User Reviews

*For those reading this review, be advised that spoilers will be within. If you have not watched the 1st episode of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", please go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.*

This episode introduces us to the narration of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an accomplished astrophysicist and an individual tasked with taking us on a journey through the universe and helping us to know how we came to understand our origins and our place in the cosmos, much in the same vibe as the late astrophysicist Carl Sagan did when he took television audiences on a similar journey in the original Cosmos mini-series back in late 1980.

Overall, when focused on the ever bountiful knowledge of scientific establishment, the episode is mostly successful. Tyson takes the viewer on a new incarnation of the "Spaceship of the Imagination" through an overview of our "cosmic address", the Observable Universe. Later on, he also goes through a re-collection of the cosmic calendar, an aspect from the original series but more thoroughly explored here. Between various quips, and cool responses to events like the Cretaceous asteroid reveal, Tyson shows some depth of charisma and personality that fits the tone of the show and is a good followup to Sagan's presentation. I leave the comparison of both to the reader, but personally I feel such a thing would be a disservice to both. They are interesting in their own ways.

Unfortunately though, the episode isn't without it's flaws. The writing seems disjointed or paced awkwardly at times, which could be because the general sense of a connected narrative isn't present like in the original series. The music, composed by Alan Silvestri, is decent but definitely lacks the impact that Vangelis had for the original. This is a shame, since Silvestri is an accomplished composer with great work under his belt.

However, where the episode really falls flat is in it's historical recounting of a scientific individual, something that the original series was known for. Here, the Italian theologian and philosopher Giordano Bruno is discussed. However, such a recounting works against the scientific vibe of the show, as Bruno's ideas and eventual persecution and execution were mostly as a result of religious dogma and expression, something the episode doesn't make clear to the viewer. Tyson himself blatantly mentions that Bruno didn't have any scientific basis for his ideas, in fact just "guessing right". Once again, this is counter to the goal that the series sets out to accomplish, which is popularizing science and it's various steps. That isn't brought forth through discussing Bruno's life. Galileo Galilei or Thomas Digges, both of whom lived at around the same time as Bruno, would have been a more suitable individual to discuss. With such a missed opportunity, it leaves a question as to how the rest of the series will handle such historical sequences, but it remains to be seen. The idea to go with cartoon sequences isn't bad, as in fact the parts are well-animated, although overdone dialogue and potentially inflammatory snubs at religious symbols hinted in the animation could be nixed.

Despite these points, Cosmos is intent on focusing on scientific topics, and here it sets off on a good note. There is material here to intrigue viewers, and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the series holds regarding them. The final scene where Tyson recollects his meeting with Sagan in his earlier years, as well as the homage given to Carl, was poignant and touching and definitely serves to connect the series, and the host, with their predecessors. Despite the flaws, Cosmos looks like good potential to be beheld. We'll see what comes next.

Rating: 8/10

Neil De Grasse Tyson's hit show " Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey"'s first episode "Standing up in the Milky Way takes us on the Ship of Imagination to take a quick visit of the planets of our Solar System. Then we take a quick look of Voyager 1. The viewers discover Earth's cosmic address. Neil brings us to the edge of our observable Universe. He explains how our Universes are bubbles in a waterfall.

Neil takes us back in time to Italy to meet Giordana Bruno. A former monk who believes Earth orbits around the Sun and is not the center of the Universe. Then he explains how we started developing only in the last couple of years. Finally, he shows us the space-time calender Everything that happened in the Universe like the Sun forming is recorded on the calendar.

I know that Neil DeGrasse Tyson is preaching to the choir in my case, so I expect things to be big and impressive. As is often the case with the first episodes of scientific mini-series, this one has a scope so enormous that it doesn't do justice to the specifics. What we have, rather, is an almost religious (forgive me) awe of what is the universe. We are introduced to those who began the movement from superstition to scientific exploration. Tyson shows us a kind of space ship (but so much more) that will help us to see all things universal. We will be able to enter microscopic events as well as interstellar ones. We will look at the great men and women who gave their time and often their lives to answer questions for us. We will watch species develop, thrive, and go extinct. We will see theories put forth with good intentions trampled by the light of new exploration and technology. We will, I am sure, see how the church and other cultural entities often stomped on the forward movement of science. Also, the jealousies among the those of the scientific community. Humans are often their own worst enemies and will come to an appropriate end as life goes on.