Cosmos.

[Chino]

This will be the series' official thread. I am shitting my pants in excitement over this. I've been waiting four long years since rumors first started swirling around about NDT hosting a reboot. The book and original 13 episode mini series of Cosmos changed my life forever.



While we anxiously wait for Sunday night, let us discuss our favorite pieces of Cosmos.


1) The Heike Crab


2) This classic line

[jasc15]

He was wrong about the crab.

But I am also excited for this remake.

[Chino]

He was wrong about the crab.

How so? Wrong in that artificial selection via people is what caused the samurai shape, or the legend about why they did it in the first place?

[Podaar]

Carl's takedown of Astrology is perhaps my favorite moment of the original series.

[gmillerdrake]

This does look cool. It's always fascinating to learn about the universe, it's such a mind blowing thing when you're actually able to take the time and think about it. Am I still allowed to watch despite being a Christian? I promise not to turn the thread into a 'Grand Architect' deal.

[Chino]

Carl's takedown of Astrology is perhaps my favorite moment of the original series.

Soooo good.

[ReaperKK]

Can't wait for the new series, bummed the took down the original cosmos on netflix though, I wanted to rewatch it before the new one appeared.

[Podaar]

I promise not to turn the thread into a 'Grand Architect' deal.

And for my part, I promise not to turn the thread into a 'No architect required' deal. 

So, anyway. How's the house coming Gary!

[Chino]

Can't wait for the new series, bummed the took down the original cosmos on netflix though, I wanted to rewatch it before the new one appeared.

I used to use it as background noise in the bibrary instead of listening to music. I bet I listened through the series a minimum of 12 times.

[jasc15]

He was wrong about the crab.

How so? Wrong in that artificial selection via people is what caused the samurai shape, or the legend about why they did it in the first place?

Both.  Apparently those crabs aren't even a food source, and would never have been harvested, thus the artificial selection wouldn't have happened.  There is a legend about the crab, but it doesn't address any artificial selection.  There are plenty of verifiable examples of artificial explanation.

[rumborak]

My favorite evolution thing is probably this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO1a1Ek-HD0

[kirksnosehair]

Been looking forward to this.   

[Phoenix87x]

Man, I love me some Cosmos.

One of my favorites was when Sagan was explaining flatland and the 4th dimension:

[gmillerdrake]

My favorite evolution thing is probably this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO1a1Ek-HD0

***edit***

I almost broke my promise.

[rumborak]

BTW, that video was not meant to be P/R or whatever. I appreciate it because they're showing a natural process by dissecting the real thing (a giraffe), and at the same time get across the big picture. That's why I'm posting it in the Cosmos thread to begin with.

[gmillerdrake]

BTW, that video was not meant to be P/R or whatever. I appreciate it because they're showing a natural process by dissecting the real thing (a giraffe), and at the same time get across the big picture. That's why I'm posting it in the Cosmos thread to begin with.

I know.....and I'm sorry for responding like that. Shoulda just not posted because I don't want to turn Chino's thread into a PR deal. That video was fascinating actually but I found myself typing out a defense of sorts for an 'architect' and realized I promised not to do so.

Again....that was my bad.

[ReaperKK]

I would genuinely be interested in reading your response, care to pm to me? If you're up for still writing it.

[TempusVox]

I cannot wait for this show. From the very first episode I was blown away. In particular this segment has stayed with me my entire life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jixnM7S9tLw

[El JoNNo]

Carl Sagan - 'A Glorious Dawn' ft Stephen Hawking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

BAM!!

[hefdaddy42]

Been looking forward to this, but apparently the debut episode is on at the same time as the True Detective finale, so I will have to catch it later.

[TempusVox]

^ Agreed. Last time I anticipated a program more was the Super Bowl.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Thanks for the heads up!  I didn't know there was a new series.  Set to record now...

[Cool Chris]

I have a vague recollection of watching Cosmos. Hard to watch TV these days in the Cool Chris household, but hopefully I can catch some of this.

Now if they can only resurrect Mr. Wizard...

[PuffyPat]

WE'RE HERE!

[ReaperKK]

I really enjoyed it. The production is top notch, I can't wait to see the other episodes.

