Producer/director David Grubin, who consistently provides PBS with some of its finest documentaries, does his usual expert job here, wisely mixing more factual presentations (some with excellent CGI of various heart functions) with more visceral personal presentations of various individuals confronting a variety of heart problems. The series is split into three episodes, "Endlessly Beating," "The Spark of Life," and "The Silent Killer," each with its own niche of information centered within usually two or three personal stories.

"Endlessly Beating" gives us the basic details of the heart's functions while painting the portrait of two individuals with serious heart problems who are awaiting transplants (a third subject is given a very short interim profile). Beth, a radio news reporter, suffered a minor heart attack which was then seriously compounded when a catheter inserted into her heart broke an artery. Bob is an elderly man reaching the end of his "priority listing" on the national heart transplant database with amazing calm and optimism.

"The Spark of Life" features some fascinating information on the electrical impulses which control the heart's beating, while also pursuing the story of the unfortunate Oil family, which finds out they have unwittingly been passing a genetic disease called Long QT Syndrome down to their children, the oldest of whom went into sudden cardiac arrest at age 18. This episode focuses on some of the amazing new technologies available for defribillation, while also detailing the history of the pacemaker.

"The Silent Killer" is atherosclerosis, more commonly known as coronary artery blockage. This episode largely focuses on Claire, a woman with absolutely no clue about her impending heart problems until her doctor asks her to undergo a stress test. This episode also delves into the increasing American penchant for fast food (and its resultant obesity), culminating in some funny moments with Muppets pushing vegetables and other healthy snacks to a new generation of television watchers.

While some of the surgery footage (especially in the first episode) may have some more squeamish viewers racing to cover their eyes, for the most part the series deals more in the personal stories than in the more gruesome aspects of heart disease and research. Many amazing details are covered almost in passing (such as the comment by a noted coronary specialist that the first real coronary textbooks weren't written until the 1930s), keeping the series surprising and engaging.

This could easily have been a one DVD release, however, with each episode clocking in at around 50 minutes and with no extras to speak of.

The DVD

Video:
Filmed in hi-def, and with a nice enhanced 1.78:1 image, this is a very crisp looking documentary. Colors, contrast and saturation are all top-notch (sometimes a little too much so, as in the graphic open heart surgery segments).

Sound:
The standard Dolby and Dolby 5.1 soundtracks are both excellent. Blair Brown's voiceover is always front and center and easily heard, and the occasional sound effects and underscore are well balanced.

Extras:
The advertised extras are Spanish Subtitles, Closed Captioning, and the 5.1 soundtrack. There are other related titles advertised as well.

Final Thoughts:
If most of us, as per the quote above, don't give adequate thought to the miracle beating within us day in, day out, this excellent compendium of information and personal stories can surely help remedy that situation. Recommended.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet