Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

[Bfahome]

 

Has anyone else been watching this? It's the modern reboot of Carl Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage series.

 

It's hosted and narrated by astrophysicist and pop-sci superstar Neil deGrasse Tyson, and while much of it is focused on the history side of science and explained in ways the average person could understand, it's still pretty cool. Even for Science Channel nerds like me.

 

(Also in the latest episode Cary Elwes did the voice of Halley and Hooke, so there's that.)

 

Anyway it's on Fox at 9pm on Sundays, so you should watch it.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Bfahome

[believe victims]

I think it's absolutely wonderful, especially as an attempt to reach an audience that wouldn't normally watch a science show. My one issue is how thoroughly involved Seth MacFarlane is in its production, as I can hardly stand the man's works.

 

It warmed my heart that they dedicated an entire episode to explaining evolution in a way people can understand, and showing the logic and reasoning that go into it.

[Necro]

Loved the Carl Sagan Cosmos, but haven't had a chance to watch this one. Should try and make some time eventually.

[Phovos]

I absolutely adore this show. Even to a person who already understands a lot of this stuff, it's so well made and it's just so mindblowingly good, I could watch it forever.

[Lyichir]

I've been following it since the new series started and I love it. But I realize that the true measure of its success won't be whether people like myself who already had a strong interest in science like it, but rather whether it manages to educate people who might know nothing about how science works.

[Dapper-Sama]

This show is an excellent successor to Sagan's Cosmos, but it seriously irks me how often commercials cut into the program. As in, the show's going about its business, then Neil is interrupted mid-sentence by an advertisement.

[Bfahome]

This show is an excellent successor to Sagan's Cosmos, but it seriously irks me how often commercials cut into the program. As in, the show's going about its business, then Neil is interrupted mid-sentence by an advertisement.

They seem to like cutting to ads on dramatic "cliffhangers". I suppose it's a concession they have to make to keep the not-as-science-savvy people more interested.

[Dapper-Sama]

I get the feeling it's more of a censorship thing. The show's aired at 10:00PM and the cuts usually happen when Tyson is in the middle of explaining a point about some "controversial" topic, such as evolution.

 

Also, it's nice to see that an astrophysicist is such a talented actor.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Dapper-Kun

[Bfahome]

I get the feeling it's more of a censorship thing. The show's aired at 10:00PM and the cuts usually happen when Tyson is in the middle of explaining a point about some "controversial" topic, such as evolution.

 

Also, it's nice to see that an astrophysicist is such a talented actor.

Oh, really? Then it might be done on the local level, because nothing seemed to be missing in the version I saw.

 

They have the episodes online too if you want to check for sure.

[Dapper-Sama]

Yup, that about confirms it. I missed an entire animation about camouflaged bears.

[Legolover-361]

I've only watched the first episode, but I think I'll like this show. I enjoyed the old Cosmos -- Carl Sagan was a great host -- and Neil DeGrasse Tyson seems to be performing well as Sagan's successor. The show's CGI is great, and I love the new Ship of the Imagination... even if it reminds me of Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet.

 

One issue I had with the first episode was that it never mentioned that (as I read after the episode aired) Giordano Bruno was not just killed for believing that the sun was just one of many stars but for committing religious heresy. Of course Bruno's death was still horrid, but apparently scholars tend to believe that he was not just (if at all) a "martyr of science" as the show's pilot indicated.

 

Another, potential issue is the long sequences of 2D animation. I don't know if later episodes trim the amount of animation, but I didn't much enjoy how much focus it was afforded in the pilot. It's not bad; I'd just rather see more gorgeous 3D animation like that in the space calendar sequence.

 

Nevertheless, I look forward to watching the other episodes in the series.

[Phovos]

The second episode had far less of the 2d animation, short bursts rather than long passages.

 

It's a real pity that the show's being cut with adverts to cover the more 'controversial' parts. It's a science show, let the kids watch for heaven's sake.

[Bfahome]

Another, potential issue is the long sequences of 2D animation. I don't know if later episodes trim the amount of animation, but I didn't much enjoy how much focus it was afforded in the pilot. It's not bad; I'd just rather see more gorgeous 3D animation like that in the space calendar sequence.

As said above, the second episode focuses less on the people behind the science and so uses less 2D animation.

 

A lot of the third episode talks about the Newton/Halley/Hooke story about gravity, so the 2D is stepped up again. But, again, Cary Elwes, so I don't mind. :3

 

That's the thing I mentioned about it focusing on the history side of science, tending to discuss the people behind it more than some of the other science shows I watch.

[Phovos]

I'm still waiting on the next episode. But if it's got gravity, then Phovos is a happy bunny!

[Chronicler06]

I never saw the original series from 1980 (mostly because that was ten years before I was even born), but I do happen to have the book that went with it, so I've been reading that to help give me an idea of what to expect with the rebooted series.

 

I've seen all three episodes that have already aired, and will definitely be watching the new one that will be on in a few hours, so it's definitely a show I'm very interested in.

[Phovos]

Okay, it's wonderful. Yes, I know a lot of this stuff from reading a Short History Of Nearly Everything (a must read if you like science!) but its still so wonderfully made.

