First I have to say IGNORE THE HATERS!!! If you read the reviews so far they are about Gates himself NOT the series. People leaving reviews need to focus on why people read the reviews, and that's to find out if the series is any good or not. I can dislike a person with everything in me. But if they say "putting your hand in the fire will burn you" that doesn't mean they're wrong. I also wouldn't just instantly dismiss them either, as these 'hosts' pretty much are just the talking heads not the researchers, writer's, etc. Still with me? Alright, let's review the series now.
The series itself is thought provoking and at times pretty insightful. That being said, it's nothing special to write home about but isn't terrible either. Honestly, it's a series touching on issues in a way that tries to be as middle of the road as possible. I believe the approach is to try not to alienate any one "side" of things. That being said, this is where it tends to loose out, instead of going all in the topics the series holds a lot back in their attempts to not upset anyone and not be political. While that in and of itself is a good thing in this day in age, it causes the series to not go far enough on the issues it's discussing.
I'd say this is a good series to play in the background while doing something, and a better series to watch as you're settling in for the night. Engaging enough to keep you interested, but also not enough to overstimulate you or really draw your attention from other things.