New Prof Brian Cox series starts July 4th, 2016

jfSDAS

Hi all,

A new 4-part series called Forces of Nature starts July 4th on BBC. Hosted by Prof Brian Cox, more details can be found by visiting the BBC web site www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2016/27/forces-of-nature

John

slade_x

He appeared on the 4th episode of the 23rd Season of Top Gear, which aired on Sunday 26th June which featured an exclusive clip of him taking off in a Eurofighter typhoon for the purpose of, to quote "chasing the sunset"

3 short previews from youtube.com:

Forces of Nature with Brian Cox: Trailer - BBC One

Why does gravity make the Earth round? - Forces of Nature with Brian Cox: Episode 1 - BBC One

Why does ice float? - Forces of Nature with Brian Cox: Episode 1 - BBC One

Myrddin

Loved his last three shows (both Wonders shows more so than human universe), so looking forward to this one

Son Of A Vidic

Thanks OP, it's been awhile since I've perused the Astronomy & Space forum and it looks like my timing is perfect.:)

Ghost Train

Just started now on BBC1

dryan

Ghost Train wrote: »

Just started now on BBC1

Any good? Missed it.

syngindub

was ok, thought it was a bit boring to be honest. I did miss the first 10-15 minutes though
Not as good as previous shows, will watch the remainder alright.

I thought the part with all the grannies diving was unreal though.
Fair balls to them

jfSDAS

Managed to catch the first episode also. At first I thought it was starting at 8pm - a clash with the Tour de France round-up on TG4 (sigh, I miss David Duffield [RIP] on Eurosport who used to wax lyrically about the cheeses of the region the peleton was passing through, along with our own Sean Kelly as co-presenter) :-)

Anyways, back to the cosmos.

I agree with syngindub in that the episode appeared a bit disjointed. However, it seems to be asking us open our eyes to seeing how apparently complex things all follow the same set of basic rules, whether a force of nature or mathematical construct. I'd have probably preferred the episode explore how we arrived at the basic understanding a little more, similar to how Jim al-Khalili builds a narrative in his series (e.g., The Story of Electricity). I think the book accompanying the series will possibly allow the stories to be told in more detail.

If you want to be wowed by the beauty of snowflakes then Ken Libbrecht's site is a must see: http://www.snowcrystals.com/

refusetolose

its on again now, bbc1

Ghost Train

I wasn't too impressed with it, didn't feel like anything new

ps200306

Slow moving and not much meaty content. Nice photography though. I'd recommend it for 10-15 year olds, maybe.

liamo

I had to turn it off after about 20 minutes as I was at serious risk of slipping into a coma.

I was very disappointed with this and don't think I'll waste my time with the remainder of the series.

OldRio

ps200306 wrote: »

Slow moving and not much meaty content. Nice photography though. I'd recommend it for 10-15 year olds, maybe.

Agreed. The production company have thrown a lot of cash at this. Pretty locations. Great photography. Lots of post production effects.
Unfortunately they forgot about the message and the script.

Great viewing on a cold and damp Sunday afternoon after a night on the lash, but easily forgotten.

Myrddin

Haven't watched it yet, shame to hear its yet another by the numbers show. I was like a sponge for these types of shows growing up, so as has been said, they get boring very quickly when it's the same content in different clothes.

jfSDAS

I saw the book of the series in both Easons and Dubray's when in town last night. Priced at €32.

The book is heavy on the photos and it looks like there's a lot less text than the previous series tie-ins. The page or two I read kind of reflected the conclusions a few people mentioned above. The book seemed a bit all over the place ... a bit like Brian on his travels :-)

I might wait until around Christmas to pick it up as WH Smith in Arnotts often slash the prices on popular titles around then.

Wibbs

Myrddin wrote: »

Haven't watched it yet, shame to hear its yet another by the numbers show. I was like a sponge for these types of shows growing up, so as has been said, they get boring very quickly when it's the same content in different clothes.

+1000. And I remember Life On Earth as a current TV event and long before it The World About Us theme still gets me going.

Honestly? I don't get the adulation in some quarters around Brian C. I really don't. I personally find him lacklustre, detached and a bit of a rainman TBH. Not a lot of human juices going on and almost zero gravitas. At the same time I feel bad for saying that if ye know what I mean? But for me, I can;t really warm to the chap.

jfSDAS

Not a bad second episode although I was thinking some of the stuff had been covered before in the another BBC production "Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey". However, the program dwelled a lot more on the human stories and how we are linked to the whims of our planet, which I liked.

Book of the series is €23 in the various branches of Book Station in Dublin. €32 in Easons and Dubray's. Cheaper online though.

ps200306

Wibbs wrote: »

Honestly? I don't get the adulation in some quarters around Brian C. I really don't. I personally find him lacklustre, detached and a bit of a rainman TBH. Not a lot of human juices going on and almost zero gravitas. At the same time I feel bad for saying that if ye know what I mean? But for me, I can;t really warm to the chap.

Maybe he was exciting in the 90s as a teen idol. I've heard him referred to as Dr. Sexy ... in a not very sincere way. The more I watch this latest series, the more I want to punch him in the face. Not out of malice, more as a kind of scientific experiment to see if he has any sensation in that annoying upper lip which looks like it's been anaesthetised with two dozen dentists' syringes.

I jest, of course. It's just that after watching the second episode I've concluded that it's boring and tedious and desperately, desperately dull. I could've summarised the second half of the programme in three sentences. Actually, I'm not sure I could even stretch it out to that. The photography is lovely but if I wanted pretty pictures I'd watch the screensaver on my Google Chromecast, and not have to keep checking Dr. Sexy's upper lip to see if he's said anything in the last five minutes.

Pat Dunne

ps200306 wrote: »

Maybe he was exciting in the 90s as a teen idol. I've heard him referred to as Dr. Sexy ... in a not very sincere way. The more I watch this latest series, the more I want to punch him in the face. Not out of malice, more as a kind of scientific experiment to see if he has any sensation in that annoying upper lip which looks like it's been anaesthetised with two dozen dentists' syringes.

I jest, of course. It's just that after watching the second episode I've concluded that it's boring and tedious and desperately, desperately dull. I could've summarised the second half of the programme in three sentences. Actually, I'm not sure I could even stretch it out to that. The photography is lovely but if I wanted pretty pictures I'd watch the screensaver on my Google Chromecast, and not have to keep checking Dr. Sexy's upper lip to see if he's said anything in the last five minutes.

Fair to enough, I take it you have set you recorder so as not to miss next week's episode, then?

ps200306

Oh, wouldn't miss it for the world. Couldn't go without my weekly whinge. :pac:

Pat Dunne

ps200306 wrote: »

Couldn't go without my weekly whinge. :pac:

Ardent

slade_x wrote: »

He appeared on the 4th episode of the 23rd Season of Top Gear, which aired on Sunday 26th June which featured an exclusive clip of him taking off in a Eurofighter typhoon for the purpose of, to quote "chasing the sunset"

And, he continued, if he had approached Ireland they would have sh1t themselves and launched their Cessna. Funny and true, but still...motherfocker.