Community | December 31, 2011 | 39 comments

A new 'Cosmos' will be on TV

source: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/05/7268111-a-new-cosmos-will-be-on-tv

Image
pjacobs51
Three decades after Carl Sagan's original "Cosmos," a new version is heading for the Fox TV network in 2013 ... with some fresh surprises in the mix.

One of the biggest surprises apparently has to do with the guy who helped get the series green-lighted by Fox: Seth MacFarlane, the creator of "Family Guy," a Fox cartoon sitcom that The New York Times calls, ahem, "bawdy and irreverent." But it shouldn't be all that surprising. "Family Guy" has been known to poke fun at scientists as well as the scientifically challenged, and because he was born in 1973, MacFarlane was at the perfect age to start drinking in Sagan's wisdom when the original "Cosmos" appeared in 1980.

The astrophysicist following in Sagan's footsteps for the new 13-episode series will be Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is director of New York's Hayden Planetarium as well as a seasoned author and TV host. Tyson said he and MacFarlane discussed the idea of re-energizing "Cosmos" as a follow-up to a Science and Entertainment Exchange session they both attended.

"It was his vision that any 'Cosmos' that's done today needs to reach the kinds of people who wouldn't otherwise think about science," Tyson told me. "Fox is not exactly known for its science shows. You put a science program on Fox, people will sit up and take notice."

Tyson put MacFarlane in touch with Ann Druyan, Sagan's widow and co-founder of Cosmos Studios, who will serve as an executive producer and writer for the new series.

Strong pitch

Druyan recounted how MacFarlane made a strong pitch for the concept with Fox executives. "He said that if he personally had to pay half of the cost of the pilot out of his own pocket, he would do it," Druyan told me. But it didn't have to come to that. Once Fox Broadcasting chairman Peter Rice started watching Sagan's recorded "Cosmos" shows with his family, he was hooked.

Now Druyan and astrophysicist Steven Soter are hard at work, writing the scripts for the new series. Both of them also worked with Sagan on the original "Cosmos."
"Steve and I have been thinking about this and working on this for many years," Druyan said. "This will be completely original, but it will be 'Cosmos.' ... We know 'Cosmos' when we see it, and this is 'Cosmos.'"

The original series delved into the nature of life (earthly and extraterrestrial), the universe and everything, all from the perspective of Sagan's "personal voyage" of scientific discovery. If you haven't seen it, you simply have to check out "Cosmos" on Hulu.

Thirty-three years after "Cosmos" came out, the book based on the series is still No. 1 on Amazon's astronomy best-seller list. Dryuan said she's "so proud and so happy" to hear that the original "Cosmos" is so revered, and that the new "Cosmos" is so anxiously anticipated.

"I think there's been a real hunger in our society of late for getting back to a time when the revelations of science can command attention on prime-time television," she said.


Continued at link . . .


http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/05/7268111-a-new-cosmos-will-be-on-...
  1. groups:
    Community,   Culture,   Science,   Space,   1 more
  2. tags:
    Carl Sagan
  3. recommended by:
    Vierotchka,
    pjacobs51
  4.     
    |

39 comments // A new 'Cosmos' will be on TV

  • artemis6
  • HarukoHaruhara
  • EmperorThan
    • +1
      EmperorThan  

    • The first time I watched Cosmos as an adult was the week after taking my first trip on ...a substance. And it was 'magical'. It was the perfect supplement and it changed my life forever for the better.

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
    • +3
      VFORVENDETTA  

    • I very much admire Neil deGrasse Tyson, who I feel amongst other things, is an excellent communicator, I'm really looking forward to seeing this series.

      What is totally unexpected here, is that it will be broadcast on Fox, good God, FOX? I could see MSNBC, but FOX? maybe, just MAYBE there is hope for humanity, excellent post, thank you pjacob51!

    • 5 months ago
  • dreamsenvoy
  • HarukoHaruhara
  • cherry5000
  • LivingPong
  • pjacobs51
    • +3
      pjacobs51  
    • LivingPong:

      Knowledge is preferable to ignorance.
      Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reasurring fate.
      If we crave some cosmic purpose then let us find ourselves a worthy goal.

      Great words of wisdom!

      Thanks for sharing LivingPong ! ! !

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • LivingPong
    • +2
      LivingPong  

    • Cool, I'll have to check out Neil deGrasse Tyson. I may have seen him in some videos, but I'll definitely check out the videos posted. I loved Carl Sagan's Cosmos also.

      Sometimes these commercial channels do get the odd show right. I've seen them run a few more shows that were first aired on public stations, instead of some dumbed down imitation that treats everyone as though they are stupid. However the practically moronic shows still do continue, where the exciting details of science and discovery are replaced with a dull and uninformative attempt that quickly skims over the subject and treats us all as complete simpletons. Even small children will point out a lack of substance and detail as disappointing and cheap.

      We may not all be able to follow everything that Richard Feynman or some other scientist describes using words and diagrams, but with the help of modern graphics and visual comparisons that give us something to reference, even very difficult subjects can become easy to grasp. There is a huge public thirst for information, yet the large commercial channels have still not grasped that viewers often prefer to learn about almost any subject, rather than celebrity gossip and other banter. There is a wealth of documented scientific, botanical, historical and cultural knowledge waiting in books and publications to be turned into exciting and educative viewing. There are even old documentaries that remain very informative, yet sadly have not been run in twenty years. What a ripe and fruitful opportunity that can also benefit society.

