the key question of why are human connected to all life. "Extinction!" represents the flip side of evolutionary transformations, explaining the how and why behind the fact that 99.9 percent of all species that have ever lived on earth are now extinct. This leads to the provocative question as to whether human beings are going to cause the next mass extinction on the planet. "The Evolutionary Arms Race" puts the entire concept of natural selection and survival of the fittest in the context of humanity's battles with microorganisms, looking at a case study regarding the reemergence of tuberculosis in Russian prisons. With the alarming spread of resistance among pathogens that cause disease, the episode explains how this particular "race" offers the major threat to human existence. The scary question here is whether we are fighting a battle we cannot win. "Why Sex?" makes the contention that in evolutionary terms sex is more important than life itself. But on a more pragmatic level is addresses the question of whether males are necessary to perpetuate the species, looking at a wide variety of case studies drawn from nature. This episode also explains the principle of monogamy in evolutionary terms. "The Mind's Big Bang" addresses the question of why humans are the dominant species on earth. The answer is found in the past, when something happened to primitive humans to trigger a creative, technological, and social explosion, which ultimately allowed humans to dominate the planet. The episode tries to uncover (literally) the primitive forces that contributed to the emergence of the mind of the modern human being. "What About God?" is the coda to the series in that it returns to the initial question of Darwin's day regarding the conflict between evolution and religion. The debate is presented within the context of a college student whose family is not happy with what he is learning about evolution at Wesleyan College, a group of high school students trying to get their local school board to allow the teaching of creationism, and the activities by adults on both sides of the question to win this pivotal battle. I consider the episode to be remarkably even-handed, but then I do not think there is an inherent conflict between the two, which invalidates my opinion for true believers on both sides. Overall I like the fact that "Evolution" goes for depth rather than breadth. The case studies, at least to my uneducated mind, come across as being representative of the issue under discussion. The DVD series also features access to the Evolution Web site with its interactive games, activities, and biographies, so those who would like to get additional information and insight on any one of these topics can easily do so. There are also student lessons for teachers who want to work these episodes into their science classes and a printable teacher's guide (remember, "Evolution" was produced by WGBH Boston, which means we are talking--surprise--public television).
Rating:
Summary: Evolution is a fact - get a life!
Review: Evolution is a fact. Creationism is an invention of man, period! This series either receives great or poor reviews, obviously a reflection of those who believe in a creator (i.e. poor reviews) or those who are 'open minded' and accept the obvious that life evolved on this planet (not to mention probably thousands of other planets in this universe - god must be a busy fellow). The existence of an afterlife is unknown (even though the 'theists' want to harp in heaven), so get a life while you're alive - do something good for the planet.
Rating: 
Summary: Close Captioning does NOT work
Review: Has anybody noticed that the close caption feature of this series does not work? This is a pity since much of the material is useful to show in class, and kids would definitely be able to understand the content better with the captions turned on.
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