User Reviews

*For those reading this review, be advised that spoilers will be within. If you have not watched the 3rd episode of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", please go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.*

Here, Tyson recollects the first steps that we as a species took toward casting away the shackles of superstition and fear and opened the door to the bountiful understanding of science. For this, the episode delves into the partnership between Issac Newton and Edmund Halley and how their research into planetary/celestial motion built the path on which would ultimately be our first steps to the stars.

Once again, the science for the most part is handled well by the writers and Tyson. The episode mostly handles the concept of comets and the Oort Cloud, though historical recollection is really the top of the order here. At first, that might seem a tall order, since the last time the series dealt in depth with a historical sequence, it was less than stellar. Fortunately, this episode vastly improves from the Bruno sequence in the first episode, as the sequence dealing with Newton and Halley is well done and for the most part is handled with historical accuracy (though Robert Hooke's physical portrayal is over the top), even down to the moments with dialogue, and is actually relevant to the endeavor of science. Hopefully, future sequences will be handled like this one.

This episode presents the best writing of the series so far. Topics and scenes flow better and follow a consistent narrative throughout. Yes there are hiccups, but they are thankfully kept to minimum here. Tyson does make some quips and ramblings about religion and science at points that are a little over the top, but fortunately that's kept to minimum as well.

At this point, it is clear that the soundtrack is not much to write about, but it is handled better than in the previous two episodes. For a couple of moments, either during the animation sequences or towards the end of the episode, there is a sense of the majesty of the science and understanding like in the original series.

Overall, this is the best effort that Cosmos has brought forth. There are still 10 episodes left to witness, but the series is definitely looking up. And now to wait for next week…

Rating: 9/10

This episode shows the movement from superstition to a recognition of the mathematic predictability of astronomical phenomena. Since primitive man had no explanation of events that didn't bear explanation, we cannot be terribly judgmental. Hence, when a comet appeared, it was often made to be the cause of most of the ills that befell mankind. We then focus in on the careers of three brilliant men. Edmund Hallley, Robert Hooke, and Isaac Newton. Halley, of course, is famous because he came to know that every 76 years the comet named after him returns to circle the sun in its obtuse, elliptical path. It points out, however, that the mathematics were actually the work of Newton and his knowledge of gravity at the behest of Halley. Halley should have been known as much for his inventing of the diving bell, the weather map, and his business acumen, but most of us can only talk of his comet. There was also great stress in the Royal Society because Robert Hooke, for all his knowledge, was a windbag and an impediment. He did wonderful things to create instrumentation. Newton is the ultimate hero in all this. Excellent episode.

This episode is an improvement over the last one. A must watch.

The first 10 minutes may be a bore, but the episode starts to pick up after that. This episode is mostly about the history of science. It tells us about scientists like Hook, Newton, Halley, Oort and more.

The episode then changes it's focus to how Halley got Newton's book "Philisophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica" published.

The whole episode was pretty much dedicated to a tale of friendship between Newton and Halley.

The sense of wonder from the pilot returns in this episode and the final moments(epic) earn this amazing episode a 9 out of 10.