Rating: 
Summary: Incredible
Review: This is the most complete and entertaining documentary I have ever seen. Burns has truly captured both the history and culture of New York, and therefore America.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly Done-Worth 10 Stars
Review: I caught certain episodes of New York at various times on PBS-I have yet to view every episode but have caught at least 4 out of 7. What I have seen is very impressive, what with breathtaking photography-especially the scenes of the NY skyline that feature the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Those views left me close to tears, having worked in NY's financial district for 25 yrs. However, the entire series is great-yes, I can say this without having seen the first few episodes. Anything by Ric Burns(as well as brother Ken)is worthwhile viewing. I sincerely hope PBS continues to feature this series-hopefully in chronological order. You don't have to be from the NY/NJ metropolitan area to appreciate this series, either. Every frame is fascinating, every commentator gives detailed insight into the characters & consequences that have made NYC what it eventually came to be(at least prior to 9/11). Very highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great Documentary
Review: (meant to review the DVD - not VHS)For those who couldn't view the entire PBS shows, this is a great way to view the series. The show is so rich in information, it's truly a learning experience about New York and it's history. The contributers / experts / historians included in this series makes the event that much more entertaining as well as educational. David Ogden Stires does a good narration job as well. Ric Burns, in my opinion, is as gifted a film maker as his brother. The set is a bit pricey, but it was something my partner and I enjoy, so it was worth every penny.
Rating:
Summary: The best film I have ever seen
Review: Being a native New York'er, I grew up in the shadow of the great city. As human beings, we quickly adapt to our environment. Most NYC residents can tell you where all the bridges are, which areas of the city are the best, which roads are the busiest. Until I watched this film, I never understood why things are the way they are. Why does the city have financial problems? Why do ghettos exist? Why there is no major highway cutting through Manhattan? Why are individual neighborhoods so important to the infrastructure of a city of millions of residents. Even if you are not a history 'buff' or a sociology major, you will find this film very compelling. This film shows the forces behind what shapes our lives, our living, and our very existence. This is not a film about New York City, so much as it is a pattern for life anywhere.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent and educational film
Review: I always loved New York and when I saw these 7 DVDs I learned a lot more. New York is the greatest city in the world and when seeing this DVD I saw the hardship New York faced. Ric Burns is an excellent director. This film is gripping and sensational. I learned that the 60s and 70s were very tough times for New York. This is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen and that is why i gave it 5 stars.After seeing the presentation I see that this is the best time to be in New York.
Rating:
Summary: Your heart will break just a little bit each episode...
Review: Just knowing that "it" is going to happen...knowing that this spectacular city central to the entire history of our country will be violated in unimaginable ways...tinges this film with sadness.
Yet, you will be able to see the greatness....the importance...the epic that is NYC in all it's glory, presented clearly and thoughtfully.
You will sit amazed at how insanely great (to steal from a well-known source) the Brooklyn Bridge is! The episode on skyscrapers will leave you shaking your head in astonishment.
As in the "Baseball" film, the "talking heads" here are so enthusiastic, I felt like going out, buying a portable DVD player, and using this film as a walking tour guide.
Wait...that's a really good idea...
Rating: 
Summary: A great primer for the uninitiated.
Review: Having been to New York City numerous times I have to say it is the most amazing city I have ever been to. This *nearly* exhaustive collection highlights many of the great and not-so-great aspects of this area of 20 million people. If you are a history buff, this is a MUST. You will kick yourself if you miss it. But even for those who are not so hot on history, the stories themselves are so compelling that you will want to see the series thru to its conclusion. My only gripe is that the final fifty years or so seemed to focus so much on Robert Moses , a character who IS fascinating and was without a doubt the biggest mover and shaker in NY, almost to the exclusion of other stories. I wanted a bit more about other aspects of the more recent recent history of this world city. I enjoyed the discussions of roadways and the deterioration of the Bronx especially-very interesting. Much like his brother Ken's JAZZ film-which also rushed through the 1970-2000 period-Ric seemed to be in a rush towards the end of this film. This is unfortunate because there are so many other avenues that could have been explored; the rise of film in New York and the rise of New York in film, more on the artistic community (for example). Anyway, I suppose that would make the film fifty hours long and even the die-hards would lose interest. In any case, a good intro to one of the world's greatest cities. Perhaps an addendum to the film could be made to include information regarding 9/11.
