''Falling Skies'' is an American
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
television series set in a
post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astro ...
era, created by
Robert Rodat
Robert Rodat (born c. 1960) is an American film and television writer and television producer. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing Steven Spielberg's war epic ''Saving Private Ryan''.
Career
Rodat wrote ...
and
executive produced
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
by
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
. The series stars
Noah Wyle
Noah Strausser Speer Wyle (; born June 4, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as John Carter (ER), John Carter in the television series ''ER (TV series), ER'' (1994–2009), which earned him nominations for three Golden Glo ...
as
Tom Mason, a former history professor who becomes the second-in-command of the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment, a group of civilians and fighters fleeing Boston following an
alien invasion
The alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrial lifeforms invade the Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under an intense state, harvest people ...
that devastated the world.
The series, a production of
DreamWorks Television
DreamWorks Television was an American television distribution and production company based in Universal City, California, that was a division of DreamWorks. It folded into Amblin Television in 2013.
History
DreamWorks Television was formed ...
—and from 2014 to 2015, being a production from Spielberg's
Amblin Television
Amblin Television is the television production division of Amblin Partners. It was established in 1984 by Amblin Entertainment as a small-screen production arm for Steven Spielberg's ''Amazing Stories'' anthology series for NBC. The company ha ...
and
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
—was broadcast in the United States on the cable channel
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
, and in Canada on
Super Channel (first-run broadcasts) and on
Space
Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...
(second-run broadcasts on a one-year delay). The series premiered on June 19, 2011. On July 18, 2014, TNT renewed the show for a 10-episode fifth and final season, which started on June 28, 2015, and concluded on August 30, 2015.
Series overview
''Falling Skies'' begins six months after a global invasion by extraterrestrials, where in early days, the invaders neutralized the world's power grid and technology, defeated and largely destroyed all the world's militaries, and killed over 90 percent of the human population by destroying all of the world's major cities and capitals.
The aliens include mechanical attack drones called "
mechs
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
"; a species of light brown-skinned six-legged beings known as "Skitters" that appear to control the mechs; and a mysterious species known as the Overlords, or "
Espheni
This is a list of characters from the TNT television series '' Falling Skies''.
Main characters
Supporting characters
Alien races Skitters
Originally thought to be the alien species responsible for invading Earth, the Skitters are a ...
", presumably the actual engineers of the invasion and the masters of the Skitters.
The aliens' objectives are not explained until the fourth season. They plan to extract
helium-3
Helium-3 (3He see also helion) is a light, stable isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron (the most common isotope, helium-4, having two protons and two neutrons in contrast). Other than protium (ordinary hydrogen), helium-3 is the ...
from Earth's moon to power their technology and to use humanity as an enslaved frontline army in their war with another alien race. To do this, the aliens round up children between the ages of 8 and 18 and attach a biomechanical mind control harness to their spines. Forcibly removing it generally kills the child, but midway through the first season, a surgical method is developed that allows a harness to be safely removed, leaving in place the "spikes" that connected the harness to the spinal column. Season five reveals through an Espheni communication device, with which Ben can interact by touching it, due to having the spikes, that a being is superior to the Overlords, known as "the Queen". In the series finale, the Queen explains that the invasion upon which the entire series is based is the result of a prior Espheni attempt to invade Earth, the only habitable planet in this galaxy, thus of immeasurable strategic importance. Her beloved daughter led that invasion, but the Espheni underestimated humanity and the invasion was stopped. The Queen's daughter was killed and eaten, so the Queen swore to wipe out humanity in revenge.
The story follows a group of survivors who band together to fight back. They call themselves the "2nd Mass", an allusion to the
historical regiment from the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
. The group is led by retired
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
Colonel Dan Weaver.
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
history professor Tom Mason is second-in-command and must put his extensive knowledge of military history into practice while searching for his son Ben.
At the end of the second season, a new alien race known as the Volm are introduced. Led by a Volm nicknamed Cochise by Tom Mason, the Volm are another species whom the Espheni conquered in their galactic expansion, and who want to destroy the Espheni in revenge. While more Volm forces arrive at the end of the third season, an attack on the Volm across the galaxy causes all but Cochise and a small team of Volm to abandon the Earth. Cochise and his soldiers continue to aid humanity in their war with the Espheni despite the lack of support from their superiors, notably Cochise's father.
In season four, a devastating Espheni counterattack relegates humanity to Espheni-controlled ghettos across the planet. Meanwhile, Tom's half-Espheni daughter Alexis continues to grow and develop psychic powers due to her heritage. After the 2nd Mass eventually escapes the ghettos, another attack severely depletes its numbers. Learning of a power core on the Moon that controls all Espheni technology, Tom and Alexis launch an attack on the power core using a captured Espheni
spacecraft
A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, p ...
. Alexis sacrifices herself to destroy the power core and Tom is left lost in space, but the Espheni war machine is left crippled with the loss of their air support and mechanized servants.
