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Astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson will be the host for the new "Cosmos" series.
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.
'Cosmos'-ness meets Neilness
Druyan was reluctant to reveal any of the new twists that she and Soder might work into the new scripts. "We want to save a lot of surprises," she said. But she assured me that Tyson would be much more than a Sagan clone.
"We picked Neil for his 'Neilness,' and we wouldn't dream of making him impersonate Carl," she said. "We picked him because he has that same kind of charismatic passion to communicate the wonders revealed by science. But we are writing this for him, in his voice. You'll be feeling the 'Cosmos'-ness of it, but I know Neil will be bringing what is so special about him to this presentation."
Cornell
Astrophysicist Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was the host of the first "Cosmos" series, which premiered in 1980.
The 52-year-old Tyson, who is seven years older than Sagan was when the first "Cosmos" premiered, voiced a similar sentiment.
"I cannot be Carl Sagan. I can only be myself," he told me. "But we both, from a very early age, were looking up and wondering about the universe. ... To the extent that we overlap, it's not that I'm cueing off Carl Sagan, it's that we're both cueing off a common experience that every astrophysicist has."
Tyson said one of the secrets of Sagan's success was his ability to play the role of a "tour guide" to the cosmos, rather than a teacher at the front of a classroom.
"What people remember the most about 'Cosmos,' and what it did best, and what I don't think has been duplicated, is the effort to convey the meaning of science to a citizen of planet Earth," Tyson said. "'Cosmos' brought science to the public in a way that meant something to their relationship to each other, to the world and to the universe."
Tyson said some of the tools that Sagan brought to the task will return in updated form for the new "Cosmos." For example, Sagan illustrated the long sweep of the universe's 13.7 billion-year existence by condensing it into a 12-month "Cosmic Calendar." If the universe began on Jan. 1, our solar system was formed on Sept. 1, life arose on Earth on Sept. 21 — and the human species made its appearance after 10 p.m. on the last day of the year.
"We have other stories to tell, to place on that calendar," Tyson said. And he can hardly wait to tell them.
"This new 'Cosmos' is overdue, and I'm honored to be a part of that," Tyson said.
More about 'Cosmos' and Carl Sagan:
"Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey" is due to premiere in 2013 on Fox, with same-night encores of each episode airing on the National Geographic Channel. The series will be produced by Druyan's Cosmos Studios. Executive producers include Druyan, MacFarlane, Cosmos Studios President Mitchell Cannold and Allan Butler of the National Geographic Channel.
Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page or following @b0yle on Twitter. You can also add me to your Google+ circle, and check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Ahhh.... that's why they had this guy on the Today show talking about the possible Higgs Boson discovery. I was wondering why they would bother with an astronomer when you could get about 100 particle physicists to do the interview at the drop of a hat!
Like Sagan, Neil is a very well known science popularizer. Someone at CERN or Fermilab might be better qualified to discuss the technical details around the Higgs Boson, but few are better at conveying that type of info to the general public. He makes these types of appearances frequently on a broad range of subjects.
Also... just want to nominate Timothy Ferris as backup/alternate to Neil. Ferris was a friend and collaborator to Sagan. Very accomplished. When he speaks, he actually sounds eerily similar to Sagan. Can't imagine a better man for the job. Neil will do very well though.
cjsks, how about Michio Kaku? He is much more well known, has written a ton of books, has TV presence for miles, and is a media.... darling?
I am a physicist, and I had not herd of this guy before the interview. But the left hand doesn't always know what the tight hand is doing.
RE Ben and cjsks: My vote would be for Fiorella Terenzi -- She has that kind of "Sagan passion and poetry" that I feel the others (Tyson, Kaku, etc.) lack. Also she would send a positive message that girls can do science! I realize, though, that the Powers That Be would probably consider her accent a liability...
He's the best man for the job.
Indeed: "Fox" and "science" being among the top. Neil is a quality scientist, but let's just hope the creationists don't get their grubby paws on this and turn it into, "Question Science."
