GODLESSS WEDNESDAY: Cosmos Earned 12 Emmy Nominations

Good news for the forces of enlightenment fighting the irrational beliefs of religion and "god-fearing" folks. The television series Cosmos has earned 12 primetime Emmy nominations. Friendly Atheist summarizes them:

• Outstanding Art Direction For Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program
• Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)
• Outstanding Main Title Design
• Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
• Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series
• Outstanding Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multi-Camera)
• Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Special And Visual Effects
• Outstanding Writing For Nonfiction Programming

The original Cosmos: A Personal Voyage earned 5 nominations (3 wins) way back in 1981 and was hosted by Carl Sagan. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is executive produced by Sagan's widow, Ann Druyan, Seth MacFarlane, Star Trek's Brannon Braga and others. According to Variety, it has been a huge ratings success:

“Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,” which premiered this spring on Fox and National Geographic Channel and received an unprecedented rollout in 180 countries, has become the most-watched series ever for National Geographic Channel International. 

A whopping 135 million people — including 45 million in the U.S. — watched at least some of the 13-part science series, National Geographic Channel announced today. Overall, it aired on all 90 National Geographic Channels as well as 120 Fox-branded channels in 125 countries, making this the largest global launch ever for a television series.

The Other Half and I saw all 13 episodes as well (usually time-shifted 3 or 4 days). Cosmos is great!