Rating: 
Summary: a detailed, yet overextended glorification of the Big Apple
Review: Ric Burns, like his brother Ken, is fond of making long documentary films. Like Yo-Yo Ma and the Three Tenors, the brothers and their works have become permanent fixtures of the PBS Pledge Week "winner's circle." Pieces such as "The Civil War" and "Mark Twain" come to mind as some of the masterpieces they (mostly Ken) have created. However, this seven-video, fifteen-hour documentary takes the cake when it comes to sheer duration. Sometimes, less is more. Many reviewers here have cried out that this film needed more judicious editing, and I join them in their criticism. New York City (or Manhattan, really, as that is the only borough that people--including the filmmakers--seem to care about) is an old slab of East Coast. A lot of things have happened there over the past 400 years, not the least of which are the tragic events from one year ago. However, to examine each grain of Gotham's historic soil under a microscope is such a laborious task that it is no wonder that Mr. Burns ended up with such a tiresome film. Still, he captivates the viewer with his signature talented style. The cinematography and photographic stills are breathtaking. The narrative is evenly paced and thorough. The interviews and soundbites are all from respected writers, thinkers, celebrities, and leaders (lending their words authority, I guess, the way an author throws blurbs from Nobel laureates on his or her book jacket). However, the overwhelming volume of praise thrown upon NYC, throughout the film's entire duration, makes the viewer feel as if s/he is watching a very long "Lifetime Achievement Award" ceremony for New York. Where is the criticism? Is there a possibility that New York is perhaps NOT the greatest city on the face of the planet? Even so, could we focus less on municipal laudation and more on history? Perhaps coming from Baltimore (which despises New York--or at least the Yankees), I am prone to doubt the greatness of the Big Apple, but I cannot help but feel that cutting out a lot of unnecessary side commentaries could reduce the film's running time significantly. Only a rabid New Yorker could sit through this entire film and not emit a dozen yawns, or lose interest for at least a minute or two. Even within a single episode. Although I learned a lot from this documentary, I really feel that a shorter approach could have been just as effective. Just as the reader baffled by an unknown word need not consult the entire Oxford English Dictionary, the person curious about New York City need not endure Ric Burns's documentary saga from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: Great effort, but next time hire an editor!!!
Review: There were many things I loved about this documentary film: The soundtrack, the incredible stock footage, the commentary, and the interviews. However, I must agree with the earlier reviewer about the ridiculous length. Burns seems to suffer from the same illness that plagued Titanic and most Tarantino films-- lack of editing room floor dicipline! As a viewer, I found the director overindulgent, in subjecting us to so many long pauses and useless montage sequences after every single pseudo-witty observation made by an interviewee. At times, the film felt like a conversation with a senile elderly person, who struggles to get the words out, and then repeats himself again and again in circular logic. Also, I found the tone of the documentary too arrogant. The overly-somber voice of the narrator and the grandiose soft-opening teaser before each episode and opening sequence, were far too pompous for my liking. Was I the only viewer alienated by all this? If my criticism seems harsh, it's only because I would have preferred more screen time devoted to exploring important topics that barely got any attention. The focus of the documentary was very uneven-- Burns would devote 30-40 minutes covering one topic (eg. Triangle Shirt Co. Disaster or Al Smith) and then skip 50 years of history by quickly glossing over another equally important subject. I would have liked to see more time devoted to Greenwich Village, Harlem, and some of the other neighbourhoods. Finally to end my review on a positive note, after seeing the documentary, I was inspired on my last visit to New York to visit Cooper Union Hall. I snuck into the auditorium and was able to stand at the podium on stage. This was truly incredible as I thought about all the revolutionary speeches that had been given from that very podium.
Rating:
Summary: In desperate need of an editor........
Review: There are many glowing reviews of this DVD set submitted here, and much of what has been written I agree with. While it is true there is much to be said for this history of New York, I feel that it could have been said in about 4 or 5 fewer hours. There is far too much time devoted to talking heads speaking philosophically about New York, often repeating themselves. or each other, over and over. These experts often do have important comments to add, but they are allowed to do 2 or 3 times. Wonderful historic clips are often cut short to return to another talking head.
Burns also obviously loves the arial fly over video of NYC, as this clip, with variations, appears far too frequently. I doubt that more than 10 mins. of the film goes by without another arial fly over. Never mind that the film may be disscussing 17th century NYC, Burns has to throw in another fly over of contemporary Manhattan!
I found the music to be very dissapointing as well. In order to keep a sort of dark and somber mood throughout the film, Burns uses the same 4 or 5 music clips over and over again. By the last DVD I was quite sick of them. We do get a little bit of other clips - but "Sidewalks of New York" was not the only tune about N.Y. We get a tiny slice of Gershwin, and a few other tidbits but with all of the wonderful music that has come out of N.Y. over the last 100 years, there should have been much much more offered.
Keeping in mind that there really isn't anything else like this set, I would still recommend it. It is just in need of a good editor......
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