Cosmos

Before Elon Musk wanted to colonize Mars and Neil deGrasse Tyson became YouTube’s science dad, there was Carl Sagan.

With his signature turtleneck and poetic wonder, he made the universe feel like home—and “Cosmos” is his love letter to it.

I rank this #1 on my list of “Best Space Documentaries” (I’ll publish that full list separately) — sorry, Neil!

Thanks to Pharrell Williams for reminding me of “Cosmos” in his “Piece by Piece” documentary (which I rank a perfect 100 out 100!).

Pharrell gives Carl a cameo at the 11 min. 17 sec mark of Piece by Piece. Pharrell describes Cosmos (along with Star Trek and Soul Train) as being part of the unlock of his creativity:

“Carl Sagan’s way of looking at life was amazing to me.” -- Pharrell Williams

Trailer for “Cosmos”

Watch “Cosmos”

The best quality version of the 13 epiodes I found is this free version on Archive.org:

Here’s the next best version to watch it for free:

Here’s another free version from Archive.org. It has all 13 episodes but they are not in order (they are labeled so you just click around):

Here’s Episode 1 on YouTube to watch for free:

I don’t see any streaming options for it on the big streamers. But you can check here to see if any are added; https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/cosmos-a-personal-voyage

Ratings:

• My Rating: 96/100
• IMDB Rating: 9.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 82/100 (Users); nA/100 (Critics)

Release Date: October 1, 1980 to January 1, 1981 (on PBS)

My Review of “Cosmos”

The Setup

This is the documentary that launched a whole new generation’s interest in space and science. “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”, a 13-episode docuseries hosted by Carl Sagan, is a mind-expanding journey through the universe.

Directed by Sagan himself, along with his collaborators (most notably, writer Ann Druyan, his wife), this PBS series explores everything from the origins of life to the future of humanity.

Each episode is a feast for the eyes and the mind, blending Sagan’s poetic delivery with visual effects that were groundbreaking for the time. Total runtime: 780 minutes.

You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up

• The concept of “billions and billions” became a catchphrase after Carl Sagan popularized it during the series.
• Sagan explains how every element in our bodies—like carbon and iron—was forged in the hearts of stars that exploded millions of years ago.
• There’s a segment where Sagan theorizes about intelligent life on other planets, long before “alien” documentaries started gaining traction.
• In a stunning visualization, Sagan walks us through the “Cosmic Calendar,” which compresses the entire history of the universe into one year. Human existence takes up only the last few seconds of December 31st.

More Highlights from the Doc

Episode 1: The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean

• Sagan introduces the “Cosmic Calendar,” a scale that condenses the universe’s 13.8 billion-year history into a single year. Humanity’s entire recorded history fits into the last few seconds of December 31st.
• He takes us on a journey aboard the “Spaceship of the Imagination,” a conceptual vessel that allows him to traverse time and space, setting the tone for the entire series.
• My favorite quote from E1:

“We wish to pursue the truth no matter where it leads. But to find the truth, we need imagination and skepticism both.”

— Carl Sagan

Episode 2: One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue

• Sagan explores the origin of life on Earth, explaining how molecules combined in early oceans to form amino acids, the building blocks of life.
• He discusses the possibility of extraterrestrial life, using the example of a fictional planet where life might have evolved differently from Earth.

Episode 3: The Harmony of the Worlds

• A deep dive into Johannes Kepler’s discovery of the laws of planetary motion and how they revolutionized astronomy.
• Sagan highlights Kepler’s personal struggles, including his mother being accused of witchcraft, and his tireless work to prove that planets follow elliptical orbits.

Episode 4: Heaven and Hell

• The story of the Tunguska event of 1908, where a mysterious explosion flattened 800 square miles of Siberian forest, likely caused by a comet or asteroid.
• Sagan explains the dangers of asteroid impacts and how Earth has been shaped by past cosmic collisions.

Episode 5: Blues for a Red Planet

• A full episode dedicated to Mars, including historical perceptions of the planet and early 20th-century theories that Martians might have built canals.
• Footage from the Viking landers shows the real Martian landscape, proving once and for all that the “canals” were an optical illusion.

Episode 6: Travelers’ Tales

• The history of the Voyager spacecrafts, including the Golden Record—a time capsule containing sounds and images meant to communicate with extraterrestrial life.
• The challenges of interstellar travel and what it would take for humanity to explore beyond our solar system.

Episode 7: The Backbone of Night

• Sagan discusses how ancient civilizations, particularly the Greeks, developed early astronomical models.
• He revisits his childhood growing up in Brooklyn, recalling how he first fell in love with the stars by looking at the night sky from the city streets.

Episode 8: Travels in Space and Time

• The concept of time dilation, where time moves slower for someone traveling close to the speed of light compared to someone on Earth.
• A visualization of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity using clocks, showing how time itself is flexible.

Episode 9: The Lives of the Stars

• A stunning look at stellar evolution—how stars are born, live, and die, sometimes becoming white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes.
• Sagan explains supernovas and how they create the heavy elements that make up our bodies, famously saying, “We are made of star stuff.”

Episode 10: The Edge of Forever

• The Big Bang Theory is explored in depth, along with alternative theories about the universe’s fate—will it expand forever, or eventually collapse?
• Sagan discusses the concept of multiple universes, an idea that was groundbreaking at the time but is now a serious topic in modern physics.

Episode 11: The Persistence of Memory

• A fascinating exploration of the human brain and how memory works, comparing it to the storage of information in DNA.
• The role of evolution in shaping intelligence, from the earliest organisms to modern humans.

Episode 12: Encyclopedia Galactica

• Sagan examines how alien civilizations, if they exist, might attempt to communicate with us. He explains the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the use of radio telescopes to scan for signals.
• The famous Drake Equation is introduced, which attempts to estimate the number of intelligent civilizations in the galaxy.

Episode 13: Who Speaks for Earth?

• A powerful reflection on the threats humanity faces, including nuclear war and environmental destruction, and why science must be used responsibly.
• The final moments of the series are a call for unity—Sagan pleads for humanity to see itself as one species, on one planet, in a vast and beautiful universe.

Cameos

While there aren’t traditional celebrity cameos, the series features cameos of some of history’s greatest minds—Galileo, Kepler, and Hypatia—brought to life through dramatic reenactments.

Lesser-Known Details from the Doc

• The series had a budget of $6.3 million, making it the most expensive public television series ever produced at the time.
• Sagan’s turtleneck and corduroy jacket became an iconic look, forever linked to science communication.
• The show’s soundtrack includes music from Vangelis, J.S. Bach, and Gustav Holst, adding to its dreamlike, cinematic feel.

Wrap Up

“Cosmos” is still one of the greatest science documentaries ever made. Sagan’s passion for the universe was infectious, and his ability to make complex ideas accessible is why this series remains relevant decades later. If you love space, science, or just great storytelling, this is a must-watch.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc