After 35 years of dormancy, Fox reboots the original series, “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” that was hosted by Carl Sagan.
Now, with original executive producers, Ann Druyan and Steven Soter, behind the project, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will host the show.
The original series spanned 13 episodes in 1980 and was one of the most watched series on public television until 1990. As of 2009, it was the most watched public broadcast series in the world.
“Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” won Emmy and Peabody awards, and was broadcasted in over 60 countries and seen by 500 million people. In total, it has been seen by an estimated 700 millions viewers globally.
The series had unique special effects, which made it seem like Sagan was walking through a set of models as opposed to a full sized set.
The original show had been changed several times with new scientific discoveries, which kept it current throughout the years. Sagan filmed new epilogues for the episodes that discussed the new discoveries and alternative viewpoints that arose since the first broadcast.
Executive producers Seth MacFarlane, Mitchell Cannold and Brannon Braga are on board for the new series. MacFarlane brought on a team of animators to help tell the stories in an innovative way.
MacFarlane was also a major driving force in the production of the show. He obtained network funding for the series.
“We should be vigorously exploring the solar system by now, and who better to inspire us to get there than Ann Druyan, Steven Soter, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and, of course, Carl Sagan,” MacFarlane said in a statement.
The series explores new stories and concepts about the universe, which will tie together “rigorous science with the emotional and spiritual into a transcendent experience,” said Fox.
It will also explore how humans discovered the laws of nature and how to determine their place in space and time, just like its predecessor. It covers the tiniest and largest views of the universe, and takes viewers to new worlds across the galaxy.
The new series will air its first episode on March 9 on Fox and March 10 on the National Geographic.
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