Cosmos - With Neil deGrasse Tyson

[Timewalker]

I guess Patrick should just never work again, then, if it causes people such confusion to hear his voice. Good thing he and Ian Mckellan have this newfound livelihood of taking funny pictures wearing bowlers!

Distraction, not confusion.

Only people incapable of realizing that Patrick Stewart is an actor would have that problem.

Thanks. I had absolutely no idea that Patrick Stewart is an actor. That's why it confuses me terribly that when I saw him in Dune and TNG and Lady Jane and even Robin Hood: Men in Tights, he wasn't wearing his Praetorian Guard costume from I, Claudius.

Where he was brilliant I might add...

Brilliant in which one(s)? Did I say he's not good in those movies and TV shows?

The point is, his voice is distinctive enough and iconic enough (I can tell it's him in a car commercial, even when he's speaking with an American accent) that it's distracting.

Distinctive and iconic yes, but only enough to say, "Oh cool, Patrick Stewart's doing a voice-over," not enough to tear my hair out and scream "OH MY GOOOOD!! CAPTAIN PICARD'S DOING A VOICE-OVER!! NOW THE ENTIRE THIRTY FIVE MINUTES I DIDN'T HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE REST OF THE SHOW IS ROOOOOOINNED!!!"

I was surprised to hear him voicing Herschel. I am really annoyed by those stupid cartoon segments in the first place, and then was taken right out of the whole William Herschel bit.

 

[tighr]

I was surprised to hear him voicing Herschel. I am really annoyed by those stupid cartoon segments in the first place, and then was taken right out of the whole William Herschel bit.

I was quite the opposite. Hearing Patrick Stewart's voice lent a certain legitimacy to the overall theme of the episode. I was more invested in the story of William Herschel due the power of his words.

That man could read the phonebook and make it sound interesting. Mmm, let's listen to that rich molasses.

 

[Admiral2]

Where he was brilliant I might add...

Brilliant in which one(s)? Did I say he's not good in those movies and TV shows?

No you didn't, and I never said you did. That was a joky comment praising Sir Patrick for the Praetorian role, not another criticism of you. Re-friggin-lax...

The point is, his voice is distinctive enough and iconic enough (I can tell it's him in a car commercial, even when he's speaking with an American accent) that it's distracting.

Distinctive and iconic yes, but only enough to say, "Oh cool, Patrick Stewart's doing a voice-over," not enough to tear my hair out and scream "OH MY GOOOOD!! CAPTAIN PICARD'S DOING A VOICE-OVER!! NOW THE ENTIRE THIRTY FIVE MINUTES I DIDN'T HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE REST OF THE SHOW IS ROOOOOOINNED!!!"

I was surprised to hear him voicing Herschel. I am really annoyed by those stupid cartoon segments in the first place, and then was taken right out of the whole William Herschel bit.

That's what I don't get. How exactly did a distinguished older english gentlemen providing the voice for another distinguished older english gentlemen take you out of sequences focused on a distinguished older english gentlemen? Patrick Stewart voicing William Herschel got my attention and made me listen to Herschel's words for his son. Do you really hate the animated segments that much that all you see in Stewart's performance is further reason to rag on all of them?

 

[Timewalker]

Where he was brilliant I might add...

Brilliant in which one(s)? Did I say he's not good in those movies and TV shows?

No you didn't, and I never said you did. That was a joky comment praising Sir Patrick for the Praetorian role, not another criticism of you. Re-friggin-lax...

Distinctive and iconic yes, but only enough to say, "Oh cool, Patrick Stewart's doing a voice-over," not enough to tear my hair out and scream "OH MY GOOOOD!! CAPTAIN PICARD'S DOING A VOICE-OVER!! NOW THE ENTIRE THIRTY FIVE MINUTES I DIDN'T HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE REST OF THE SHOW IS ROOOOOOINNED!!!"

I was surprised to hear him voicing Herschel. I am really annoyed by those stupid cartoon segments in the first place, and then was taken right out of the whole William Herschel bit.

That's what I don't get. How exactly did a distinguished older english gentlemen providing the voice for another distinguished older english gentlemen take you out of sequences focused on a distinguished older english gentlemen? Patrick Stewart voicing William Herschel got my attention and made me listen to Herschel's words for his son. Do you really hate the animated segments that much that all you see in Stewart's performance is further reason to rag on all of them?

