Bill Nye is back.
One of the most exciting Netflix releases slated for 2017 is a new show hosted by Bill Nye himself, called Bill Nye Saves The World.
In a statement released by Netflix, the release date has been set for the spring of 2017 and adds that every episode will “tackle a 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.”
“Today, I’m excited to be working with Netflix on a new show, where we’ll discuss the complex scientific issues facing us today, with episodes on vaccinations, genetically modified foods, and climate change,” Nye was quoted as saying in the release.
“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.”
Bill Nye is perhaps best known as an icon of the 90s. His Emmy-winning hit PBS show Bill Nye the Science Guy was an enormous success during its 1993-1998 run, and many people who were of school age at that time (and long after) have fond memories of the show. The show’s hyper-accessible approach to the pursuit of science, mixed with its charismatic host, created a piece of pop culture that remains relevant even today.
Nye himself remains culturally relevant as well. He continues to reach people of all ages through his activist work and celebrity appearances. Earlier this year, he made headlines when former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin lambasted his appearance in a documentary on climate change. In 2013, he was eliminated from the popular show Dancing With The Stars after an injury. His collaborations with popular forums such as Big Think and AsapSCIENCE receive millions of views.
His original claim to fame, however, is never far behind. Today, Bill Nye the Science Guy lives on in the form of kitschy merchandise (the popular Etsy account “Saints of Science” offers a Saint Bill Nye prayer candle, for example) and sometimes-clever memes.
Interestingly enough, a lot of the merch and memes are consumed not by the age demographic the show once was for, but by young adults, many of whom are fueled by feelings of nostalgia towards the show. The Internet is filled with young adults praising the show and its positive effect on their childhood, and Gizmodo even said Netflix “panders to nostalgic millennials” in regards to their new show.
Nostalgia and its effect on current media
Nostalgia, particularly 90s nostalgia, has proven itself to be a powerful rallying emotion for young adults, and a market for content creators. Along with Bill Nye’s new show, Netflix also recently announced that a second season to Fuller House, a sequel to the original 1987-1995 series Full House, had been ordered, despite negative reviews from critics. The popular Nickelodeon show Hey Arnold! is returning. Crystal Pepsi is apparently making a comeback. Today, you can walk into any Urban Outfitters and find 90s iconography in varying levels of tastefulness, ranging from Alanis Morissette vinyl records to mass-reproduced journals of Kurt Cobain. Almost half of all Pokémon Go players are older than 18 but younger than 30.
Nostalgia is all about psychology, according to Dr. Clay Routledge, a social psychologist and associate professor of psychology at North Dakota State University. Routledge, who also authored the book Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource, believes that nostalgia serves as a remedy to feelings of emptiness.
“In particular, we believed that negative mood, loneliness, and feelings of meaninglessness would be potent triggers of nostalgia,” Routledge said for the Scientific American.
“We reasoned this be cause of the psychological functions that nostalgia serves. That is, as previously discussed, nostalgia increases positive mood, perceptions of meaning, and a sense of connectedness to others.”
Memories make money
So what’s the deal? Why has 90s nostalgia become so popular? The important thing to remember is that nostalgia in general is massively profitable. In a 2014 study by the Journal of Consumer Research, several experiments were conducted to observe how strict people were with their money before and after having nostalgic memories.
The study found that people appeared to be more willing to part with their money after being asked to think about their past, compared to thinking about the future. The study notes that this more relaxed approach to spending could be caused by a feeling of “social connectedness.” In its press release for the study, the University of Chicago Press writes that this information is “useful to brands looking to elicit feelings of nostalgia in their promotions and product lines as well as charitable and political organizations looking to raise funds for others.”
So all nostalgia is profitable, but 90s nostalgia particularly seems to be everywhere recently. This is just a product of the time we’re living in. By 2020, millennials – meaning people who are between 18 and 30 today – will make up one out of every three adults in the U.S. People who were young in the 90s are of working age now, and many of them have money to spend. Many people within this age group have been raised with some kind of digital influence, and many seek out social connections online. This, mixed with the fact that millennials are being diagnosed with depression and anxiety – both of which include negative moods that could trigger the need to feel nostalgic – more than any other age group , appears to create the sort of perfect storm that could explain why websites that cater to this age group, like Buzzfeed, feature pages, and pages of content under the “90s” tag.
If the thought of a Netflix series with Bill Nye explaining the world to you fills you with fond memories of a happier time, it might be a psychological response to a changing world. Or you could just be a big fan of bow ties. Either way, there are worse aspects of the 90s that could be returning – at least it’s not wallet chains.
