A local group rented a theater a couple of years ago and showed an episode per month for a year, bringing in scientists and professionals to give short lectures and Q&A sessions afterward. The major things that dated the show were the 4:3 aspect ratio and the fact that it wasn’t in high-def.
I still use a couple of the episodes for History of Science lectures. I think it holds up pretty well overall, and I’m looking forward to the new series.
Why, yes. Yes you are…
And I’ll second this. If he would just stop talk about black holes, especially when he just makes things more confusing.(A black hole is gravitationally less significant than the star that created it. If you listen to him you probably wouldn’t know that.) The best thing I can say about him is at least he’s better than Michio Kaku.(But that’s damning with faint praise.) Anyway I would have preferred Jim Al-Khalili, Brian Cox, James Burke or Robert Llewellyn.(Yes, I would literally rather have the guy from Red Dwarf than NDT.)
I’m exited for it. I’ve always enjoyed NDT on other shows. He has a nice sense of humor and wit.
I gotta say, having just watched the panel discussion Q&A with NDT, Ann Druyen (sp?), Seth Macfarland (sp?), and others, I’m very optimistic. They all seem very clearly proud of what they’ve done and somehow I trust that. I really can’t wait!
ETA: Here’s the link.
Just so you know - the ‘spaceship thingy’ is a carryover from the original - the Spaceship of the Imagination. It’s design was based on a dandelion seed.
I loved that trailer. My eyes welled up at the sound of Carl’s voice - as it does to the Cosmos theme music in this pale blue dot clip (clip from the original series i believe).
I’m definitely looking forward to the remake. Having such high admiration for Carl Sagan - I’m not sure anyone could really fill his shoes. Brian Cox or Jim Al-Khalili may have been my first choice. I’m still optimistic that Neil DeGrasse Tyson will do a find job.
1Left, thanks for that. Great link. Something about his voice and style of delivery just pulls you in. Great find. That took me back to about 1984 or so when I earned a few college credits by watching the entire Cosmos series and then passing a computerized test. I passed. And I had my then 19 year old eyes opened up to the mysteries and awe of our universe.
I’ve been doing the crazy Snoopy fan dance over the new COSMOS for a while now, and waxing poetic over the originals (watched on PBS when I was a child).
So my longsuffering and confused husband, who missed the originals, but loves science, has been watching NDT interviews and panels and clips on YouTube, and even watched the first and last of the original COSMOS (the only ones that are up on YouTube - the rest are blocked as soon as they’re posted, sadly.)
I have to say, I got a little misty a few times sitting on the couch reading with the sonorous tones of Sagan rolling over me with his overpronounced words and ponderous slow phrasing. So grand, so majestic, so overdramatic. It really did bring me strongly back to my childhood, and the soaring awe over what we could do, and the dread of what we might do, as humans with such power and intellect.
I was a little worried that my husband would think it was hokey and outdated, but he enjoyed the two that he saw, and wants to see the others. I’m so in love. 
I friggen can’t WAIT for the new one. I hope it will be good!
I think this link has them all… So in a little over 13-hours you can be all up to date.
I don’t know if the new series will/can be as good as the original - to me - the original is kind of “The Beatles” of science shows. An introduction to cool stuff. If it sparks a new generation to look into the works of Carl Sagan - then it’s a good thing.
Kinda makes my head hurt a little, thinking that it’s going to be on FOX. I can just imagine the station ID break right before the end of the first show that mentions the Big Bang:
“Hi, I’m John Raabe. Next, on FOX News at ten, has the program you’ve just been watching tainted you with the sin of blasphemy for stating that the Universe is over six thousand years old? Find out why YOU might be going to Hell. Plus, Duke Durkin with tomorrow’s weather. Stay tuned.”
If the Fox network is hosting the remake of COSMOS, then it shows the
network has matured and is moving away from the banality of creation science,
intelligent design, and God as cosmic prankster. This means the FOX team is
getting away from the notion that God planted all those dinosaur bones to test
our faith in the Bible.
As for NDT, he has been annoying in the sense that he played to a juvenile
audience in order to put lipstick on the “science pig.” Let us hope he can make
the switch to an adult audience this month.
Cheers, Singanas 3-7-14
I’m not American, and even I know that Fox and Fox News are in no way the same thing.
Also, yay, we’re getting this on satellite.
Well, the early reviews for it are glowing. It’s currently at 84 on Metacritic.
Quite true. However the Fox network did bring us the “documentary” about an alien autopsy and one on how the Apollo moon landings were faked. This tempered my initial excitement about the new Cosmos series.
It’s looking like they may have done a good job, however. As a big fan of the original, I’m really looking forward to it.
Does anyone know what time it’s on? I’m a little out of practice with the inconvenience of booking an appointment with my TV to watch a show. I found that TV Guide does still exist, as a website, but it claims there will be no airings of Cosmos for the next 14 days, so no help there.
It airs this Sunday, March 9. Check your local listings for the time.
Me, too. I used to see him on news or talk shows and think, “Oh good, they’ve got an actual physicist on to talk about this.” Now I see him and change the channel.
But I’m a fan of the original Cosmos, so I’ll be tuning in to this one.
At least for the time being you can find all 13 of the original episodes on this guy’s account.
National Geographic Channel is airing all 14 episodes today and tomorrow beginning at Noon Eastern Time today. The fiirst six episodes will air today Noon to 6PM Eastern, the second six tomorrow from Noon until 9PM according to Zap2It, but double-check your local listings to be sure, I haven’t had my morning coffee fix yet. Catch them if you haven’t seen them before, they’re well worth your time.