Bill Nye the Science Guy facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Bill Nye the Science Guy

Created by	Bill Nye James McKenna Erren Gottlieb
Presented by	Bill Nye
Starring	Michaela Leslie-Rule Chais Dean Suzanne Mikawa Ivyann Schwan Jaffar Smith
Narrated by	Pat Cashman
Theme music composer	Mike Greene
Opening theme	"Bill Nye the Science Guy"
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	100 + Pilot (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Elizabeth Brock Erren Gottlieb James McKenna
Producer(s)	Simon Griffith
Production location(s)	Seattle, Washington
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	KCTS Seattle Rabbit Ears Productions McKenna/Gottlieb Producers, Inc.
Release
Original network	PBS (1994–1999) Syndicated (1993–1999)
Original release	April 14, 1993 (1993-04-14) – February 5, 1999 (1999-02-05)

Bill Nye the Science Guy was a popular American television show that made learning science fun and exciting. It was created by Bill Nye, James McKenna, and Erren Gottlieb. Bill Nye himself starred in the show as a super energetic scientist. The program was produced in Seattle by KCTS public television and McKenna/Gottlieb Producers. It received important funding from the National Science Foundation.

The show first aired in 1993 and continued until 1999. It produced six seasons and a total of 100 episodes. Many people watched it on PBS and other TV channels. After the main show ended, Bill Nye continued to appear as the Science Guy in short segments for the Noggin cable channel. A video game based on the series was released in 1996. Later, a show for adults called Bill Nye Saves the World aired on Netflix from 2017 to 2018.

Bill Nye the Science Guy was known for its funny humor and fast-paced style. It received great reviews and won many Emmy Awards. Studies showed that kids who watched the show regularly were better at explaining scientific ideas.

Discovering Bill Nye's Science Show
See also

Discovering Bill Nye's Science Show

This section explores how Bill Nye the Science Guy brought science to life for millions of young viewers.

How the Show Works

Bill Nye played a tall, energetic scientist who always wore a blue lab coat and a bow-tie. He made everyday science exciting with lots of action and humor. Each 30-minute episode started with a quick introduction to the day's topic. Then, the famous opening credits showed Bill Nye in a cool, computer-animated science world.

After the credits, an announcer often introduced a "sponsor" related to the episode's theme. Bill Nye would then walk onto the set, called "Nye Laboratories." This lab was full of amazing science gadgets and visuals. The show often featured funny parodies of TV shows, movies, and commercials to explain scientific facts. Bill Nye also visited different places related to the episode's theme. He would interview people about their work and discoveries. At the end, Bill Nye always thanked viewers and shared a clever summary of the topic. The closing credits played over funny bloopers from the episode.

Fun Segments and Experiments

The show included many short, entertaining segments to teach science. Here are some of the favorites:

Way Cool Scientist: An expert would share interesting facts about the episode's topic.
Consider the Following: Bill Nye would explain a specific part of the science theme.
Nifty Home Experiment: A viewer would show a simple science experiment you could do at home.
Try This: Another viewer would present a quick science demonstration.
Hey! Look at This: An expert would give a closer look at the episode's main idea.
Check it Out: A viewer would talk about environmental issues.
Clever Science Trick: A viewer would demonstrate a simple science trick.
The Jackie Smazz Show: Pat Cashman acted as a funny talk show host named Jackie Smazz.
Great Moments in Science: Cashman would narrate important historical events in science.
Soundtrack of Science: A science-themed song parody would play, often with funny lyrics.

Episodes and Adventures

Each episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy explored a different scientific topic. From the human body to outer space, the show covered a wide range of subjects. You can find a full list of all the episodes and their themes by following this link:

The Story Behind the Science Guy

This section explores how Bill Nye became the beloved Science Guy.

Creating the Catchy Theme Song

The famous Bill Nye the Science Guy theme song was written by Mike Greene. He was a songwriter and a former math teacher. Mike Greene also sang the "Bill Nye the Science Guy" part and the distorted voice in the song. The word "Bill" is repeated many times, almost like a drum beat.

When Mike Greene created the theme, he wanted it to sound unique, not like a typical kids' show. He was inspired by other musicians like Danny Elfman. The producers loved his demo version so much that they kept his voice for the final song. Greene even got rappers to shout "Bill!" repeatedly, which added to the song's energetic feel.

How the Show Was Made

The show was created in 1992 by Bill Nye, James McKenna, and Erren Gottlieb. It was produced in partnership with KCTS in Seattle. Later, the production companies teamed up with Buena Vista Television, a part of Disney. This agreement helped the show reach even more viewers.

The announcer for the show was Pat Cashman, who knew Bill Nye from a comedy show they both worked on. Before his own show, Bill Nye even worked with actor Christopher Lloyd (who played Doc Brown in Back to the Future) on Back to the Future: The Animated Series. Many people compared Bill Nye the Science Guy to an updated version of the classic show Watch Mr. Wizard.

The show received its main funding from the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Other supporters included companies like Ore Ida, Boeing, and Intel. The show started with an order for 26 episodes. Because it was so successful, it was renewed multiple times, eventually reaching 100 episodes. The final episode aired in 1999.

Short Science Clips on Noggin

In 1999, Bill Nye signed a deal to create new programs for Noggin, a cable channel. Noggin also acquired all 100 episodes of Bill Nye the Science Guy. Instead of making new full episodes, Nye created original short clips. In these shorts, Bill Nye's "Science Guy" character was the "head sparkologist" for Noggin. He explored what topics sparked viewers' imaginations. He even hosted a special called "Noggin's What Sparks You? Special" in April 2000.

The Show's Big Impact

KCTS-TV studied how well Bill Nye the Science Guy worked as an educational tool. One study found that kids who watched the show made more detailed observations than those who didn't. Most elementary students who watched the program said that Bill Nye made "kids like science more." When asked if Nye was a scientist or an actor, most students believed he was a scientist, though many thought he was both. Kids also described Nye as both "funny" and "smart," and they trusted him as a "source of good information."

Awards for Science Fun

During its time on air, Bill Nye the Science Guy was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards. It proudly won nineteen of these awards, showing how much it was loved and respected.

Learning at Home: DVDs and Games

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released every episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy individually on DVD. There were also five volumes released on VHS in 1994 and 1995, each containing two episodes. These included themes like "The Human Body: The Inside Scoop" and "Outer Space: Way Out There." Today, a selection of episodes is also available for purchase on the iTunes Store.

The Bill Nye Video Game

A computer game based on the series was released in 1996. It was called Bill Nye: The Science Guy - Stop the Rock! and was available for Windows and Macintosh computers.