Yes, I agree he was brilliant as Sejanus. Not many actors could play such a thoroughly conscienceless character, yet make the audience feel a tiny bit sorry for him when he was about to be executed and was told his children had already been killed.

Yes, I really hate the cartoon portions of the new Cosmos.

I don't blame Patrick Stewart for doing the role; after all, he's an actor, and as you say, William Herschel was a distinguished gentleman. It was something guaranteed to get some of the audience telling people to watch/re-watch the episode on Monday, because Patrick Stewart was in it. Not because the scene itself was particularly good regardless of who voiced it, but because it was Patrick Stewart.

If you paid attention because of Stewart voicing the character, great for you. Would you have paid less attention if someone else had voiced Herschel?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I had no clue it was Stewart, myself. I was concentrating on what was being said.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I recognized his voice, but it doesn't take me out of his performance at all. I'm actually pretty decent at recognizing voice actors. I was shocked he wasn't in the show sooner given his track record of working with Seth McFarlane.

 

[Pondwater]

I teared up a bit at the end.

Ditto.

Thirded.

I recognized his voice, but it doesn't take me out of his performance at all. I'm actually pretty decent at recognizing voice actors. I was shocked he wasn't in the show sooner given his track record of working with Seth McFarlane.

Same here.

 

[Forbin]

I had no clue it was Stewart, myself. I was concentrating on what was being said.

Ditto. I only found that out here. I mentioned it to my wife then, and she said "Oh yeah!! You're right! Cool."



I don't get the problem, though. I've watched a gajillion animated films with famous actors doing voices. It's never caused me to think "Damn, I can't take Master Shifu seriously 'cause all I hear is Dustin Hoffman's voice!" or "Why does that forest wolf spirit sound so much like Gillian Anderson?!"

 

[Christopher]

^Yeah... if you can't cope with one actor playing more than one role, then you can't cope with acting in general, because that is what they do.

 

[gturner]

Unless the actor is Bob Denver, who will always be Gilligan.

 

[Forbin]

Apropos of nothing:

 

[Christopher]

^Well, good to see they're keeping themselves entertained until Godot shows up.

 

[Forbin]

I don't know what's the greater benefit to fandom - that those two became friends, or that they found those hats.

 

[Admiral2]

I don't know what's the greater benefit to fandom - that those two became friends, or that they found those hats.

It's equal, man, it's equal!

Yes, I really hate the cartoon portions of the new Cosmos.

I can't for the life of me see why. I take the animated segments for what they are: illustrations for NDT's discourses on these historic people. Nothing more or less. They may not be all that well animated, but I love the artwork and having professional actors voicing the characters adds to the quality of the scenes as a whole.

I don't blame Patrick Stewart for doing the role; after all, he's an actor, and as you say, William Herschel was a distinguished gentleman. It was something guaranteed to get some of the audience telling people to watch/re-watch the episode on Monday, because Patrick Stewart was in it. Not because the scene itself was particularly good regardless of who voiced it, but because it was Patrick Stewart.

So? Good for the creators for building rewatch value into an episode of what is essentially a commercialized PBS documentary series!

If you paid attention because of Stewart voicing the character, great for you. Would you have paid less attention if someone else had voiced Herschel?

Yes, but not because it's an animated scene. I'm watching the series mainly to hear NDT talk about science, because he's good at it. Like I said, the animated scenes are just illustrations to me...but I consider Sir Patrick being part of the illustration an added bonus.

 

[Skellington]

I don't know what's the greater benefit to fandom - that those two became friends, or that they found those hats.

Not exactly apropos of nothing:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPau5QYtYs&sns=em[/yt]

 

[Nerys Myk]

Unless the actor is Bob Denver, who will always be Gilligan.

Or Maynard G. Krebs

 

[Forbin]

Unless the actor is Bob Denver, who will always be Gilligan.

Or Maynard G. Krebs

"WORK?!!?"

 

[Amaris]

I love the animated pieces. Mom does too, and she's hoping (along with myself), that my niece and nephew will want to watch these with us, so we're saving them for when they come back over to visit.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Apropos of nothing:

There should be a team filming every moment the two of them are together. Future generations should be able to see every precious moment of this.

Also I want them in the next Muppet movie and have them go up against Statler and Waldorf.

 

[1001001]

I love the animated pieces. Mom does too, and she's hoping (along with myself), that my niece and nephew will want to watch these with us, so we're saving them for when they come back over to visit.

I like the animated segments too.