TCA: ‘Cosmos’ on Fox brings Seth MacFarlane’s audience to science

What do crude pop culture comedies like “Family Guy� and “Ted� have in common with a soaring exploration of the universe?

Seth MacFarlane, of course.

The scion of popular bad taste is the executive producer of a reboot of Carl Sagan’s beloved 1980s PBS television show, “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.�

The new series, which was co-created by Sagan’s widow, Ann Druyan, is called, “Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey.�

During a panel to promote the 13-part docu-series at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena on Monday, questions focused on whether Fox viewers will care about the web of science that “Cosmos� is weaving.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of crossover, even from the animated shows to ‘Cosmos,’� said MacFarlane. “I think you’re going to see a lot of people who are fans of both genres. The show is presented very much in line with the original — you can’t call it a documentary, it’s more of a journey.�

PHOTOS: Faces to watch 2014 | TV

Druyan elaborated on that point.

“The show will excite people who thought that science was just too challenging,� she said. “If you have a sense of humor, you love those shows on Fox, and if you have a beating heart you’ll respond to ‘Cosmos.’�

In many ways, MacFarlane’s interests are a barometer of the interests of his fans, and he says he’s been a science geek since he was a kid.

He became invested in helping get a new version of “Cosmos� out into the world after meeting the show’s host, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, at a kickoff event for the Science & Entertainment Exchange.

MacFarlane invited Tyson to lunch and during the meal asked him, “How can I make a difference in science?�

“And I thought, ‘Wait, is this Stewie?’� said Tyson, referring to one of the MacFarlane’s animated voices on “Family Guy.�

At first, when MacFarlane said he wanted to take the show to Fox, Tyson said he thought, “He doesn’t really get it.� But then when he thought about it for a moment he realized what a good idea it was.

“As I added up the potency of Fox network, I thought, ‘There’s the most brilliant idea I’ve ever heard, to put ‘Cosmos’ into that fulcrum,’� Tyson said. “I wouldn’t have said that a couple of years ago, but as my Twitter following grew, I saw the appetite of people. I don’t tweet about what I have for breakfast, I tweet the universe, and every day I look at my numbers and I say ‘This has a hungry grass-roots following.’�

MacFarlane agrees, and is excited to see the project come to life. Asked if he’s using “Cosmos� to balance out the questionable material he puts into the world via criticized shows like “Dads,� MacFarlane quipped, “I submit that the question is flawed.�

“We have differing opinions about certain things,� he continued. “I get myself involved with shows and people who I’m enthusiastic about and who I trust. Ann and Neil and the others –- these are great people I want to work with. It’s not a matter of balance in my mind because I don’t see it that way.�

ALSO:

Winter TCA Press Tour 2014: The scene

TCA: Aging ‘American Idol’ undergoes more tweaking

‘The Newsroom’ will get a third and final season on HBO