These PBS space documentaries explore the wonders of our universe
Both visually impressive and scientifically fascinating, these documentaries explore the beauty of space (and our place in it)
"Once Upon A Time In Space" Episode 4 (Photo: NASA/PBS)
Space: The final frontier. Humanity has been fascinated by it since time immemorial, captivated and frightened in turn by its beautiful scale and vastness. Public broadcaster PBS has long been a home for excellent documentaries on the subject, from films by famed directors to in-depth investigations and histories as part of their NOVA and American Experience franchises. And with science advancing rapidly, so is our understanding of our solar system, galaxy, and even worlds beyond.
Sometimes, space can be exhilarating, such as when NASA’s Artemis II mission completed a 10-day trans-lunar flight earlier this summer. And sometimes it can be frightening, as depicted in the forthcoming NOVA special, “Space Wars,” which illustrates the escalating military struggle over controlling Earth’s orbit and who, precisely, gets to weaponize it for their own benefit. But while we’re sure that “Space Wars” will be as excellent as most installments of NOVA tend to be, given the steadily encroaching horrors of real life, it’s understandable if you like your space programming a bit more aspirational. To that end, we have some recommendations from the other end of the scale: Some of the most wondrous and awe-inspiring PBS programs about space and humanity’s journey into the stars.
The Planets / The Solar System
A pair of sweeping, five-part documentary series co-produced in partnership with the BBC, The Planets and its follow-up, The Solar System, are visually stunning deep dives into the many wonders of humanity’s little corner of the universe.
The Planets, which originally aired in 2019, uses a mix of footage and data collected from space missions, as well as some impressive computer-generated imagery, to chronologically document the origins and history of each of the major planets, with episodes focused on “Inner Worlds,” “Mars,” “Jupiter,” “Saturn,” and “Ice Worlds.” The Solar System, which premiered in 2024, has a slightly more expansive focus, exploring the dynamic forces at work on and among the planets, from storms, volcanoes, and other extreme planetary weather to strange gravity, superionic ice, hidden oceans, asteroids, and more.
NOVA: “Black Hole Apocalypse”
Even those who aren’t necessarily regular viewers of science documentaries will love NOVA’s thoughtful exploration of one of the most fascinating cosmic objects in existence. Much studied but not fully understood, black holes are both mysterious and vaguely terrifying. But don’t let the overly sensationalistic title fool you, this NOVA installment offers both an in-depth introduction to what we know about black holes, their origins, and what they can tell us about cosmic evolution. Also features interviews with scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Paul Murdin, who helped discover the first confirmed black hole.
American Experience: “Chasing The Moon”
As much a history lesson as a celebration, this three-part American Experience film was released to in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Using previously overlooked archival material (most of which had never been seen by the public), director Robert Stone successfully looks at the race to the moon in a broader context, one that incorporates the mix of scientific innovation, political calculation, media spectacle, and social turmoil. Even for people who think they “know” the story of the space race, this is fascinating stuff.
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