Wonders of the Solar System (TV) (2010)

We live on a world of wonders. A place of astonishing beauty and complexity. We have vast oceans and incredible weather. Giant mountains and breathtaking landscapes. If you think that this is all there is, that our planet exists in magnificent isolation, then you're wrong…

Over the course of the series' five episodes, Cox travels to exotic locales around the world in an attempt to unravel the greatest mysteries of our solar system. We first find him in India, where a total solar eclipse helps illuminate his first subject, the sun. In the aptly named "Empire of the Sun," the exuberant professor examines the star's light, energy, heat, solar winds and unimaginable power, and discovers just how far its reach stretches. With high spirits and meticulous reasoning, he delves into the sun's humble origins, its place in the cosmos, its affect on the planets in our solar system and its eventual demise. It's a fitting opener; one that sets the stage for everything that follows. In "Order Out of Chaos," Cox turns his attention to a planet that has long intrigued everyone from grade-schoolers to veteran scientists: Saturn. Chasing tornadoes in Oklahoma and visiting an icy lake in Ireland, he uses a number of small, home-brewed wonders to paint a layman's picture of Saturn. He investigates the formation of its rings, its many distinct moons, and the volatile geysers of Enceladus, all to dizzying effect. His delivery is fast and fierce, and yet he repeats and elaborates just enough to make it easy to keep up.

Next up is "The Thin Blue Line," a look at Earth's atmosphere and its role in protecting the planet from the devastating forces of the universe. He treks into the deserts of Africa to tell the sad tale of Mercury, a barren wasteland stripped of its atmosphere long ago; heads to Alaska to introduce Titan, a moon blessed with a thick atmosphere, and home to the only other pools of liquid discovered in our solar system; and takes to the skies to see Earth's heavenly shield, up close and personal. From there, "Dead or Alive" follows the professor to Mauna Kea as he analyzes the geography and topography of the planets, and Ethiopia as he focuses on the volcanoes that shaped their surfaces. As it turns out, one of Jupiter's moons – Io – is still teeming with volcanic activity, a launchpad of captivating theories that elevate the series' fourth episode above the rest. As his brief but thought-provoking journey comes to an end, Cox ponders whether life exists on other planets and moons in our solar system. In "Aliens," he descends to the bottom of the Pacific, tours the US Scablands, and explores a toxic cave in Mexico to study life that exists in the harshest conditions. He questions whether Europa, another one of Jupiter's moons, is home to similar organisms, and waxes poetic about the solar system's greatest wonder: Earth.

Wonders of the Solar System is an altogether enjoyable and informative BBC series; one that sinks its teeth into Earth's backyard and digs into a variety of diverse topics. Cox comes on quite strong at times – his chummy charm and pointed passion will annoy as many people as it excites – but he's an earnest host, and manages to condense a seemingly endless stream of information into a digestible, five-episode banquet. My gripe isn't with Cox though, it's with the relatively short length of the series. Earth, Jupiter and Saturn muscle their way into the spotlight again and again, leaving everything from Venus to Neptune out in the cold. While more episodes would have helped – after all, Cox could ramble on till the sun turns black and still not run out of things to talk about – a wider scope would have been more appreciated (regardless of whether it was stretched over five episodes or twelve). Overeager personalities and slim scope aside, Wonders of the Solar System is a solid series with plenty to offer those who've gazed at the stars and pondered the mysteries of our sun and neighboring planets.