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • remanns
  • thinkingfree
    • +2
      thinkingfree  

    • I have to laugh when I visualise this guy taking the raines of Carl, Carl was a unique piece of work never to be seen again in our time. Maybe in a billion years. But its a noble effort and good luck. But the reason I have to laugh is a visualization I have of Tyson eluding to the wonders of the universe all the time taking hit on a joint. Its not too well known but Carl was a true blue pot head. He suffered no shame about it and really didn't make that much effort to conceal the fact. Makes you wonder some times what all the fuss is about with pot smoking.

    • 5 months ago
  • LivingPong
    • 0
      LivingPong  
    • thinkingfree:

      That's perhaps how he could understand the passing of time and probability amongst other things. By altering the rate at which time flowed in relation to his consciousness, he may have gained insight into relativity and the strange states that may occur in such a huge expanse.

    • 5 months ago
  • rerushg
    • +4
      rerushg  

    • Well, I think some things are better left alone. Sagan's "Cosmos" was a masterpiece in time, place, personality, and technology. All those have passed, just as they have for Burkes's "The Day The Universe Changed" or "Make a Wish" with Tom Chapin. Bringing any of those forward is dishonest in my opinion and, fundamentally, just marketing and hype.
      And make no mistake here: FOX is FOX. Both are part of Rupert Murdoch (and son's) "News Corporation". Rupert is just, simply, evil. Period.

    • 5 months ago
  • LivingPong
    • +1
      LivingPong  
    • rerushg:

      There is a slim chance that perhaps such entities are considering they must begin to deliver intelligent content in order to address the massive damage they have inflicted upon themselves by becoming monolithic, short sighted and formulaic. Just as a good cook needs to maintain a rich variety of recipes and ingredients to stimulate our taste buds, a media delivery service must offer at least some degree of quality content. There is a place for mundane viewing, but when it begins to saturate regular viewing it reduces the entire over all quality on offer. I simply won't even bother to glance at channels filled with over promoted, unrealistic and badly written serials. You can only flog a dead horse for so long until even the horse itself is gone. The trick is to quickly realise the horse is dead and learn from your mistakes instead of repeating them.

      Times have changed and those who don't adapt face obsolescence.

    • 5 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • +6
      JanforGore  

    • Love Neil deGrasse Tyson. I think he will do Carl Sagan proud. Looking forward to this show!

      Current could do well with a show like this.

    • 5 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • rossmick
    • +2
      rossmick  

    • I am sure it will be a great show, but just call it something else. There can be only one Cosmos. One other thing, too bad it has to be on Fox. This network does not believe in science, it only preaches lies and distortions.

    • 5 months ago
  • pjacobs51
    • +3
      pjacobs51  
    • rossmick:

      It's more or less a 'continuation' of the original . . . We've learned a-lot in the past 30 years and the stories NEED to be told.

      I don't think Murdoch has anything to do with the 'network' part of Fox.

    • 5 months ago
  • LivingPong
    • +1
      LivingPong  
    • pjacobs51:

      Yeah Murdoch is hung up on his obsession with tabloid print media and trying to shape popular opinion through it by any means possible. He has overlooked the many failed examples of others who neglected to meet the changing demands of consumers and their interests. If you try and dictate the current agenda, you become blinded to the real issues and face an increased backlash from the community. People call out reject material a lot faster these days. Sometimes eating humble pie can be a very rewarding experience if you choose to eat it and a very bad mistake if you refuse.

    • 5 months ago
  • coolplanet
  • circlesquared
  • pjacobs51
  • JanforGore
  • Leen61
    • +3
      Leen61  

    • Does this mean that Neal's Nova Science Now show on PBS will no longer exist? Not sure if I like that idea. I was a big fan of the show. Hopefully a move to FOX will not compromise the enjoyability of a Neal DeGrasse Tyson hosted show. I just liked the format of his PBS show.

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
  • pjacobs51
  • attilatheblond
    • +3
      attilatheblond  
    • pjacobs51:

      agree with you. FOX entertainment channel has come up with some of the best series on TV. Think X-Files for starters I enjoy Bones and Fringe now. About the only regular TV programs I watch are on FOX.

      FOX news, on the other hand... straight out of the bowels of hell IMHO.

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
  • pjacobs51
  • circlesquared
  • attilatheblond
  • LivingPong
    • +1
      LivingPong  
    • pjacobs51:

      Yeah Fox News is an insane runaway train wreck, only the people on board refuse to notice. It's only good for re-editing into mash-ups if you can stomach trolling through the mainly useless dialogue. I'm sure if cleverly re-arranged though, it could provide a bounty of comedy gold.

    • 5 months ago
  • pjacobs51
  • csmonut
    • +5
      csmonut  

    • All....right!!!
      I just hope they do the original justice. Carl Sagan was fantastic!
      I may even watch Fox:)) when it comes on.

    • 5 months ago
  • pjacobs51
  • LivingPong
    • +2
      LivingPong  
    • csmonut:

      I probably won't watch it on Fox unless someone I know records it for me. I'm not sure I know anyone that has Fox any more though. Eventually SBS will screen it, as they often run science shows.

    • 5 months ago
more from Community:
from the community

top videos