The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, April 18, 2014 2 By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media W ith so many movies and TV shows being rebooted these days, one wonders if originality is dwindling in the entertainment industry. Fox, however, is currently airing a follow-up that defi- nitely warrants its second time in the sun. "Cosmos: A Spacet- ime Odyssey" is a scientific documentary offshoot of the 1980 Emmy-winning series "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage," which was presented by as- tronomer, astrophysicist and cosmologist Carl Sagan. The new series premiered March 9, with a new episode airing Sun- day, April 20, on Fox. "Cosmos: A Spacetime Od- yssey" got off to a strong start with roughly 8.5 million view- ers tuning in for the premiere. No doubt this is largely due to the immense popularity of its predecessor. The original "Cos- mos," which aired on PBS, is widely recognized as a major milestone for science-based television, with its use of cut- ting-edge special effects and its appeal to all audiences — not just those with scientific leanings. Seen by more than 500 million people across more than 60 countries, it remains one of the network's highest- rated programs. Fox's version will loosely fol- low the format of "A Personal Voyage," with 13 episodes, a similar storytelling approach and certain recognizable ele- ments, such as the "Spaceship of the Imagination" and the "Cosmic Calendar." It explores the foundation of science, cov- ering such topics as the scope of time, beginning with the Big Bang; natural selection and evolution; astronomy and as- trology; the nature of the speed of light, gravity, black holes and more. Science-based content aside, the series aims to inter- est just about anyone. As Ann Druyan, Sagan's widow and a co-creator of both series, ex- plains in an interview with Canada.com: "We weren't try- ing to preach to the converted. We wanted to evoke in people, even those people who might be hostile to science, a sense of wonder. ... If you have a beat- ing heart, you will respond to 'Cosmos.' " While the two series do share certain aspects, "A Spa- cetime Odyssey" also contains many unique and revamped el- ements, including spectacular computer-generated graphics and updated information that includes the past 34 years' sci- entific discoveries and ad- vancements. "The ambition and scope of 'A Spacetime Od- yssey' is unlike anything seen before," writes Alex Strachan for Canada.com, "including the original Cosmos, which Druyan and [host Neil de- Grasse] Tyson have vowed not to emulate or repeat." As for the man presenting the program, Sagan left behind some very large shoes to fill. His contributions to the world of science are extensive and in- clude more than 600 published scientific papers and more than 20 books penned. Taking up the "Cosmos" torch now is astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson's own career path has been heavily inspired by Sagan, whom he described in a 2004 interview with Daniel Simon as "very in- spirational and a most power- ful influence. Dr. Sagan was as great as the universe, an effec- tive mentor." Judging by his résumé, Ty- son is about as apt a replace- ment for Sagan as you can find. Currently the director of the Hayden Planetarium and a re- search associate in astrophys- ics at the American Museum of Natural History, Tyson also hosted PBS's science program "Nova ScienceNOW" and has been a frequent guest on "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Re- port" and "Jeopardy!" His in- terest in astronomy having tak- en hold when he was nine, he began giving lectures on the subject as young as 15 and was editor-in-chief of his high school's "Physical Science Journal." As a student, Tyson was lucky enough to meet his idol, who in turn took him on a tour of Sagan's workplace as they discussed science — that con- versation affected the younger man in more ways the one. A heavy snow fell as Tyson was heading for the last bus home, and Sagan offered that, should the storm keep the bus from arriving, Tyson was welcome to spend the night at his home. "It was then that I realized," Tyson recalls in the Canada. com interview, "not only did I know I wanted to become an astronomer, but I now knew the kind of man I wanted to be." Little did he know back then just how much like his mentor he would turn out to be. It's not hard to see how Ty- son and Druyan's names are linked to "A Spacetime Odys- sey," but some might be sur- prised to see funny man Seth MacFarlane's name crop up as an executive producer for the series. The man behind "Family Guy," "American Dad" and "Ted" (2012) was, in fact, in- strumental in bringing "A Spa- cetime Odyssey" to broadcast. Though the series is a notable departure for MacFarlane, it was his passion for the subject matter — and his financial in- vestment — that helped make it happen. "I'm at a point in my career where I have some disposable income, and I'd like to spend it on something worthwhile," MacFarlane told Tyson, as he recalls in a "Parade" interview. As he said in a 2012 Library of Congress press piece: "The work of Carl Sagan has been a profound influence in my life and the life of every individual who recognizes the impor- tance of humanity's ongoing commitment to the explora- tion of our universe." With a secure foothold in the network already, MacFarlane was able to secure the green-lighting of the show when other networks had turned it down, failing to see its broad appeal. Chirstopher's Coins 2 x 2 coverstory Neil deGrasse Tyson as seen in "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey" It's in the stars Fox revamps 'Cosmos' for a new generation By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I remember an excellent documentary series called "The Kennedy Women" from the '90s. I have been look- ing for it everywhere, but no one (I have even written the John F. Kennedy Library) seems to know it existed. Would you be able to tell me anything about this? Thank you. A: It seems like maybe I can't. I can't find anything that fits your whole description of the series — only parts of it. For example, the Hallmark/NBC telefilm "Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Kennedy Women" aired in 2001. That's the closest title match that seems to exist. However, it was not a documentary, but rather a lush dramatization. It featured "Crossing Jordan" star Jill Hennessy as Jackie Kennedy and film actress and former "Picket Fences" star Lau- ren Holly as Ethel. Joan was played by Leslie Stefanson, an ac- tress who seemed on her way up at the time, having appeared in the blockbuster "Unbreakable" the previous year, but who never quite caught on. The film was released in some regions under the name "Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot," which was the title of the book on which it was based. Q: What's the story with Lara Logan? I know "60 Min- utes" suspended her for her part in a bogus story they aired, but that was months ago, and they don't even mention her anymore. Is she off the show for good? Will she resurface somewhere else? A: It seems as if the only people who know about Lara Lo- gan's future at "60 Minutes" are the show's producers, and they're not saying much. Logan was suspended, along with her segment producer, in November due to problems with her Oct. 27 report on the American embassy attack in Benghazi, Libya. It was deemed in an internal memo to have been "deficient in several respects," most notably in the respect that one of her key sources later admitted to having lied on camera. By mid-December, less than a month after her suspension, popular political news site Politico.com reported that she and her producer would return to the program as early as January. The site based this on anonymous "network sources." Of course, it's four months later now and she still hasn't re- turned. Rumors circled in March that she was being fired complete- ly, after "60 Minutes" announced that veteran CBS News cor- respondent Bill Whitaker was being added to the team. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. hollywoodQ&A