| Presenter | Robert Krulwich (2005–2006) Neil deGrasse Tyson (2006–2011) David Pogue (2012) |
|---|---|
| Theme music composer | Rob Morsberger |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Num seasons | 6 |
| Num episodes | 36 |
| Executive producer | Paula S. Apsell Samuel Fine |
| Runtime | 55 minutes |
| Company | WGBH |
| Network | PBS |
| First aired | January 25, 2005 |
| Last aired | November 14, 2012 |
Nova ScienceNow (styled NOVΛ scienceNOW) was a spinoff of the long-running and venerable PBS science program Nova that ran from 2005 to 2012.
Premiering on January 25, 2005, the series was originally hosted by Robert Krulwich, who described it as an experiment in coverage of "breaking science, science that's right out of the lab, science that sometimes bumps up against politics, art, culture".[1] At the beginning of season two, Neil deGrasse Tyson replaced Krulwich as the show's host. Tyson announced he would leave the show and was replaced by David Pogue in season 6.
The show was intended to return with more new episodes in 2015.[2]
Production
Nova ScienceNow was developed by WGBH Boston as a faster-paced, magazine-style alternative to the traditional documentary format of its parent series, Nova. While the original series typically focused on a single topic for an hour, ScienceNow episodes were generally composed of four shorter segments, including a "profile" of a contemporary scientist.[1]
The production utilized distinctive visual elements, including computer-generated imagery (CGI) and fast-cut editing to appeal to younger audiences. During Neil deGrasse Tyson's tenure, segments often featured him in front of a green screen or interacting with physical props to explain complex astrophysical concepts. The show was funded in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Cast
Host Robert Krulwich left the program at the end of the first season. He was replaced by astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium.[3] In addition to the host, several correspondents report on many of the individual stories including Peter Standring, Chad Cohen, Ziya Tong, Carla Wohl, Rebecca Skloot, and David Duncan. David Pogue is the host of the show's sixth season.
Seasons
| Season | Episodes | Premiere | Finale | Summary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | January 25, 2005 | January 10, 2006 | Hosted by Robert Krulwich | |
| 2 | 5 | October 9, 2006 | July 24, 2007 | Tyson becomes host | |
| 3 | 6 | June 25, 2008 | July 30, 2008 | ||
| 4 | 8 | June 30, 2009 | September 1, 2009 | ||
| 5 | 6 | January 19, 2011 | February 23, 2011 | Single-theme episodes | |
| 6 | 6 | October 10, 2012 | November 14, 2012 | Hosted by David Pogue |
Episodes
Season 1 (2005–06)
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Production code |
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Season 2 (2006–07)
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Season 3 (2008)
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Season 4 (2009)
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Season 5 (2011)
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Season 6 (2012)
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Reception
NOVΛ scienceNOW has received generally positive reviews from television critics and parents of young children. New York Daily News wrote, "★★★★ Lightyears from the norm."[4]
References
- ^ "Transcripts – NOVA scienceNOW: January 25, 2005". PBS. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
- ^ "NOVA scienceNOW Sponsorship". SGPTV. PBS. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015.
- ^ "About the Series Host". PBS. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- ^ "Science show is light years from the norm". New York Daily News. June 25, 2008. Retrieved 2019-12-19. – via PressReader.