In season five, Tom is rescued by the Espheni's ancient enemy, the Dornia, who guide him into finding his inner warrior to defeat the Espheni once and for all. Returned to Earth, Tom rallies humanity into a global resistance that will march on major Espheni bases all over the world. Tom leads the militias in the United States in a march on the Espheni base in
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. With the help of an Espheni communications device, humanity learns that the Espheni serve a previously unknown queen who comes to planets when victory is assured and the Espheni are moving from invasion to occupation. Indeed, while in Washington, Tom spots signs of the Espheni moving in on Earth. Tracking the queen to the ruins of the
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument, and is in the ...
, Tom confronts her alone, and she informs him of the true reason for the invasion. Tom manages to infect the Espheni Queen with a Dornia
bioweapon
A biological agent (also called bio-agent, biological threat agent, biological warfare agent, biological weapon, or bioweapon) is a bacterium, virus, protozoan, parasite, fungus, or toxin that can be used purposefully as a weapon in bioterrorism ...
, killing her, and spreading the bioweapon throughout the Espheni species. The Espheni are destroyed and the Earth is freed. Months later, humanity is united and makes plans to elect a new leader. When Tom is offered the position, he refuses it.
Cast
Main
Recurring
*
Dale Dye
Dale Adam Dye Jr. (born October 8, 1944) is an American actor, technical advisor, radio personality and writer. A decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, Dye is the founder and head of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company specializ ...
as Colonel/General Jim Porter (seasons 1–3)
*
Megan Danso
Megan Danso (born 26 April 1990) is a Canadian actress.
Life and work
Megan Danso was born in Victoria, British Columbia.
Danso first appeared in an episode of the television series ''Painkiller Jane'' in 2007, and thenafter in Canadian televi ...
as Deni (seasons 3–5)
*
Bruce Gray
Bruce Gray (September 7, 1936 – December 13, 2017) was a Canadian actor, known for multiple roles in films and television shows for over 5 decades.
Early Years
Gray was born in Puerto Rico and lived in Toronto after 1949. He graduated from ...
as Uncle Scott (season 1)
* Martin Roach as Mike Thompson (season 1)
* Lynne Deragon as Kate Gordon (season 1)
* Melissa Kramer as Sarah (season 1)
*
Steven Weber
Steven Robert Weber (born March 4, 1961) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Brian Hackett on the television series ''Wings'' which aired from April 1990 to May 1997 on NBC, as Sam Blue in '' Once and Again'', and ...
as Dr. Michael Harris (season 1)
* Dylan Authors as Jimmy Boland (seasons 1–2)
* Daniyah Ysrail as Rick Thompson (seasons 1–2)
*
Ryan Robbins
Ryan John Currier (born November 26, 1972), better known as Ryan Robbins, is a Canadian actor.
Early life
Robbins was born in Victoria, British Columbia.
Career
Robbins is known for his roles as Ladon Radim in ''Stargate Atlantis'', Henry F ...
as Tector Murphy, one of the
Berserkers
In the Old Norse written corpus, berserker were those who were said to have fought in a trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the modern English word '' berserk'' (meaning "furiously violent or out of control"). Berserkers ...
(season 2–4)
*
Luciana Carro
Luciana Carro (born March 23, 1981) is a Canadian actress best known for her appearances on the television series '' Battlestar Galactica'', '' Caprica'', and '' Falling Skies'' and in movies such as '' Two for the Money'' and '' Dr. Dolittle 3 ...
as Crazy Lee, one of the Berserkers (seasons 2–3)
* Brad Kelly as Lyle, one of the Berserkers (seasons 2–4)
* Billy Wickman as Boon, one of the Berserkers (season 2)
*
Terry O'Quinn
Terrance Quinn (born July 15, 1952), known professionally as Terry O'Quinn, is an American actor. He played John Locke on the TV series ''Lost'', the title role in '' The Stepfather'' and ''Stepfather II'', and Peter Watts in ''Millennium'', w ...
as Arthur Manchester (seasons 2–3)
*
Matt Frewer
Matthew George Frewer (born January 4, 1958) is an American-Canadian actor, singer and comedian. He portrayed the 1980s icon Max Headroom in the 1985 TV movie and 1987 television series of the same names.
He became prominent when playing roles ...
as General Bressler (seasons 2–3)
*
Laci J. Mailey as Jeanne Weaver (seasons 2–4)
*
Brandon Jay McLaren
Brandon Jay McLaren (born October 15, 1982) is a Canadian actor. He made his first screen appearance in the television series ''Just Cause'' (2002). He has been known for his main and supporting roles in shows such as ''Graceland'', ''Power Range ...
as Jamil Dexter (season 2)
*
Gloria Reuben
Gloria Elizabeth Reuben is a Canadian-American actress, producer, and singer. She is well-known for her role as Jeanie Boulet on the medical drama ''ER (TV series), ER'' (1995–1999, 2008), for which she was twice nominated for an Emmy Award, a ...
as Marina Peralta (season 3)
*
Robert Sean Leonard
Robert Lawrence Leonard (born February 28, 1969), known by his stage name Robert Sean Leonard, is an American actor. He is best known for playing Dr. James Wilson in the television series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Neil Perry in the film ''Dea ...
as Dr. Roger Kadar (seasons 3–4)
* John H. Mayer as Waschak-Cha'ab (seasons 3–5)
*
Dakota Daulby
Dakota Daulby (born October 10, 1994) is a Canadian film and television actor, producer, director and screenwriter.
