Deranged Rhino Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 My teenage daughter was in the room while I was watching, at the beginning doing some other stuff and not paying attention - by the end saying "oh my gosh" out loud - and now looking forward to the next one. <get off my lawn rant>I'm an engineer and am into science shows of this kind, but at one point I thought to myself that a show like this should be requred viewing for teens - give some perspective of the breadth of the universe outside their cell phone and twitter account </get off my lawn rant> I can remember watching the original PBS series with Sagan. I thought the reveal with Sagan's original appointment book showing the appt with a 17 yr old Tyson was very very cool. Small universe indeed. Love this and completely agree with you. It should be required viewing for the kids. I enjoyed it but no one told a story better than Sagan. Except maybe Joe Pesci in Good Fellas. Sagan was and always will be the gold standard. But NDT ain't too shabby. And, you might be right about Pesci. In fact, imagine if Cosmos were narrated by Pesci, R rated language and all. It might make even MORE kids like science. Really, really excited for this. The original Cosmos was such a defining influence in my earlier, formative years, and I don't think they could have found someone better than NDT to carry on Carl's legacy. The only thing I was a tad confused on was whether this new series would be touching on new subject matter, as he cosmic calendar, starship of the imagination, and the story of Bruno have been covered by the original Cosmos... I wonder the same thing. I would think they would have to add some new stuff? I was not aware this was a remake/reboot of a PBS series. And c'mon, it is always about Ratings with network television, FOX doesn't care about Science or getting kids enthused about it! I'm sure it still is about ratings for FOX, I'm not that idealistic. But, because Seth's company is the one who pushed for this, they gave him the key to the mint. Gotta give Seth credit for this and for his insistence that Ann Duryann and NDT be involved. Why did you have to be so hurtful? I actually enjoyed The Cleveland Show! I would assume that FOX figures if MacFarlane is attached, people will watch and thats why they were interested and put it on. I think if the ratings aren't great though that it could end up being one of those shows that gets canceled from FOX but picked up by another network (not one of the big 3) and thrives there Not everyone realizes that MacFarlane is a huge Sagan supporter. He purchased a bunch of Sagan's papers and journals and donated them to preserve them. He was the one who pushed for this, it's his baby as much as it is Neil's (but not as much as it is Ann's I'd imagine). Fox won't cancel it, regardless of ratings, like NBC allowed Michael J Fox's show to do a full run. MacFarlane is too important to Fox's brand to mess with. I thought this might be referring to Carl Sagan It is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Sagan was and always will be the gold standard. But NDT ain't too shabby. And, you might be right about Pesci. In fact, imagine if Cosmos were narrated by Pesci, R rated language and all. It might make even MORE kids like science They could add in someone telling Pesci he's a funny guy. I wonder the same thing. I would think they would have to add some new stuff? I'm assuming they are going with the base at first and it will grow from episode to episode. Also, they could include all the fascinating research on the alien ship being repaired on the moon and how we have conclusive evidence that everything was built by Aliens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 They could add in someone telling Pesci he's a funny guy. If you google Pesci on Seasme Street you'll find a NSFW (language) video of what I imagine it would be like... I'm assuming they are going with the base at first and it will grow from episode to episode. Also, they could include all the fascinating research on the alien ship being repaired on the moon and how we have conclusive evidence that everything was built by Aliens. :lol: A man can dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zona Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I will admit to being a fan of NDT. I have seen some of his lectures on the net, and he is awesome. It takes a special skill to convey complex ideas without sounding condescending or arrogant. If He was one of my Profs in college, i might have changed my major.... This show won't let him be himself though, just a narrator. Kind of a let down. I do love the reboot of the original. I hope upcoming episodes deliver more content though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/cosmos-evolution-segment-covered-by-news-promo-on-oklahoma-city-station_b117181 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 much more interesting episode tonight. I am very much pleased how they state it in matter of fact manners. That he looked flat in the camera and said evolution is scientific fact regardless of what others say - that was huge. I imagine it will draw some criticism, but I don't care. Our country is failing at science. Nothing breath taking or nothing I haven't already known/already know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 much more interesting episode tonight. I am very much pleased how they state it in matter of fact manners. That he looked flat in the camera and said evolution is scientific fact regardless of what others say - that was huge. I imagine it will draw some criticism, but I don't care. Our country is failing at science. Nothing breath taking or nothing I haven't already known/already know. He did a good job explaining the mechanisms of evolution. It's not "monkeys turning into people" like many detractors think it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 He did a good job explaining the mechanisms of evolution. It's not "monkeys turning into people" like many detractors think it is. yes , clearly. They missed the evolutionary step that produced Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I finally caught the first episode, kind of lost it with the cartoons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 This isn't exactly relevant to the show, but I thought it was worth putting in this thread considering the context. Saw it on reddit this morning, it's someone describing why yesterday's announcement