TV Blog: The best (and worst) of the week's telly

Already massively cool in my estimation for having been the scientific adviser on Danny Boyle’s Sunshine and for presenting some of the best Horizon documentaries ever, it’s great to see Professor Brian Cox being given a whole series to expound on the majesty of astronomy in Wonders of the Solar System (BBC2, Sundays). 

 

Known as “The Rock Star of Physics” due to his having played in 90’s synth-pop band D:Ream (who didn’t really rock if we’re honest), Cox is the alarmingly young looking 42 year old scientist who has stolen Dr. Gordon Freeman’s crown as the poster boy for particle physicists everywhere. Blessed with a teacher's gift for making the complex comprehensible and brimming with enthusiasm, he is currently midway through a five week tour of our star system which manages to be both accessible for those unfamiliar with space yet informative for those of us who already know their Kuiper Belt from their Oort Cloud.  

 

Prof. Cox’s films break the mould in science programming by actively targeting young people; being made with as much of an eye on indie cinematography and endearingly low-fi demonstrations as they are information and computer graphics. If anything, these programmes would benefit from less flashy visuals as, such is Cox’s ability to impart passion and understanding, the best sections tend to involve just him, a cigarette lighter and some good location photography. 

 

In these days when scientists are in danger of being caricatured as angry fundamentalists, Prof Cox instead walks the line between scientific exactitude and opened eyed awe and, by doing so, brings some much needed credibility and relevance to the presentation of popular science at a time when it has never been more in need. Physics, it seems, is the new Rock and Roll. 

 

Wonders of the Solar System is available to re-watch on the BBC iplayer. Do it, it’ll be the best thing you see this week.