Bill Nye’s goal, in his original series more than two decades ago, was that he might be able to change the world through bringing attention to the importance of science. Years later, his plans have changed very little. His new show, expected to premiere in the spring of 2017, will be called “Bill Nye Saves The World.” Nye started out on PBS as the quirky bow tie-wearing scientist in the 90s, and his program made its way into many science classrooms. This show made science approachable and easy to understand for any audience through a blend of humor and facts. From elementary school children learning about solids, liquids and gases to the high school biology classes introducing the intricacies of the carbon cycle, students were able to tackle topics with ease. His goal may be the same, but Nye is using a talk show format to reach audiences in a new way.
Since the earlier years of his first program, Nye has been widely known as “The Science Guy.” As his popularity grew, he spoke about his program on a number of panels and even made appearances at colleges and universities for lectures and commencement speeches. His original show aired 100 episodes until 1998, and were watched long after. The goal of Nye’s new program, “Bill Nye Saves the World,” is to further execute his original hope with this popularity. To explain the scientific issues relevant to our modern world and inform people about topics that range from global warming to the vaccination debate are among many of the objectives Nye plans to meet. There are also plans to include experiments, demonstrations and qualified special guests to speak on various topics. A Netflix spokesperson reported that the show plans to “tackle a topic from a scientific point of view, dispel myths and refute anti-scientific claims that may be espoused by politicians, religious leaders or titans of industry.” This unbiased approach entertains the goal of showing others the world through a scientific lens.
With Netflix as the new primary medium for programming, Nye believes in the talk show and its potential to help him change the world:
“Since the start of the “˜Science Guy’ show, I’ve been on a mission to change the world by getting people everywhere excited about the fundamental ideas in science “¦ With the right science and good writing, we’ll do our best to enlighten and entertain our audience. And, perhaps we’ll change the world a little,” Nye said in an interview.
“Bill Nye Saves the World” will explore science and its impact on the political arena, pop culture and society. Each episode of the series will examine a topic from a factual point of view and seek to explain the great question science asks of us: How does it work? Although the show’s primary goal may be to inform, Nye envisions his show inspiring old and young minds alike. While he’s busy saving the world, Nye may also get to show his new audience a sense of wonder for things unknown.
