Premiering in March will be the modern remake of the COSMOS series starring Neil DeGrasse Tyson filling the universal shoes of the late Carl Sagan.
I loved the original series, and am really looking forward to the HD new version. Anyone else?
Sunday, March 9
What channel will it be on?
Before it was initially announced that this was going to happen (I guess it was 2012), I had long fantasized about the prospect of a Cosmos reboot with NDT at the helm. I really never even entertained the idea that it might actually happen. The day it was announced, needless to say I was beyond excited. I have been eagerly anticipating it ever since. So yeah I’m with ya!
I will say, having had time to think about it, and youtubing the heck outta NDT over the years, I do have a tiny bit of skepticism that he’ll pull it off with the same impact that Carl Sagan had. NDT has become such a ham as he’s achieved this rock star astrophysicist persona. He’s at his best doing Q&As after a talk or panel discussion, because he loves people and that interaction. But he doesn’t have that kinda introverted, introspective quality that made Sagan so compelling. People have complained about the slow pacing of Sagan’s Cosmos in that it feels dated since all entertainment moves at a faster pace these days, but I don’t feel that at all. The slow, deliberate pacing only adds to the impact for me, still now.
So I’m excited, but slightly nervous. We’ll see soon enough. (actually not soon enough. I want it now!).
Fox, although the National Geographic Channel will rebroadcast the episodes.
I saw the original series as a kid and loved it. I hope this one is good as well.
I’m in. Can’t wait!
Excellent news, I’d have suggested either NDT or Brian Cox so that’s all good.
It’ll be fascinating to have a single point of reference to see how much our knowledge has expanded in the years since Carl Sagan.
In fact, that’s a good idea for the branding.
“Cosmos - Expanded”
I don’t think anything will match the original Cosmos for me, which still acts as a touchstone for me when it comes to the meaning and significance of the scientific endeavour.
However, I have a lot of faith that NDT, Ann Druyan and Seth MacFarlane will honour the spirit of the original Cosmos, and if it’s even half as successful at promoting the grandeur of the scientific worldview, it’ll be exactly what we need.
I’d like to think the Ken Ham/Bill Nye debate was (ironically) the first step is a movement back towards greater scientific literacy, despite the fact that it was used as an attempt to promote creationism. So maybe this new Cosmos is arriving at just the right time. One can hope…
Hopefully with cutaways…
Moe: According to a New Yorker article, NDT toned down his “hamminess” in favor of more Saganesque gravitas for the new Cosmos series.
Good to know. I wanted to read that article but I believe it was behind a paywall.
In any case, I know it’s probably best to judge it on its own merits and I have no doubt it will be quite good, and possibly even great, regardless of how it compares with Sagan.
Am the only person who doesn’t like NDT?
No, I do find him annoying.
That trailer was awful.
I love the original Cosmos, so I had a few misgivings about a remake. But I know that the 1980 Cosmos is not something that most people watch anymore, and that its audience is not people like me, but people who are ambivalent or ignorant about science. The point of Cosmos, I feel, is not necessarily to educate people, but to inspire people to educate themselves. The biggest roadblock we face in science communication is not that people don’t know science, but that they don’t care about science. Tyson is already a well-known trusted figure, so hopefully this series will be big enough to bring more people into his world.
Can the original be found on Hulu or Netflix?
If it’s not available there, it’s all on youtube.
I think this sums it up nicely. We’re in an era where ignorance is worn almost as a badge of pride by many people, so if this series can counter that even a little bit, it’ll be a real victory.
I am but a young sprite and have only heard of the Cosmos series.
What is it? Is it just about space? is there a “plot” (like the spaceship thingy in the trailer) or is it just a topic of the day?
I don’t think you’ll be impressed. It was a product of its time, and you kinda had to be there to appreciate it. You can read the synopses of the episodes online, and if you watch them, you’ll find that a lot of them are somewhat light on content. Here’s a post I did from some years back:
The original series was a fairly unique mix of the following elements:
[ul]
[li]the milestones in the history of astronomy[/li][li]an overview of genetics, biology and evolution[/li][li]speculation on the possibilities of life elsewhere[/li][li]critical thinking skills[/li][li]the history of scientific thought[/li][li]global warming[/li][li]nuclear war[/li][/ul]
It’s all non-fiction, but Sagan had a way of making science both awe-inspiring and easy to relate to for the ordinary person. For example, the atmosphere of Venus ties into a discussion on global warming; evolution on Earth leads to speculation about evolution in alien environments.
A common theme is the human race’s great potential: Will we mature into that potential, or will we destroy ourselves before we get there?
FWIW, I watched the original series in 2009 at the age of 30, and it still wowed me.