After this, there will be a series on Fox News on Global Warming/Climate Change with rebuttals from the Teapublicans, that will "prove" that Global Warming is not caused by Man.
Of course, there will be no interviews with Al Gore or any excerpts from "An Inconvenient Truth" allowed in the series, since Global warming is just "junk science".
Teapublicans, huh? Yeah, the side that engages in name calling is bound to win arguments based on logic and reason. Good luck with that!
What's wrong with questioning Science? After all that is what Science is all about!
Wow, this is incredibly exciting and about time. A prime time astronomy show is what we've all been needing. And yes, Spockensiedouch (lol) he IS the best man for the job.
Ok.. FOX is going to air a NON ANIMATED show WORTH watching? It is the end times... ROFLMAO!
Thank you Mr. Tyson and Thank you Stewie!! uhh Seth!!
Wooh Hoo!!! You go guys!
I loved the original Cosmos. If the new version is true to science, I might actually end up turning the channel to Fox. We certainly live in strange times.
The more I learn about tyson the more I like...at first I just thougt the media played on a personality.....I like that I can respectfully disagree with his theories and it's accepted that there are theories that differ....just try and disagree with hawkins theories once...I don't watch fox normallly but I will gladly raise my antenna another 10 feet to pick up the york fox station....I lost maryland pbs in the switch to digatahell, the pa pbs station is weak on science...of course the bbc has an astronomy program that has been on consistantly for many, many decades...it's awesome...I hope tyson succeeds, I do learn from his nova shows and have come to appreciate his presentation manner.....good call fox, if you can get it running sooner the better!!....now listen nbc (and the others)...do not dilute the water with a darn clone...take a cue and do things right or don't bother. Hats off to those willing to teach science to the masses.....alan alda may have made it look easy but I am sure it is not. Tyson is the right man for the job and has my full support. Not that he needs my two shillings worth....
Have always loved the Cosmos series... even though as time has passed, it has become regrettably clear that Sagan was more than a bit arrogant and horribly narrow-minded for someone in his field of study.
Thats why we LOVED him. Teach us, Carl...TEACH us!!!
Please, FOX, do the original show justice? And in doing so, consider this. Michio Kaku would be a perfect addition to the scientific guests you would have on the show...
...and you simply have to have Vangelis do the music again. For a show that is trying to do justice to something that is so historically revered, well, it would be like James Bond without the John Barry theme, or maybe a better analogy; Star Wars without John Williams...
Good!! there's been a dearth of quality science on T.V. lately.(even the sci. chan.) Also, Sagan might of had an ego, but he was still the best at making you realize the possibilities. I think that Michio Kaku will be/ should be a prominent voice/guest on the show.
This is the best news I've heard in a long, long time. The original "COSMOS" is one of the reasons I pursued a career in the sciences. I've been heartsick over the downward, "aim-for-the-lowest-common-denominator" nature of mainstream TV over the past quarter century. At last, a glimmer of hope....
I'm sure that all of those cuts in education funding will give a big boost to science.
More bad theories and conjecture, treated as scientific fact. All this program will do is propagate more arm chair physicists. Those that read a theory, and spout parts of it as if it were fact, and Fantasy Physicists, those professional people that have devoted their lives to solving problems created by bad theories. Problems that don't exist, requiring exotic solutions. And YES, I do know how the Universe began...Apparently, I'm the only one. I feel like Daniel Jackson, before SG-1.
You know you're not supposed to eat your tinfoil hat, right?
If you've got a better scientific theory to explain the existence of the universe, we want to hear it.
But, no fair using your personal opinions or the Bible as a scientific reference.
All 12 pages of, "Primer For The Universe," "Bishop's Conceptual Universe," "How To Create A Galactic Universe," are on the vine. Read it, think about it, then comment...Apology accepted.
I am sure that all of the articles that you reference have been peer-reviewed in scientific journals and the scientific theories have been thoroughly vetted.
