Some of the science may be outdated, but Cosmos was a series based on an excellent book of the same title that was about much more than just scientific knowledge. Sagan proposed a spirituality about the pursuit of knowledge - defining life poetically as the universe becoming aware of itself - materialist and spiritual at the same time. Cosmos was a follow-up to his book The Cosmic Connection which also discussed not just the discovery of the universe, but the development of a connection to it. A connection with other human beings, as well as other life forms, discovered and undiscovered. Cosmos integrates science with the history of scientific thought, from the ancient Ionians who first conceptualized applied science, evolution, calculus, and cosmopolitanism in thought - to the trials Johannes Kepler ("the last scientific astrologer"). He proposes an ethos in the pursuit and perfection of knowledge, as a means to social justice and global identification. It's much more than a "science documentary."

See the classic space series all over again on the Science Channel, if you're lucky enough to have digital cable or satellite. I don't miss an ep. Sagan's series may have lost a slight bit of accuracy over the twenty-some years (my best guess) since original filming, but I am a softie for his style. He presents science not as some lofty thing that few are supposed to understand, but as a subject for the masses, something to fascinate old and young alike. That magic is injected into every show in the series, even on more mundane matters. Carl Sagan encouraged my generation to delve into science and enjoy the pursuit of knowledge (I was in grade school when Cosmos first hit PBS, near as I can remember). Hopefully showing it to my nephews will inspire their little minds to think deeply. :)