BCox, stated at his melbourne lecture '... the free one' that his intentions with his tv shows are to bring across people who would usually be watching something something more 'main stream' like Big Brother etc .. and in so doing try to bring science back to a wider tv wider audience thereby promoting science to more people (extra ratings would also be a bonus
he acknowledged the more serious science enthusiast probably wouldn't get so much out of the programs but hoped they'd still enjoy them.
as for life in the universe? better get exploring i say, otherwise I doubt we'll know any more in my lifetime.