[Bfahome]

The ending of last night's episode was wonderful.

 

I love seeing how Sagan's influence is enduring even today.

[Deed]

I've never seen an episode of either 'Cosmos,' but I find it really encouraging that the show's being tailored to modern audiences. What's keeping me from watching the reboot is that, while Tyson can be very entertaining in small doses, I'm worried that I'll find both his patter and the show's format extremely hammy and over-the-top. I couldn't even watch Brian Cox' shows, because his narrative style felt patronising.

 

To anyone who can be a bit sceptical like this, would you care to assuage my premonitions and should I just get up an watch it? There's nothing stopping me, other than a vague fear of being disappointed.

[Mr. Lightning Bolt]

It's really interesting if you ask me. I know a bit about most of what he talks about, but his presentation is absolutely delightful. It IS a bit hammy but it's only because when you really look at it, science IS that dramatic. I dont see how anyone can be disappointed by it.

[Bundalings]

I've learned a couple things but I mostly watch it because it looks really nice and Mr. Tyson's voice is pretty great.

[Chronicler06]

No new episode this week, just to let everyone know. (probably should have mentioned this earlier, oh well)

 

I've enjoyed the entire series so far, and I'm definitely looking forward to the two more episodes left to go.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Chronicler06

[Lyichir]

No new episode this week, just to let everyone know. (probably should have mentioned this earlier, oh well)

 

I've enjoyed the entire series so far, and I'm definitely looking forward to the two more episodes left to go.

On the plus side, Neil DeGrasse Tyson took the opportunity to make tongue-in-cheek tweets about Nascar.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

I get the feeling it's more of a censorship thing. The show's aired at 10:00PM and the cuts usually happen when Tyson is in the middle of explaining a point about some "controversial" topic, such as evolution.

 

I tried very hard to enjoy this, but after forcing myself through a far-too-long, factually incorrect rant against Catholics in the first episode, and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?) I quit the show. Too boring, too off-topic, and everything's far too literal.

 

I've heard other people say it's the best thing ever, though, so maybe I should give it another try.

 

 

 

 

Edit: Please don't link to sites with BZP-inappropriate content.

-Wind-

Edited May 26, 2014 by -Windrider-

[Bfahome]

and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?)

… uh, what?

[TheSkeletonMan939]

 

and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?)

… uh, what?

 

 

Didn't episode two begin with how wolves used to be the neanderthal's favorite animal, and now dogs are "man's best friend"? And they used that as a starting point to ramble on about evolution for like the entire episode. And they talked about how, with evolution, the dinosaurs and stuff died out. And then the narrator went in the "Hall of Extinct Species". Very little to do with space itself.

[Bfahome]

 

 

 

 

and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?)

uh, what?

Didn't episode two begin with how wolves used to be the neanderthal's favorite animal, and now dogs are "man's best friend"? And they used that as a starting point to ramble on about evolution for like the entire episode. And they talked about how, with evolution, the dinosaurs and stuff died out. And then the narrator went in the "Hall of Extinct Species". Very little to do with space itself.

I think you're misunderstanding the premise of the show.

 

It's not a "space" show. It's more of a history-of-science show.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

 

 

 

and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?)

uh, what?

Didn't episode two begin with how wolves used to be the neanderthal's favorite animal, and now dogs are "man's best friend"? And they used that as a starting point to ramble on about evolution for like the entire episode. And they talked about how, with evolution, the dinosaurs and stuff died out. And then the narrator went in the "Hall of Extinct Species". Very little to do with space itself.

I think you're misunderstanding the premise of the show.

 

It's not a "space" show. It's more of a history-of-science show.

 

 

Sure, I get that, but how is evolution related to our understanding of the stars?

[Lyichir]

 

 

 

 

and a bunch of boring stuff about evolution in episode 2 (seriously, what does that have to do with space?)

uh, what?

Didn't episode two begin with how wolves used to be the neanderthal's favorite animal, and now dogs are "man's best friend"? And they used that as a starting point to ramble on about evolution for like the entire episode. And they talked about how, with evolution, the dinosaurs and stuff died out. And then the narrator went in the "Hall of Extinct Species". Very little to do with space itself.

I think you're misunderstanding the premise of the show.

 

It's not a "space" show. It's more of a history-of-science show.

 

 

Sure, I get that, but how is evolution related to our understanding of the stars?

 

The show's not only about our understanding of the stars. It's about our understanding of the universe, from the molecular level to the planetary level to the universal level. The original 1980s Cosmos also had episodes about the evolution of life on Earth and similar topics.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

Perhaps that is why I haven't enjoyed the show as much.

[Toa Of Virtues]

I love the show. I am deeply interested in particle physics, and this is a great way to introduce high level science (and a little bit of history) to the general public. We need more things like this...

[Rahkshi Guurahk]

I love the show. I am deeply interested in particle physics, and this is a great way to introduce high level science (and a little bit of history) to the general public. We need more things like this...

Yes we do.

Also has anyone noticed songs like Rhapsody in Blue and Bolero in the background of some of the episodes?