Netflix Orders ‘Bill Nye Saves the World’

Bill Nye will return to television next year for the first time since 1998 with the Netflix talk show Bill Nye Saves the World, the streaming service announced Wednesday.

Nye — best known for his 90s PBS children’s show Bill Nye the Science Guy — will tackle hot topics including vaccination, climate change and genetically modified foods on the new series, set to premiere in the spring of 2017.

Netflix says the series will handle each topic “from a scientific point of view, dispelling myths, and refuting anti-scientific claims that may be espoused by politicians, religious leaders or titans of industry.”

“Since the start of the Science Guy show, I’ve been on a mission to change the world by getting people everywhere excited about the fundamental ideas in science,” Nye said in a statement. “With the right science and good writing, we’ll do our best to enlighten and entertain our audience. And, perhaps we’ll change the world a little.”

Bunim/Murray Productions will produce and Michael Naidus (The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Mike Drucker and Phil Plait will handle writing duties.

Nye’s PBS show ran from 1993 to 1998. The 60-year-old actor has maintained a media presence by debating religious leaders and politicians about the merits of climate change science; in 2014, Nye squared off against creation theory scholar Ken Ham in a widely-viewed debate at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.

Nye has also been a vocal critic of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

“There’s still a very strong contingent of people who are in denial about climate change. And if you don’t believe me, look at the the three people currently running for president of the world’s most influential country who are … climate change deniers,” Nye told CNN in April, referring to then-candidates Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich.

Netflix has not yet set a release date for Bill Nye Saves the World.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum