Cosmos Reboot: Running Discussion Thread

Yeah, I specifically noticed the music. It ain't Vangelis' Heaven and Hell, but it's not bad.

And Neil deGrasse-Tyson was on Colbert last night. Colbert spent about half the show talking to him.

Meh. So far I'm underwhelmed but, as others have said, this was just the intro, a way to get newcomers to dabble in the shallow end. I'll give it a few more episodes.

Oh, in rewatching it tonight, I realized that the first guy who challenges Bruno in England was voiced by the guy who did the voice for Hermes Conrad. I would love to hear the outtakes from that recording session!

Just now getting around to watching this.

Overall I like it, but I agree with most of the complaints and criticisms. I really wish they'd put this on PBS. The commercials are really jarring.

Tyson should've left "star stuff" alone. That's Sagan's line and shouldn't have been repeated.

Sometimes I hate this state.

Apparently the local FOX station blocked the evolution bit.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/...ution-from-cosmos-by-cutting-only-15-seconds/

I was gonna say...

...but the local FOX affiliate here is also owned by them and they left the evolution part in.


BTW, whoever edited that promo should be flogged. How can you screw up the screen direction in a three-shot sequence in that size market?

Little fuzzy right now and I erased it but didn't Tyson quote Sagan about the star stuff?

I didn't take it that way.

And, as predicted, the Catholics are butthurt over the Bruno bit.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/cosmos-accused-of-taking-a-jab-at-catholics-115976/

To which I say...sawk eeet.

Eh, fuck 'em. If it happened, it happened, and if it's a part of history, it's a part of history. Instead of getting offended, just say "I'm glad we've advanced beyond that terrible mindset!"

Shocking! A show about science making affirmative assertions about the validity of the Scientific method. How dare they, that's a step too far! Have they learned nothing from the improved science curricula in bible belt states? Science is supposed to demonstrate the validity of scripture!

It's a remake, so of course he had to use some of the same dialog.

I'm actually glad he said it. It's poetical and accurate, and a tribute to Carl.
And didn't Ann Druyan write the show? So it was her call to say it.

The phrase pre-dates Sagan and IIRC, goes back before we knew what stars were.

The contempt for Christianity is alive and well. I don't get it. I'm a Christian and I have a strong belief in the scientific method as well. They're not mutually exclusive.

The contempt isn't aimed at all Christians, only those in power who would force mythology and dogma to be taught as reality, over actual science.
That goes for any religion, actually.

The big bang is at least as much a theory as God is. And the fact that science routinely conjures up theories to fill in holes in current theories (dark matter, singularity, global cooling, global warming, climate change, whatever sells, etc) speaks to that. Talk about those in power trying to make a buck, keep power, or get a grant. Hmm...

However, they were very much going for the "let's portray the Church as cartoon supervillains" approach.

15th century church -- is there a more apt dscription?

Well, I could have done without feeling like I was watching "The Return of Jafar" ...

A story has to have a hook, and people aren't going to pay attention if it doesn't look and sound good. Again, Cosmos is about drawing in people who normally wouldn't give anything that deals in science a second glance.

Unfortunately, I think the "churches are evil" vibe might turn off a lot of that audience...

The only vibe it gives off is that the middle ages church was a political, power hungry machine that stamped out free speech, which is true. If anything, the story advises people to question everything, including the so-called authority of the church. Now, churches that want to suppress curiosity and scientific advancement will hate that message, as will anyone who feels the church is always in the right. Fortunately, that breed is dying out, but the damage has already been done. It's why we need a show like Cosmos, to get the layperson back into science again.

Any church that gets nasty will prove the show right.

So you're another one who doesn't know what the word "theory" means in science?

Doesn't get much closer than the Holy Inquisition. Dr. No could learn a thing or two from them.

Apparently.

Heh heh, this one's all evolution, and they're jumping right into the tree of life, the slam dunk DNA evidence, and next, they're gonna slaughter the "the eye is too complex", argument.

Damn it, I forgot to watch!

Don't sweat it, it hits Hulu at Midnight, and it'll be on NatGeo tomorrow as well.