Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

[quadz]

First episode of the new Cosmos series is online here:

http://www.cosmosontv.com/watch/183733315515  (Says: Expires in 49 days :S )

Really nicely done! I hope it gets shown in a lot of classrooms. The "cosmic calendar" metaphor was a clever way to bridge cosmic time-scales to a familiar reference point.

Looking forward to episode 2...

[QwazyWabbit]

Sagan originally presented the cosmic calendar and I was a little disappointed in the production value put into the new series. Sagan's Cosmos used live actors to depict historical figures like Keppler, Brahe, Newton. I didn't care for the cartoons.

[quadz]

Sagan originally presented the cosmic calendar and I was a little disappointed in the production value put into the new series. Sagan's Cosmos used live actors to depict historical figures like Keppler, Brahe, Newton. I didn't care for the cartoons.

Ah, interesting. I'd watched some of the original series with my dad when I was about nine, but I don't recall many of the details.

Personally the animated parts of the new series felt effective to me, considering it's targeted at both adults and children. Particularly the scenes depicting the horrors of the Inquisition, and the scowling faces of the clerics:





I feel this sort of artwork would have had at least as much emotional impact on me as a kid as live action.

[QwazyWabbit]

The new Cosmos has a decidedly anti-religious flavor that the old one didn't. My impression is this is intentional. The "ascension" of Bruno in his revelation of the cosmos with his arms outstretched is particularly symbolic.

Ann Druyan was Sagan's partner and was involved in the original Cosmos project. There, the message was a little more muted about science vs. dogma. But I think the message of this new Cosmos is that it's time for an end to respecting religious dogma and for science to lead the world forward past superstition and mysticism. I predict you'll see every religious zealot depicted as dark and grim as the ones depicted here.