Cosmos: Possible Worlds Explained

Genre:Science documentary
Presenter:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Composer:Alan Silvestri
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Episodes:13
List Episodes:
  1. Episodes
Cinematography:Karl Walter Lindenlaub
Runtime:44 minutes

Cosmos: Possible Worlds is a 2020 American science documentary television series that premiered on March 9, 2020, on National Geographic. The series is a follow-up to the 2014 television series , which followed the original series presented by Carl Sagan on PBS in 1980. The series is presented by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, written, directed, and executive-produced by Ann Druyan and Brannon Braga, with other executive producers being Seth MacFarlane and Jason Clark.

The series consists of 13 episodes that were broadcast over seven weeks.[1] [2] [3] [4] The series had its broadcast television premiere on Fox on September 22, 2020.[5] [6] Braga explains that "Possible Worlds refers to planets far, far away, but also ... the future as a possible world."[7]

Development and production

On January 13, 2018, it was announced that another season titled Cosmos: Possible Worlds would debut in 2019 on Fox and National Geographic channels, to be hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson and executive produced by Ann Druyan, Seth MacFarlane, Brannon Braga, and Jason Clark.[8] [9] The studio portions were filmed at Santa Fe Studios with plans for location shooting in the Pacific Northwest, Europe, and Asia.

This 13-episode sequel series was slated to premiere on March 3, 2019, on Fox, and the following day on National Geographic.[10] [11] However, from December 2018 through February 2019, Tyson became the subject of sexual harassment allegations. Both National Geographic and Fox stated they would investigate these allegations, and indefinitely postponed the premiere of Cosmos on February 15, 2019.[12] [13] National Geographic and Fox completed their investigation without stating the results of it on March 15, 2019, and affirmed that Cosmos would resume at some point.[14]

The series premiered in early March 2020 in the United States on the National Geographic Channel and was scheduled to air on Fox afterwards, as well as in 172 other countries.[1]

Druyan expects the series to be inspiring, with a strong emphasis on a hopeful future, and she hopes that the series will help correct antiscience rhetoric and policies.[15] Druyan also stated that, due to current events, she was motivated "by a greater sense of urgency" when writing the new series as compared to the previous series.[1] Regarding a line she wrote for episode 1: "Our ship of the imagination is propelled by twin engines of skepticism and wonder" Druyan said:

The tone of the series has been described as optimistic. Tyson said the series is "a very hopeful vision of what we can do if we're enlightened enough." Druyan has expressed the hope that "If we start listening to what the scientists are telling us, we can get out of this horrible mess that we've created for ourselves." Druyan was awarded the National Geographic Further Award by the 2020 Sun Valley Film Festival for her work on Cosmos.[7]

Cast

Book

Druyan authored a companion book to the series released in February 2020.[16] As was the case with the original Cosmos book, it is divided into thirteen chapters, mostly titled after the episodes, with a variant sequence.

Possible sequel

When asked if she was planning another season of Cosmos, Druyan said "Yes! I very much have season four in mind, and I know what it’s going to be. And I even know some of the stories that I want to tell in it. But I’m going to take a little bit of a break, thanks to the coronavirus, so is everyone else for a little while. But I do intend to do a fourth season."[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Palmer. Rob. Exploring 'Possible Worlds' With Ann Druyan. Skeptical Inquirer. CFI. 17 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200401031822/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/exploring-possible-worlds-with-ann-druyan/. April 1, 2020. 31 March 2020. live.
  2. "Cosmos" Returns! Season 3 of the Most Celebrated Science Show on the Planet to Premiere March 9, 2020, on National Geographic. National Geographic Channel. The Futon Critic. November 7, 2019. February 27, 2020.
  3. National Geographic's Cosmos: Possible Worlds Presents a Triumphant Voyage Through Humanity's Past and Present and Maps a Hopeful Vision of Our Future. Business Wire. January 17, 2020. February 27, 2020.
  4. Web site: 'Cosmos: Possible Worlds' to Premiere on National Geographic in 2020 — Exclusive. IndieWire. Tyler. Hersko. November 7, 2019. February 27, 2020. November 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191107185722/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/11/cosmos-possible-worlds-release-date-synopsis-cast-1202188001/. live.
  5. Web site: Fox Sets Fall 2020 Schedule, Acquires 'LA's Finest' to Air on Mondays. Variety. Joe. Otterson. May 11, 2020. May 13, 2020. May 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200516135118/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/fox-fall-2020-schedule-1234603151/. live.
  6. Web site: "Cosmos: Possible Worlds" Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8/7c on FOX. The Futon Critic. July 24, 2020. July 24, 2020. June 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230604030135/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/07/24/cosmos-possible-worlds-premieres-tuesday-sept-22-at-8-7c-on-fox-224410/20200724fox02/. live.
  7. Web site: National Geographic's 'Cosmos' creator scores award for pushing boundaries of television . ABC, Inc. . 31 July 2020 . 9 April 2020 . April 12, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200412171418/https://abc7news.com/entertainment/cosmos-creator-recognized-for-pushing-boundaries/6090058/ . live .
  8. Cosmos to return in 2019 with Possible Worlds. Entertainment Weekly. Nick. Romano. January 13, 2018. January 13, 2018.
  9. Web site: Cosmos Season 2 To Premiere In Spring 2019. Alec. Bojalad. May 14, 2018. May 14, 2018. Den of Geek. https://web.archive.org/web/20180629223418/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/cosmos/270211/cosmos-season-2-to-premiere-in-spring-2019. June 29, 2018. dead.
  10. Web site: Fox Midseason Premiere Dates: 'Gotham' Final Season, 'Masked Singer' Coming in January. The Hollywood Reporter. Rick. Porter. October 29, 2018. October 29, 2018. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181030004919/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fox-winter-2019-premiere-dates-gotham-masked-singer-more-1156030. live.
  11. Web site: "COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS" to Premiere Monday March 4 on National Geographic. Business Wire. October 29, 2018. October 29, 2018. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181030005252/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181029005781/en/%E2%80%9CCOSMOS-WORLDS%E2%80%9D-Premiere-Monday-March-4-National. live.
  12. Web site: 'Cosmos' Season 2 to Miss March Premiere Date as Neil deGrasse Tyson Investigation Continues. Joe. Otterson. February 15, 2019. February 18, 2019. Variety. February 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190215225619/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/cosmos-season-2-premiere-date-neil-degrasse-tyson-1203141146/. live.
  13. Web site: 'Cosmos' Bumped from Fox as Neil deGrasse Tyson Investigation Continues. Rick. Porter. The Hollywood Reporter. February 15, 2019. February 15, 2019. February 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190215225744/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cosmos-bumped-fox-as-neil-degrasse-tyson-investgation-continues-1187193. live.
  14. Web site: Neil deGrasse Tyson Returning to Fox, Nat Geo Following Investigation. Rick. Porter. The Hollywood Reporter. March 15, 2019. June 2, 2019. March 16, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190316161005/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/neil-degrasse-tyson-cleared-nat-geo-investigation-1195140. live.
  15. Frazier. Kendrick. Kendrick Frazier. On the Set of Cosmos's Season Two. Skeptical Inquirer. 2018. 42. 5. 10–12.
  16. Book: Cosmos: Possible Worlds. Ann Druyan. 9781426219085. February 2020. National Geographic. National Geographic Books . May 20, 2020. June 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200622154732/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/598022/cosmos-possible-worlds-by-ann-druyan/. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cosmos: Possible Worlds".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.