Super Telescope: Mission to the Edge of the Universe; James May: Our Man In Italy; Our Great Yorkshire Life

“At times the detail in this Horizon documentary was so abstruse that I may as well have been hearing the words “rhubarb, rhubarb” repeatedly, but then things are never going to be simple when you are building the most powerful telescope…I liked that the programme showed similar restraint to the scientists, not getting carried away with gimmicks and melodramatic background music. Instead it delivered sober, non-patronising narration backed up with non-excitable talking heads. When you are dealing with something this amazing you don’t need to ramp up the drama, although there was a small attempt to inject some X Factor-ish “but will it be ready in time?” jeopardy.” 
Carol Midgley, The Times

“All well and good, but the BBC did not know where to pitch it. At viewers with an understanding of science? Or at beginner level? The producers plumped for the latter. Now, there is nothing wrong with making accessible science programmes for all, but the result here was a voice over in which the narrator spoke… very… slowly and informed us that “although the Sun is hot, space itself is cold”. Fortunately, there were experts from Nasa to explain things in accessible terms without treating us like idiots. One raised the possibility that the telescope could discover intelligent life. “What if we detect some sign of industrial activity? Technology? That’s going to get a lot deeper.” There were fascinating ideas here which deserved a better forum.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph 

“This has been done before — the new kit is just an upgrade. Nasa’s bragging nerds don’t like to admit this, so they have to proclaim that this telescope will be able to show us the beginnings of time. It won’t, obviously: it will just produce photographs of blobs and speckles, and the rest of us who aren’t interstellar astronomers will have to pretend we understand (or care) when they say this light is 13.7 billion years old…It’s blithering nonsense, of course. What’s especially frustrating about these BBC2 space documentaries is that no one ever challenges the wild boasts and self-aggrandising fantasies of these tech maniacs. There’s no balance. Are they so allergic to criticism that they cannot face simple questions such as: is it really worth £8 billion to take photographs of previously invisible galaxies, if they just look like blurred pixels?”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“He drives cars, drinks a lot of wine and generally gives the impression of a man on a very pleasing holiday. When he describes Palermo as “modern and multiculti” he means it as a compliment. May said the show wouldn’t be doing the same old travel show clichés about Italy. In truth, it often does. But it’s presented in an amiable fashion, and the cinematography – thanks to a generous Amazon budget – makes it all look fabulous.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“If this whole format has been dreamed up to give them a nice day out, there’s nothing wrong with that. 
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail