Neil deGrasse Tyson, as habitual viewers of The Daily Show and/or The Colbert Report know from his many appearances on those respective programs, is entertaining as all get-out, an engaging, chatty fellow who makes science cool. And ever since Pluto was downgraded from planet status, he’s been at the center of a swirling, out-of-this-world controversy.

Profiling this scientific contretemps in compressed but not slapdash fashion, the hour-long The Pluto Files, based on deGrasse Tyson’s book of the same name, details the efforts of its crusading astronomer, who is at the head of the team behind the recent uproar over Pluto’s status. Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has held a warm place in the public imagination. So, when the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium stopped calling Pluto a planet, director deGrasse Tyson found himself at the center of a firestorm — a firestorm led by angry, Pluto-loving elementary school students.

So what is it about this cold, distant rock that captures so many hearts? Oscar-nominated writer-director Terri Randall keeps this NOVA production smooth and streamlined, and
wisely gives the personable deGrasse Tyson plenty of room to operate. Her subject doesn’t disappoint, as he details the amazing story of Pluto’s initial discovery as well as the captivating science that surrounds this former planet, including the possibility of finding more Pluto-like objects in the mysterious Kuiper belt — an area of icy rocks at the edge of the solar system. From the scientists trying to classify Pluto to die-hard “Pluto-philes,” deGrasse Tyson takes viewers along on a fascinating journey through an engaging cast of characters with just one thing in common: strong opinions about Pluto.

Housed in a regular plastic Amaray case, The Pluto Files comes to DVD presented in widescreen, with an English stereo audio track that more than adequately handles the meager aural demands of this title. Supplemental extras include a clutch of featurettes examining the formation of the universe, a smattering of outtakes, and an audio commentary track with the always entertaining deGrasse Tyson. To order a copy of The Pluto Files, Extreme Cave Diving or other PBS
titles, phone (800) PLAY-PBS or click here; or, if Amazon is totally your thing, click here. B (Movie) B+ (Disc)