PuddleDuck...You asked for it, and now you are afraid, someone other than you, has found all the answers, to the hard questions. I have no peers. If you dare, click on my name. My list of comments will appear. Before you begin, look up the meaning of "theoretical." It's everything, you think you know.
SG-1 is one of my favorite shows! I Cried when the Goul'd Lost, poor Baal he was my favorite....
oh but no, with the Ori, we got probably the most beautiful evil villain ever, Morena Baccarin.
Strange - a Google search for "Bishop's Conceptual Universe," or "How To Create A Galactic Universe," turns up this page only, and "Primer For The Universe," turns up lots of sci-fi links but no theory.
But considering the arrogance of "UncleBen", not finding it is no loss. That type of "Those Fools, I'm the Only One who knows the Secrets to The Universe" crackpottery tends to produce total nonsense.
CM-6969, if you could follow directions; click on my User Name, it's found in the upper lefthand corner of all my replies. Then, on the top left of that page, click on, "Primer For The Universe." The article is published ,"on the vine."
Between Uncle Ben's & Dr. Tyson's inflated heads, I don't know how anything else can fit into the Universe. Thank God, Goddess, or, whatever, theoretical physics allows for the possibility of string, D-brane and other Multiverses so I can jump to one without them for some "space"...
Regardless of Tyson's ego, & sourpuss, he's a pretty smart guy and will turn a multitude of young minds toward science. Whether they become armchair physicists or multi-PHDs is up to them and the education they receive or have access to. I just can't get past the "Pluto Killer" thing, and I suspect, many others will be turned off the show because of this. Sagan did not project any sense of ego. Instead, his sense of wonder drew us to him and the subject matter. Unfortunately, Tyson's ego and smug manner eclipse his genuine enthusiasm, and unless the director/producers deal with this, the show will not be as successful as it could have been.
Personally, I think Michio Kaku and Brian Cox have the market pretty much sewn up on our science spokespeople. There are a few very attractive, engaging, female scientists I've seen recently on ScienceChannel and NatGeo I'd like to see hosting. It's about time girls had a role model in science.
Ben, chattering on like Stephen Hawking without the extra hundred or so IQ points makes you sound exactly as I've described. "Einstein was no Einstein."?!? Your "Primer For The Universe" sounds like Dr. Hindsight from Skeptical University got together with one of your dreaded Fantasy Physicists and created this "paper" when they were stoned off their fundament.......
Always enjoyed Carl Sagan's Cosmos.
Definitely will be waiting for the updated version.
Sad not to have Carl Sagan around to see a rebirth of his show.
Fed up with the reality shows. Finaly something worthwhile watching
Why did it have to be Fox? Given Rupert Murdochs anti science pro corporatist bent, will there be a political/ideological advisor (approved by the Koch brothers) on set to screen out uncomfortable facts. Will they even mention the CO2 rich atmosphere of Venus and how it makes that planet warmer?
I'd say the people who need the most exposure to science are the ones who lack the critical thinking skills to make their own determination based on evidence, and instead rely on ideology.
You'd have a hard time finding an audience more science-blinded by ideology than Fox viewers.
Cosmos is going *exactly* where it can do the most good.
(PS - I hope that not only do they mention CO2 levels increases global warming, but also how aerosols decrease global warming, and how clouds are a big wildcard that can both trap heat and increase albedo. Climate science is complex; a show that can simmer it down to things that are relatively easy to comprehend by non-science-y viewers would be worth its weight in neutronium.)
Well, considering that Fox shows "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", and "American Dad" routinely spoof Fox News and even Murdoch with impunity, I suspect they'll get a free run with no direct interference - especially if it brings in great ratings.
Politically speaking, Murdoch ignores Fox broadcast network, treating it strictly as a money-maker, but uses the cable Fox News and Fox Business as his political propaganda arm. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Fox New pundits denounced the show, and wouldn't be surprised if some right-wing pundits mistakenly thought it was a PBS show.
I am looking forward to this series. I've seen Neil deGrasse Tyson on many other science programs and I'm certain he will do very well.
