The gloves come off in Bill Nye: Science Guy as the noted scientist takes on those who are more than just anti-science.

Many of us grew up with knowing Bill Nye as “The Science Guy” but there’s a fierceness to the scientist that’s shown in this documentary.  It’s not a fierceness in the typical sense of being angry but he’s not afraid to take the gloves off and face the science deniers like the most hated person in Kentucky, Ken Ham.  Nye is now the CEO of The Planetary Society.  The organization had been founded by Carl Sagan and Nye is looking to launch solar-propelled spacecraft into outspace.

Directed by two filmmakers who grew up watching those VHS tapes of Bill Nye, David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg give viewers an intimate look into Nye’s life as we’ve never seen him before.  The filmmakers take us behind the scenes into the unforgettable debate against Ken Ham as Nye seeks to take on those that deny climate change, evolution, and well, science in general.  Ham, of course, is the founder of the Creation Musuem and the Ark Encounter–both of which are unfortunately based in Kentucky.  It goes without saying that Nye destroyed him.

It’s through their access that we see how much Nye has reinvented himself from star of a children’s show to a statesman in the science world.  The scientist right there on the front lines with former Vice President Al Gore in the much-needed fight for climate change and taking on those that are denying the reality that the climate is changing.

The film had been planned to be grounded in the launch of LightSail and the mentorship between Sagan and Nye but a funny thing happened on the way to the ending: Nye took the gloves off by engaging those anti-science creationist such as Ham and meteorologist Joe Bastardi.  Even if Bill was never able to change their minds, he could be able to spark a thought in their viewing audience.

In addition to Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Ann Druyan are among those who are featured.

The release of the film comes at a time when there are politicians in power who seek to deny climate change, people like Nye are very important.

An official selection of the SXSW Film Festival, PBS released Bill Nye: Science Guy on October 27, 2017.  The film expands to Chicago on November 24, 2017, where it will screen at the Gene Siskel Film Center.