about discovering gravitational waves matters to the average Joe: Is this really something a regular guy working hard to eek out his existence REALLY needs to know or is it just something you physics types get all tingly in your underpants about? Imagine you woke up naked in a field, in the middle of nowhere. You have no idea where you are, or how you got there. What do you do? First, you'd probably go into survival mode; you'd look for the basic necessities to sustain life: water, food, and shelter from the elements. Once you had everything you needed to stay alive, and you knew that, if nothing else, you could at least remain in your current location indefinitely, you might start to wonder what in the hell happened: one minute you're bouncing around Reddit, the next you're bare-ass in the middle of nowhere. After you come to grips with the reality of the situation, you'd probably want to try and figure out where in the hell you are. You might try and look for clues from your environment or maybe a constellation you recognize, or perhaps you decide to do a little exploring around the immediate area, to see if there's anything around that could give you some clue as to where in the hell you are. Let's say that your efforts reveal that you're in the middle of Africa. Once you've figured out where you are, you only have two choices left: stay there and simply exist as long as you can, or attempt to get back to civilization; either option has it's own risks. If you chose to stay where you are, then that's essentially it for you, you now know how your future will play out: you'll remain at your current location until you either die of old age, or your area becomes unable to sustain life. Either way, the game is over for you; your entire existence becomes about survival, and you're just running out the clock until, at some point in the future, you cease to exist. Maybe you decide to try and leave a message for someone to find in the future, maybe you're content to simply fade off into oblivion, either way, your fate is sealed. Now let's say you decided to try and get back to civilization. Since you know where you are, your logical next step is going to be to try and figure out someplace to go, and then of course, how to get there. Now you have a goal, something you're striving towards. Life ceases to be about mere survival and becomes an epic journey to get you where you want to go. This is the timeline of humanity. We woke up with nothing, on a little rock, in the middle of nowhere. We figured out how to survive, and we struggled to come to grips with our own reality. Then we started exploring, trying to find out just exactly where we were in the Universe. Now we're faced with the same choice: exist, or move on. You ask if it's something that a "regular guy REALLY needs to know", to me it's the most important thing he/she needs to know: that humanity chooses more than an existence of mere survival. That humanity chooses to move forward and keep exploring and expanding. To know that, even though we might never make it, at least we're making the effort. That we have hope. The alternative is to simply run out the clock and wait to fade off into oblivion. ( ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Somebody let me know when the US once again has a rocket-ship capable of launching people into outer space. That might get some kids inspired, Charles Bolden's monumental efforts to that effect aside. We rely on our friends, the Russians to get to and from the ISS these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 He did a good job explaining the mechanisms of evolution. It's not "monkeys turning into people" like many detractors think it is. I never understood why both sides can't just agree that its possible that both evolution and creationsim could exist together? Could the "Big Bang" have been created by some god type being that used it to create a world that would evolve and change? Why is it so hard to believe that the world didn't start with us being closer to apes then what we are today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I never understood why both sides can't just agree that its possible that both evolution and creationsim could exist together? Could the "Big Bang" have been created by some god type being that used it to create a world that would evolve and change? Why is it so hard to believe that the world didn't start with us being closer to apes then what we are today? Agreed. To me "creationists" are not so much in love with God than with themselves. They can't deal with the notion that maybe they aren't just one subway stop away from God. That the universe wasn't built just for them. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 yes , clearly. They missed the evolutionary step that produced Tom. I'd say it's either an evolutionary misstep that produced Tom, or an evolutionary step that skipped Tom. Back under my rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/21/creationists-demand-equal-airtime-on-neil-degrasse-tysons-cosmos-to-provide-balance/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) http://www.rawstory....rovide-balance/ And when Christian creation is given it's time, then we can offer Hindu creation, then one of two dozen or so the Native American creation stories, the Norse, Aztec, Inuit, Korean, Aborigine, Mayan, Yokut, Maori, etc. I mean why is the biblical version of creation the only alternative? Edited March 22, 2014 by PromoTheRobot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 http://www.rawstory....rovide-balance/ That's satire, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 http://www.rawstory....rovide-balance/ I demand that creationists contribute equal time to society and the development of technology to improve the welfare of humanity. Also, I demand that if Cosmo does show it, it should be like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Tonight: S01, E03 Chasing a single comet through its million-year plunge toward the sun; the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton and his friendship with polymath Edmond Halley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Tonight: S01, E03 Chasing a single comet through its million-year plunge toward the sun; the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton and his friendship with polymath Edmond Halley. Another good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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