This is about pure science but I've noticed the ideologues can't leave it alone. Pathetic.
Awesome, can't wait!
They need to pick a different host. This guy isn't even close to Carl Sagan.
No one is... However I would say Timothy Ferris would make an excellent alternate to Neil. He worked side by side with Carl on various projects, is an accomplished author, and has narrated some great documentaries.
He actually sounds kind of like Sagan the way he talks. Its kind of eerie.
I watch numerous science programs/series and I’ve noticed that many of the scientists/physicists/ etc. attempt to emulate Sagan’s speaking style. This is not a criticism, just an observation.
I had thought for a while that Tyson is a modern-day Sagan...and having loved the original Cosmos TV series and book, I hope they do it justice.. there was simply no one better at describing scientific ideas then Sagan.
One of my favorite quotes:" If you wrote out a googleplex number of zeroes on paper, the paper could not be stuffed into the known universe." This is why we do science and explore... for real-world ideas that no writer of the best fiction could ever come up with.
I remember being glued to the tv each week when COSMOS originally aired.
Our country needs this. We need to inspire our people, inspire our children to learn and explore and pursue science and engineering.
Athletics, 'music', 'hollywood', and consumerism have run their course with our children. It's time to do better.
Comment # 20 deleted for being off-topic.
To put the genetic differences between chimps and humans in perspective the differences between different species of primates should be mentioned. So should the genetic differences between different races of humans. These too are significant.
Studying chimps and other primates is very illuminating about life for early humans and they and their habitat should be conserved.
Several years ago there was a series on PBS called "The Mechanical Universe" which I found interesting. It covered a variety of subjects, many of which would be too involved and complex for the average viewer of this new show. I do think that Tyson has a good way hosting show and explaining different concepts and ideas, so hopefully this show will turn out to be a winner.
Terriffic news! 2 Cosmos stories:
*I'd always rewatch the intro sequence, seeing the periodic table, then other layers of information flowing by, dreaming that someday I'd be able to hover over a datascape on a screen and joystick my way into specific areas of interest. Time passed and it was so.
*Three of us in Pandemonium science fiction bookstore in the late 1990s got to kidding the 'billions and bilions' pitch of Carl's voice (which I think was the audio techs' fault - Carl sounded lower-pitched elsewhere in the show). A human in his late twenties stopped browsing, stood up, and politely but firmly told us that he had become interested in science because of Cosmos.
-Paradox Olbers in virtual worlds,
Spike MacPhee in real life
Tyson is a great choice. Much like Sagan, Tyson has the ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand and also very interesting. I find a great deal of similar characteristics in the two men even though you might think of their styles as being quite different. I always loved Cosmos and think a great deal of its success is because of Sagan. He was the kind of person who enlightened you and inspired you and you could always hear his own sense of wonderment when he talked about something. Tyson is very much the same. If you listen to a Sagan topic close and a Tyson topic close, they could be the very same guy. Even tonal qualities and pacing are identical. They both leave you feeling very satisfied as well as excited and inspired about what you just learned and encourage you to learn more. After you hear either of these men do a story, you can't wait to hear them again. The both are capable of creating that excited anticipation of further learning experiences.
I remember watching Cosmos years ago and taping the shows. No sooner would a show end, and I would watch it again. Cosmos also had some great musical score that fit so well and created that awe inspiring feeling. Sagan didn't teach, but helped people learn. Sagan talked about science like a proud parent taking about his child. You could feel that "ownership" he felt for the science he was talking about. That made you want that feeling too. Tyson can do the very same thing. I can't wait for the new show. My only concern is that Fox does it right. Tyson is a very smart guy and I don't think he's the kind of person that can be easily manipulated. Like Sagan, Tyson wants others to feel what he feels and therefore will insist that it's his message and not something that he is being steered to communicate. I think he'll be great.
I believe Neil Tyson will be an excellent spoksperson for the astrophysics community, and hopefully will inspire young blacks to become interested in the sciences.