[pogoowner]

I thought it was extremely overdramatic, but I'm hopeful that now that the first episode and all the introductory stuff is out of the way, it will be much less so going forward.

[emtee]

I came away from the first episode thinking it had a very weird vibe. Kind of hard to put my finger on but the segments with the
animated characters and how they looked was odd to me. Very odd. I'll give it more episodes but I didn't really enjoy the first
one. I loved Sagan's series from the 80s and I was hoping this would build on that.

[Chino]

I thought it was extremely overdramatic, but I'm hopeful that now that the first episode and all the introductory stuff is out of the way, it will be much less so going forward.

I came away from the first episode thinking it had a very weird vibe. Kind of hard to put my finger on but the segments with the
animated characters and how they looked was odd to me. Very odd. I'll give it more episodes but I didn't really enjoy the first
one. I loved Sagan's series from the 80s and I was hoping this would build on that.

I agree with both of these statements. I was underwhelmed. It wasn't bad, but the original Cosmos holds so much weight in my heart (so does NDT). I think my problem with this was that it felt like a really expensive version of NOVA Science Now, and not Cosmos. I'm not digging the cartoons. I don't get why they are there. It must have been for budget purposes. Or maybe even keeping little kids interested. I don't know. Whatever the reason, I didn't feel the magic watching this as I did with Sagan. This new Cosmos feels just like every other science show I watch on television.

I did really like the little bit at the end about Carl Sagan, and I am still really optimistic about the series. I'm hoping that this was meant to be an intro, and the next 12 episodes will dig in deep.

[Tick]

Been looking forward to this, but apparently the debut episode is on at the same time as the True Detective finale, so I will have to catch it later.

True Detective is already at the finale? I saw the first 2 episodes and have yet to catch up. What was there, like 6 total? Sorry to go off topic.

Go Cosmos!

[CrimsonSunrise]

Anyone catch this news bit?  About the Oklahoma City Fox stations interruption of the show at a crucial moment of the dialogue?

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/oklahoma-fox-station-cut-only-mention-of-evolution-from-cosmos/

[snapple]

Anyone catch this news bit?  About the Oklahoma City Fox stations interruption of the show at a crucial moment of the dialogue?

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/oklahoma-fox-station-cut-only-mention-of-evolution-from-cosmos/

If that isn't the most biased site I have ever seen. Holy shit.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Anyone catch this news bit?  About the Oklahoma City Fox stations interruption of the show at a crucial moment of the dialogue?

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/oklahoma-fox-station-cut-only-mention-of-evolution-from-cosmos/

If that isn't the most biased site I have ever seen. Holy shit.

Yeah, I didn't really look at the site, just that article.  Still wondering if it was a valid story.

[Theme Dreater]

Now if they can only resurrect Mr. Wizard...

Fucking YES. My class watched multiple episodes of Mr. Wizard in sixth grade and I loved it. You're the first person I've encountered since who has known about it.

Anyways, I'm really digging the new series even though it isn't as good as the original. My only complaint is that there is a lack of hard visual data and evidence. I think that a fair mixture of both the amazing CG and real-life photographs and videos would better the show. I do really enjoy the animated sequences, I hope that they will attract a young audience. We need a younger generation more excited about science.

[gmillerdrake]

We need a younger generation more excited about science.

You'd be happy to know that my 6 year old requests nothing but science related books from me when I do book shopping about once a month and near every book he brings home from the school library is either a exploration of the human body, dinosaur or a "space" book. It's funny because he literally said to me last night when I was reading the latest book he checked out of the library...."I love science". Now, his idea of science is still pretty broad but he just loves learning about that stuff. He wasn't satisfied with the books two page explanation of the respiratory system either. I did the best I could to try and expand on it but I have a feeling that as he gets older my explanations won't be good enough either and he's just going to figure it out all on his own.  The kid asks some questions that I'd be willing to bet a lot of 6 year olds could care less or haven't even thought about. He's just curious about how everything works...

[Implode]

I just watched the first two episodes last night. I thought it's a great start! It's full of imagination and is all about opening the world of the cosmos to those that haven't been exposed to any of it before.