''Killers of the Cosmos'' is a documentary science television series hosted by
Aidan Gillen
Aidan Murphy (born 24 April 1968), better known as Aidan Gillen (), is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of three Irish Film & Television Awards and has been nominated for a British Academy Television Award, a British Independent Film Award, ...
. Aired by the
Science Channel
Science Channel (often simply branded as Science; abbreviated to SCI) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel features programming focusing on science related to wilderness survival, engineering, man ...
, it premiered on September 19, 2021.
Format
In a format the
Science Channel
Science Channel (often simply branded as Science; abbreviated to SCI) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel features programming focusing on science related to wilderness survival, engineering, man ...
describes as "space noir," ''Killers of the Cosmos'' explores possible lethal threats the
cosmos
The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity.
The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...
poses to life on
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
through the "investigations" of a
private investigator
A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...
—the "Gumshoe Detective," modeled in the style of a character in a
Raymond Chandler novel
—portrayed by
Aidan Gillen
Aidan Murphy (born 24 April 1968), better known as Aidan Gillen (), is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of three Irish Film & Television Awards and has been nominated for a British Academy Television Award, a British Independent Film Award, ...
in animated form. In scripted dramatic sequences combining the characteristics of
film noir with those of a
pulp fiction
''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who conceived it with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Vin ...
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
set in the mid-20th century, the Gumshoe Detective hosts each episode. Aided by a mysterious informant portrayed by
Sarah Winter, the detective takes on a "case" and hunts down a "killer" by exploring a lethal threat the cosmos poses to humanity. The animated sequences link conventional live-action documentary segments in which experts in
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
,
astrophysics,
cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in Latin by German philosopher ...
,
planetary science,
biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
, and
aerospace engineering describe and explain phenomena that could threaten the Earth, how they pose a threat, what would happen on Earth if they actually took place, the likelihood of them occurring, and how to counter them.
Production
Wall to Wall Media produced ''Killers of the Cosmos''.[ The executive producers for Wall to Wall Media were Tim Lambert and Jeremy Dear and for ]Discovery, Inc.
Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Channel ...
, were Caroline Perez, Abram Sitzer and Wyatt Channell.[ The series producer was Nigel Paterson.][ Ben Scott directed the episodes.][IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: The Case of the Killer Rocks]
/ref>[IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: Death Ray]
/ref>[IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: Cosmic Scrap]
/ref>[IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: Little Green Men]
/ref>[IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: Dark Star]
/ref>[IMDB Killers of the Cosmos: Big Sleep]
/ref>
Episode list
SOURCES
See also
*''Alien Planet
''Alien Planet'' is a 2005 docufiction TV special created for the Discovery Channel. Based on the 1990 book '' Expedition'' by the artist and writer Wayne Barlowe, ''Alien Planet'' explores the imagined extraterrestrial life of the fictional plan ...
''
*'' Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey''
*'' Extreme Universe''
*''How the Universe Works
''How the Universe Works'' is a documentary science television series that originally aired on the Discovery Channel in 2010. All but the second and eighth seasons were narrated by Mike Rowe. The second and eighth seasons, as well as episodes of t ...
''
*''Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking
''Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking'' is a 2010 science documentary television mini-series written by British physicist Stephen Hawking. The series was created for Discovery Channel by Darlow Smithson Productions and features computer gener ...
''
*''The Planets and Beyond
''The Planets'', retitled ''The Planets and Beyond'' for its second season, is a documentary television series produced by the Science Channel that aired from 2017 to 2019. It explores the planets and of the Solar System, exoplanets, and other a ...
''
*''Space's Deepest Secrets
''Space's Deepest Secrets'' is a documentary science television series narrated by David O'Brien. Aired by the Science Channel, it premiered on April 26, 2016.
According to the Science Channel, "''Space's Deepest Secrets'' shares the stories of t ...
''
*'' Strip the Cosmos''
*''Through the Wormhole
''Through the Wormhole'' is an American science documentary television series narrated and hosted by American actor Morgan Freeman. It began airing on Science Channel in the United States on June 9, 2010. The series concluded its run on May 16 ...
''
*'' The Universe''
References
External links
*{{IMDb title, 15334452
tvmaze.com Killers of the Cosmos – Episode Guide
Discovery UK ''Killers of the Cosmos'' promotional video on YouTube
2021 American television series debuts
2020s American documentary television series
American television series with live action and animation
Documentary television series about astronomy
Science Channel original programming
Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios