In 1993, collaborating with James McKenna, Erren Gottlieb and Elizabeth Brock, Nye developed a pilot for a new show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, for the Seattle public broadcasting station KCTS-TV.
They pitched the show as "Mr. Wizard meets Pee-wee's Playhouse".
Nye obtained underwriting for the show from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy.
The program became part of a package of syndicated series that local stations could schedule to fulfill Children's Television Act requirements.
Because of this, Bill Nye the Science Guy became the first program to run concurrently on public and commercial stations.
The series was produced by Walt Disney Television and Rabbit Ears Productions, and distributed by Disney.

Bill Nye the Science Guy ran from 1993 to 1998, and was one of the most-watched educational TV shows in the United States.
While portraying "The Science Guy", Nye wore a powder blue lab coat and a bow tie.
Nye Labs, the production offices and set where the show was recorded, was in a converted clothing warehouse near Seattle's Kingdome.
Although it focused on younger viewers, it also attracted a significant adult audience.
Its ability to make science entertaining and accessible made it a popular teaching tool in classrooms.
With its quirky humor and rapid-fire MTV-style pacing, the show won critical acclaim and was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards, winning nineteen.
Research studies found that regular viewers were better at explaining scientific ideas than non-viewers.

In addition to the TV show, Nye published several books as The Science Guy.
A CD-ROM based on the series, titled Bill Nye the Science Guy: Stop the Rock!,
was released in 1996 for Windows and Macintosh by Pacific Interactive.

Nye's Science Guy personality is also prominent at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts—most notably his appearance with Ellen DeGeneres at Ellen's Energy Adventure, an attraction that ran from 1996 to 2017 at the Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot at Walt Disney World.
Nye's Science Guy character is also heard in a voice-over in the DINOSAUR attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and was the on-air spokesman for the Noggin television network in 1999.
In 1993, collaborating with James McKenna, Erren Gottlieb and Elizabeth Brock, Nye developed a pilot for a new show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, for the Seattle public broadcasting station KCTS-TV. They pitched the show as "Mr. Wizard meets Pee-wee's Playhouse". Nye obtained underwriting for the show from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy. The program became part of a package of syndicated series that local stations could schedule to fulfill Children's Television Act requirements. Because of this, Bill Nye the Science Guy became the first program to run concurrently on public and commercial stations. The series was produced by Walt Disney Television and Rabbit Ears Productions, and distributed by Disney.
Bill Nye the Science Guy ran from 1993 to 1998, and was one of the most-watched educational TV shows in the United States. While portraying "The Science Guy", Nye wore a powder blue lab coat and a bow tie. Nye Labs, the production offices and set where the show was recorded, was in a converted clothing warehouse near Seattle's Kingdome. Although it focused on younger viewers, it also attracted a significant adult audience. Its ability to make science entertaining and accessible made it a popular teaching tool in classrooms. With its quirky humor and rapid-fire MTV-style pacing, the show won critical acclaim and was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards, winning nineteen. Research studies found that regular viewers were better at explaining scientific ideas than non-viewers.
In addition to the TV show, Nye published several books as The Science Guy. A CD-ROM based on the series, titled Bill Nye the Science Guy: Stop the Rock!, was released in 1996 for Windows and Macintosh by Pacific Interactive.
Nye's Science Guy personality is also prominent at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts—most notably his appearance with Ellen DeGeneres at Ellen's Energy Adventure, an attraction that ran from 1996 to 2017 at the Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot at Walt Disney World. Nye's Science Guy character is also heard in a voice-over in the DINOSAUR attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and was the on-air spokesman for the Noggin television network in 1999.
Bill Nye