I think if you've seen Cosmos then Wonders appear a pale copy, despite its improved visuals. The depth just isn't there. Carl Sagan could really go into these subjects in depth, without using umpteen metaphors or cutting edge special effects and without being filmed from a helicopter as he crossed a road and it was still interesting and exciting. I've actually been finding Wonders of the Universe a little boring, because it takes so long to get to the point. And when it does get to the point, I find myself bored because it's taken so long to get there. And it's annoying when he repeats the same idea again and again with the words rearranged. I suppose some of that is because it's aimed at a wide audience and intended to be a sort of entry level introduction to cosmology, but like you, I find the metaphors tend to muddy the waters (so to speak). You don't need to say what everything's like, just say what it is.
Oh and I don't like it when he gets out those pictures on cards. It's kind of cheap looking and less effective than actually showing the full image on screen. When he showed the "pale blue dot" image the paper was so reflective and it had so many creases in it that it must have been pretty difficult to figure out for anyone unfamiliar with the photo. It's like banging on about how wonderful the Mona Lisa is, but instead of going to the Louvre, or putting the image on screen, he's pointing at a 5 year old's crayon reinterpretation going "ain't it grand?!"
The next episode is supposed to have some material on Sagan, though, so that's good. I still think Prof Cox should've credited him for that "we are the universe made conscious" type line.
