“Cosmos: Possible Worlds” Features Dazzling Animated Sequences That Demand Your Attention

 

 

I’m not a scientist but I’m willing to die on a sword that says the increase in forest fires, coronavirus, and the fact that it didn’t snow once in the NYC metro area this year are all probably connected. And while Cosmos: Possible Worlds teases these possible other worlds, the Neil deGrasse Tyson-hosted series (along with the excellent Carl Sagan-voiced Jeep promos) makes sure to really drill home the fact that we all live on this one planet and we need to appreciate it a lot more than we do right now. We had to wait two years for Cosmos: Possible Worlds as Neil deGrasse Tyson was part of baseless allegations of sexual misconduct, one of the first known victories against cancel culture so far.

To help tell the tale of the show, animated sequences will typically be utilized to help tell of the particular historical lesson that we are being taught with additional voice contributions from the likes of Patrick Stewart, Seth MacFarlane, and Viggo Mortensen whose role as Nikolai Vavilov is helping further cement the Academy Award winning actor into the pantheon of acting greats. Six Point Harness has done an excellent job of helping paint the pictures that Neil is trying to convey with his sultry, Luther Vandross-like vocals. During the “Vavilov” episode we get a Duke Johnson (Anomalisa) directed effort that is quite simply breathtaking, almost to the point of tears, for a story that is seldom taught in grammar schools most likely due to the lack of focus on science and the contributions made from world-renowned Soviet (kids are typically taught all Soviets are bad, except, saying “Soviet” is just like using the term “American” in that it’s just a word that tells you where somebody is from).

Need an Emmy-deserving scene? I defy you to find a more solid example of technical brilliance than when the Nazis are dropping bombs on Russia all the while scientists are sacrificing themselves for a great good. Duke’s visuals adds depth to these scenes that are already rife with depravity and certainly puts the producer in the same league as your Will Vintons, Nick Parks, and Ray Harryhausens.

As the “Ship of the Imagination” continues to take us into otherworldly adventures, take hold of the fact that we are also seeing some of the finest examples of animated technical finesse that we’ve seen on American television so far this year.

Cosmos: Possible Worlds airs Monday Nights @ 8 pm ET/PT only on NatGeo.