Big History is available on Blu-ray and Amazon Instant Video.
Big History is an emerging academic discipline which examines history scientifically from the Big Bang to the present. It examines long time frames using a multidisciplinary approach based on combining numerous disciplines from science and the humanities, and explores human existence in the context of this bigger picture. It integrates studies of the cosmos, Earth, life and humanity using empirical evidence to explore cause-and-effect relations, and is taught at universities and secondary schools often using web-based interactive presentations. It is an academic movement spearheaded by historian David Christian of Australia’s Macquarie University, who coined the term Big History, and is made of an “unusual coalition of scholars”. While some academic historians are skeptical about its value or originality, the 20-year-old discipline appears to be poised for further growth, including an effort to make the discipline available worldwide via a project from philanthropist Bill Gates and David Christian called the Big History Project.
The Movie
It seems an effort to get this ‘discipline’ into the mainstream is now being headed by Mr. Walter White…I mean Bryan Cranston. This new release from the History Channel and Lionsgate focuses on certain aspects of our own history using salt, gold and horses amongst many others as jumping off points to examine their role in guiding the growth of countries, populations, culture and science. It is essentially about perspective, stepping back to see the larger network of effects and connections made by one aspect of something. As a scientist, myself, I am only too aware of how narrow or focused a researcher can become within their own field. When dealing with so much information it can be easy, and often helps, to simplify. As a Brit, raised on BBC documentaries and the dulcet tones of Sir David Attenborough, it takes a lot for a documentary to impress me. So, did Big History?
After wading through the trailers featuring the mind-numbing banality of Alien Abduction and Duck Dynasty, we finally begin. The show is an interesting blend of different mediums. Real life reenactments of a ancient village or Mongolian horde, then CGI realizations of a city growing or volcano exploding. Both of these intercut with the expected interviews with scientists/specialists, and the whole show punctuated by the narration of Cranston. The jumping off point for each episode ranges from gravity, to gold, to megastructures, and then meanders through history showing processes that informed their creation or discovery and the aftereffects of their influences in shaping the future.
As an example, salt is explored. Explaining how salt deposits are originally formed, their presence dictating the location of early settlements due to our biological need for the substance. Later, the creation of the Erie Canal, to ship and trade the salt via New York. This led to the creation of one of the biggest cities in the world. It is a interesting take on the past, at times fascinating to watch the show meander off on a tangent. There are more nuggets of useless trivia to garner than anything truly mind-blowing, but an interesting take nonetheless. The show does move along at a fast pace which keeps things interesting, however, it sacrifices the depth of what could be offered. Skimming over aspects of history showing a web of connections but with little real substance. The show does seem overly concerned with ramming the concept of ‘big history’ down our throat, compounded by some repetition makes things a little tiresome when watching several episodes back to back. However, the frenetic nature of the show does keep you attentive.
The Quality
Big History looks and feels like a slick production. The narration is clear and delivered with a decent level of gravitas from Cranston. Some of the CGI is a little lacking in quality, but shots rarely linger and you move on before you have time to really critique the bad rendering of a sea of gold washing over the planet. To compound that issue, there is a lot of repetition, so shots are reused frequently, usually during the advert breaks which are still rather noticeable after the editing. The transfer is decent, as expected with any new program release, detail comes through (CGI is a little soft at times), colors are well saturated and details contrast nicely. The Blu-ray set contains three discs, across which, are all 17 episodes, including the two-hour finale. The extras include over 30 minutes of deleted scenes.
The Bottom Line
What Big History sets out to achieve is admirable, though its execution is a little frenetic and at times repetitive. A forensic look at any aspect of our history can see how intertwined it is and the approach of Big History is a worthy one that acknowledges that complexity. The show approaches this grand idea with large aspirations, but ultimately is a small realization of it. Lots of interesting and intriguing concepts are put forth, but none are looked at in any real detail. As a primer for this ‘Big’ mindset, Big History is a good introduction, however anyone with a vested interest will need to look elsewhere for deeper satisfaction. The Blu-ray will undoubtedly please fans of the series though with a great presentation and a plethora of extra content.