# Cosmos cancellation inevitable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547 "2014-06-11T16:17:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/1 "2014-06-11T16:17:26Z")
The last ratings numbers I saw did not bode well for a second season for Neil deGrasse Tyson and “Cosmos.” It’s a shame – the graphics were extraordinary and I thought he did a great job of explaining key concepts through story and illustration. Still, the show shed two million viewers from the premiere to the final episode, and did not do well in the 18-49 lifeblood demo. Rats. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/2 "2014-06-11T16:21:21Z")
Not sure cancellation is the right tern to use here. According to the Big Thee creative team involved (McFarland, NDGT, Druyan), there has never been a second season or series planned. The concept was for a short series much like the original COSMOS series. I suppose if ratings were through the roof, and there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth, another series could happen, but it was never in the original plans. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/3 "2014-06-11T16:41:35Z")
We’ve known that the cosmos was finite for quite some time. What’s yer beef? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/4 "2014-06-11T17:34:06Z")
I think it will do well on DVD and streaming video when it’s complete and can be watched without commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/5 "2014-06-11T17:34:59Z")
It was planned as one season but I suspect if the ratings had held (as I recall the first few episodes did reasonably well) FOX would have asked for a second one. I haven’t seen the last one yet but I enjoyed the show immensely. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/6 "2014-06-11T18:01:20Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > We’ve known that the cosmos was finite for quite some time. What’s yer beef? Errr… “we” didn’t know that, I’m afraid. And I don’t think I’m alone in my ignorance: plenty of sites that discuss cancelled v renewed shows have mentioned that Cosmos is likely to be cancelled without mentioning that this was the plan all along. So – I’m ignorant, but not lonely. 🙂 ETA: I just now got that. Which, I guess, proves the point I was making in an entirely different way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/7 "2014-06-11T18:03:00Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Errr… “we” didn’t know that, I’m afraid. > > And I don’t think I’m alone in my ignorance: plenty of sites that discuss cancelled v renewed shows have mentioned that Cosmos is likely to be cancelled without mentioning that this was the plan all along. > > So – I’m ignorant, but not lonely. 🙂 > > ETA: > > I just now got that. Which, I guess, proves the point I was making in an entirely different way. 😃 I think you missed a whoosh there. ETA: missed your ETA. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/8 "2014-06-11T18:21:56Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I think it will do well on DVD and streaming video when it’s complete and can be watched without commercials. It was [released yesterday](http://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Spacetime-Neil-deGrasse-Tyson/dp/B00IWULQQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402510854&sr=8-1&keywords=cosmos+dvd). ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/9 "2014-06-11T18:26:06Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I think it will do well on DVD and streaming video when it’s complete and can be watched without commercials. You can currently stream it from the [http://www.cosmosontv.com/](http://www.cosmosontv.com/) web site. They put each episode a few days after the initial broadcast. They do not have the commercials. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/10 "2014-06-11T23:52:09Z")
I really, really wanted to like this show. Too bad. I blame Seth MacFarlane. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/11 "2014-06-12T01:46:02Z")
Yeah, this run does seem satisfactorily self-contained, the last ep did look like a finale, as would be expected for a project that was known would only get another season only IF there were large demand for more. In a way, as with other imagination-heavy shows, the limitations of the time worked to make the original come across better at times. Sagan’s show was on Public TV in the Broadcast Network age, and the technological and budgetary elements forced it to put to use its mightiest asset, Sagan himself and his words and his delivery. Tough act to follow. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/12 "2014-06-12T01:55:37Z")
Well, the new series really had to big disadvantages over the original. One, commercial breaks. It was impossible to immerse yourself into the narrative because it was getting interrupted every 10 minutes. Two, the music. In the original it was Vangelis (who does “ethereal” better than anybody) along with world music and some appropirate classical pieces. The soundtrack for the series was a pure joy all by itself. On this series, it was almost all mediocre Alan Silvestri work. Very forgettable. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/13 "2014-06-12T02:27:33Z")
I sort of liked it. It didn’t thrill or excite me, but I learned a lot (not that I can remember any of that). Seemed to be 50% animation, though, which was sometimes a bit of a slog. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/14 "2014-06-12T04:50:01Z")
It’s Fox. It’s lucky it made it through its only season. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/15 "2014-06-12T12:50:02Z")
The original _Cosmos_ was a product of the pre-cable, pre-internet early 1980’s. It worked because it was unique, and the new _Cosmos_ wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/16 "2014-06-12T13:17:43Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > It’s Fox. It’s lucky it made it through its only season. And every episode was shown in order. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/17 "2014-06-12T14:16:12Z")
It wasn’t just shown on Fox, though. It was also on USA and I think one more cable channel. Just basising the viewership on Fox’s ratings is meaningless. There are viewers on other channels that have to be taken into account as well as online. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/18 "2014-06-12T14:46:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The last ratings numbers I saw did not bode well for a second season for Neil deGrasse Tyson and “Cosmos.” It’s a shame – the graphics were extraordinary and I thought he did a great job of explaining key concepts through story and illustration. > > Still, the show shed two million viewers from the premiere to the final episode, and did not do well in the 18-49 lifeblood demo. > > Rats. Have you seen any Prof Brian Cox? He is essentially the UK’s equivalent to Neil Degrasse Tyson (as well as being a CERN scientist), and has been making shows for several years. Check out his “Wonders of the Solar System”, “Wonders of the Universe” and “Wonders of Life” > **[Brian Cox (physicist)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist))** > > This is an accepted version of this page > > > Brian Edward Cox (born 3 March 1968) is an English physicist and musician who is professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester and the Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science. He is best known to the public as the presenter of science programmes, especially BBC Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage and the Wonders of... series and for popular science books, such as Why Does E=mc2? an... ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fornicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Fornicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fornicator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/19 "2014-06-12T15:02:52Z")
Fwiw, you may get US-speaking voiceovers but the BBC will continue to knock this stuff out (whether it’s Cox on the universe, Attenborough on the planet, etc, etc) until hell freezes over - as part of the public service remit: > **[BBC - Charter and Agreement - BBC Trust](https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/governance/regulatory_framework/charter_agreement.html)** > > The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC. It sets out the public purposes of the BBC, guarantees its independence, and outlines the duties of the Trust and the Executive Board. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547/20 "2014-06-12T15:03:30Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > Have you seen any Prof Brian Cox? He is essentially the UK’s equivalent to Neil Degrasse Tyson (as well as being a CERN scientist), and has been making shows for several years. Check out his “Wonders of the Solar System”, “Wonders of the Universe” and “Wonders of Life” > > [Brian Cox (physicist) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist)) That would be “Winders” of the Universe. I alwasy like to point out how he started as a rock star. Well, not so much “rock” or “star” but his band D-Ream did chart with Things Will Only Get Better. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cosmos-cancellation-inevitable/690547.md?page=2)