Rating: 
Summary: Elegance Succumbs to Giant Sucking Sound
Review: Reading the commentary on here is almost more entertaining. Well, here are the few points I wanted to make that are not in the work itself and don't seem to be in here: 1. One of the most interesting parts of this thing is how the community responds to the idea of postulating about problems that cannot be observed. It almost plays like a Lutherian drama at that point (faith/works threatening to split a rift that will lead to civil war). But let's face it: a. the main discovery of the 20th C was uncertainty, which means that even if you can see the electron trail, you have not really succeeded in observing it (at least cleanly), and b. this is an edge that we are bound to have come upon and furthermore, consider the question of what we would do even if we could see down into a realm that bears no resemblance to where we exist, what would we be able to deduce (c.f. Ambrose Bierce's "The Damned Thing": 'nothing')? Anyway, I found this part and the echoes of it here most amusing. 2. Doesn't 1 kind of point in the direction of Wolfram's unoriginal revolution? Aren't we bound for a world of new information derived solely from simulation? Or are we already there? Why aren't scientists screaming when the proteomics people talk about simulating protein formation? 3. Scientists are sometimes great story tellers, and sometimes not. This is definitely a case of not. The Newtonian/Einsteinian vectors being returned to ad nauseum are clear signs of a threadbare, almost infantile notion of story construction (with the apple falling standing in, for instance, for the fallen cherry tree of yore). Gleick's book about Feynman shows that that great man view of all things is certainly gone (if it ever did make any sense). Great to herald the accomplishments of others, but should be in a context that provides more depth than the rodeo scene from "Annie Get Your Gun." 4. Most of the hard questions here were really ultimately ducked or served cold. The buildup to the genius coming in and solving the five models problem was so drawn out I started to think TiVo was tormenting me by replaying sections (I couldn't imagine a conscious editor called for that many repeats). And then the genius' conclusion is that the five models are all reflections of one reality. Ah, I see.... Hello? Are we that dumb? If so, why are we watching? A little more detail please. I hope this cat doesn't decide to do a film about Fermat's Last Theorem... I'd like see something that takes a bit more bother with the seminal moment and less with the titillation.
Rating: 
Summary: String theory for the layman
Review: The basis for most of the unjustly negative reviews in the site is that it's too simplistic and deconstructed to a gradeschool level. This series is not for physicists or physics enthusiasts - they should already know this stuff. This series is for the public, who remain largely unaware of the concepts underlying string theory, as well as the path which led to the generation of that theory. This series does an excellent job of presenting difficult concepts in easily digestible portions. It uses a healthy dose of visual effects to illustrate what Greene narrates expertly using anecdotes and examples. This series is designed to introduce and interest the average Joe in the larger concepts of the physical rules which govern all things, and it does that extremely well. If you're looking for deeper answers, you're not going to find them on television. For those who find this series sophomoric, enroll in a PhD program. For those looking for an entertaining, educational introduction to string theory, this is just right for you.
Rating:
Summary: Boring Poorly Done Explanation of our Universe
Review: the style is a little odd and was done in such a way to confuse...
Rating:
Summary: I look forward to more on the string theory
Review: The whole concept of the string theory is fascinating. If this theory holds true, and is ever provable, it will be like the DNA of all life. 'The Elegant Universe' offers an interesting collection of perspectives. All in all it's quite credible, even though they're talking on a subject where many assumptions have to be made. But the fact that our species can even talk about it is something to think about. We're kind of like the mirrors and instruments revealing the inner hidden side that cannot be revealed except through the human experience of mind and senses. That alone is fascinating to me. I agree that this dvd is sometimes on a grade school level in its delivery. One perspective could be that it loses some credibility because of this approach. But then again, the complexity and technical aspect could easily overwhelm the viewer, so some comic relief might help us keep our attention peeked. I highly recommend this dvd along with 'Stephen Hawking's Universe." I very much look forward to future dvd's on this subject.
Rating: 
Summary: Very repetitive
Review: There is maybe 20 minutes of unique interesting footage in 3 hours of video here. It was unbelievably repetitive. There are definitely some interesting explanations, and the animations were great, but how many times to do we need to see the same animation or quote from a physicist? I kept waiting for it to get into the meat of string theory, and it never did. Obviously the math is very complex, so there's a limit to what they could get into on a TV show. However, all the information given here on the actual theory could be easily summarized in about 5 sentences. 3 hours is a lot to watch for that much information.
Rating: 
Summary: A masterpiece !
Review: This is an easy one to rate, for me anyway. The depth and continuity of this 3 part series on a heretofore uncovered topic is excellent. Only Timothy Ferris has produced science documentaries at this level in the last decade or so ("Beyond Earth", "The Creation Of The Universe") A superb presentation that explores the boundary between physics theory that can be experimented against (quarks, etc), and that which currently cannot (strings).
Rating: 
Summary: Repetitive Blather and CG Effects
Review: This series isn't even OK for children who have never heard anything about the subject. But if you've a layman who's already read a book or two; you're totally wasting your time. My adult friends, to whom I regret having suggested it's viewing when it aired on PBS, who knew nothing of quantum mechanics other than the few thing I've mentioned to them, found it boring, repetitive and uninformative. I was embarrassed watching it; having told so many of my friends to do the same. In the end, it turned-off just about everyone. The amount of actual information in this 3 hour series could easily be presented in 5 minutes. The rest is all idiotic, repetitive blather and CG effects. Nothing is explained;
GREEN: A paricle can be in two places at the same time!
YOU: How? What? Where?
GREEN: Never mind, just look at the effects! Isn't the quantum bar cool? Look! people are drinking green liquid! Futuristic, huh?
GREEN: At the Plank length space becomes chaotic and foamy!
YOU: Why?
GREEN: Never mind, just look at the effects! Isn't CGI cool? Aren't I cool? You want real answers? Read a book! This is Hollywood, baby!
Oh, and at the risk of repeating myself, did I tell you it's repetitive?
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Introduction to Quantum Physics & String Theory
Review: This set of DVDs is not made for physicists, but rather for people who would like to get an idea about quantum physics and string theory. It is made for general public - and it's done well - it's beautiful, informative and entertaining. You can watch it even if you have absolutely no knowledge about quantum physics or string theory.
The DVD takes you through a little bit of history of quantum physics, through experiments and discoveries made, and in the end leaves you with more questions - so if you'd like to know more, you may want to pick up some books, perhaps beginning with Elegant Universe, the book that served as a base for this DVD, Fabric of the Cosmos and others.
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Summary: watch it on nova's website free
Review: You can watch the entire show on NOVA's website in either Quicktime or Real Media format for free. The quality of the video stream is very good over cable modem. I watched the entire 3 hour show and liked it so much I bought the book, which is excellent as well. Of course the book is much more informative than the program. It was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. The show is hosted by the author of the book. It's very high quality programming, like all NOVA's programs. Even if you don't like string theory you will enjoy this. It's an INTRODUCTION to string theory, quantum mechanics, and relativity. We need more high quality science programs like this. It's worth every penny. Support PBS!
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