Early life
Daulby was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He spends his time between his home town of Maple Ridge and Vancouver ...
as Kent Matthews (season 4)
*
Desiree Ross as Mira (season 4)
*
Robert Clotworthy
Robert Clotworthy is an American narrator and voice actor. He may be best known as the narrator for the History Channel series ''Ancient Aliens'' and ''The Curse of Oak Island'' and his role as the voice of Jim Raynor in the ''StarCraft'' video ...
as the Monk (season 4)
*
Mark Gibbon
Mark Gibbon is a Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and a ...
as Scorch (season 4)
*
Mira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born September 28, 1967) is an American actress. She won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's ''Mighty Aphrodite'' (1995).
She also starred in the films ...
as Sara (seasons 4–5)
*
Treva Etienne
Treva Etienne is an English actor and filmmaker.
Etienne guest starred in the ''BBC drama'' '' Death In Paradise'', the CBS spinoff ''Criminal Minds Beyond Borders'', and the CW fantasy/horror ''Supernatural''. He has a leading role in the indie h ...
as Dingaan Botha (season 4–5)
*
John DeSantis
John DeSantis, sometimes credited as John De Santis or John Desantis, (born November 13, 1973) is a Canadian actor, best known as Lurch on Fox Family's television of ''The New Addams Family''. His other work includes a principal role in Disney ...
as Shaq (season 4–5)
*
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Catalina Sandino Moreno (born 19 April 1981) is a Colombian actress. She shared the Silver Bear with Charlize Theron and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her leading role in ''Maria Full of Grace'' (2004). She cu ...
as Isabella (season 5)
Production
Conception
Development officially began in 2009, when TNT announced that it had ordered a
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
for an untitled alien invasion project.
''Falling Skies'' was created by Robert Rodat, who is best known for writing the
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
-winning film ''
Saving Private Ryan
''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depictio ...
'', which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Rodat wrote the pilot episode from an idea co-conceived by Spielberg. Originally, ''Falling Skies'' was called ''Concord'', referencing the
battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord ...
and Tom Mason's former profession as a history professor.
Spielberg then came up with the title ''Falling Skies''. "I felt that this was a very interesting postapocalyptic story with a 21st-century
pin on thespirit of '76. I came up — out of the blue one day — with the name ''Falling Skies'', which is basically what happens to the planet after this invasion. What is unique about this particular series is that the story starts after a successful conquest of the world," he stated.
[
Spielberg was attracted to the project due to its themes of survival. "I've always been interested in how we survive and how resourceful we are as Americans. How would the survivors feed the children? How do they resupply themselves militarily in order to defend and even take back what they have lost?" he added.] Like much of Spielberg's work, such as '' The Pacific'' and ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, d ...
'', ''Falling Skies running theme is family and brotherhood. He explained, "It's a theme I harken back to a lot because it's something I believe in. It's something I have the closest experience with. aughsThey say write what you know, and with seven children and three sisters... I tend to always come back to the family as a touchstone for audiences to get into these rather bizarre stories."
While writing the pilot, Rodat dedicated a five-page montage to the alien invasion, but decided not to go through with it as it had been done before in films such as ''War of the Worlds
''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...
''. "I wrote a few drafts of it and I looked at and say, 'Ay-yay-yay, I've seen this before. There's no emotion to this. It feels like one of those montages,'" he said. Rodat came up with the idea of having the children in the series "harnessed by aliens". "When we were working out the initial stuff, the thing that excited pielbergwas the idea that adults are killed if they're a threat, and kids are captured for whatever reason and changed or altered. The harness was a logical outgrowth of that. Then what we'll explore is what the harnessing does to the kid over the course of the show but that also is something that's going to have to unveil itself gradually," he stated. Spielberg previously explored the idea of enslaved children in the 1984 film ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second installment in the ''Indiana Jones'' franchise, and a prequel to the 1981 film ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'', fea ...
''.
Series lead Noah Wyle emphasized Spielberg's presence on set by stating, "Anytime he gives an anointment to a project, it steps up the pedigree." He continued, " isfingerprints are all over this. He shaped the script, cast the pilot, watched all the dailies, made the editing suggestions, worked on the post and on the aliens and spaceships."
Colin Cunningham, who plays outlaw John Pope, said, "You'd show up and think, 'This is not a TV show; this is something else that we're doing," noting that Spielberg was very hands-on for the pilot. "Its scope is massive. Anytime you hear the word Spielberg, you know it's not going to be crap; you know it'll be quality and there will be some money behind it." Mark Verheiden, who was the showrunner for the first season, stated, "It's great to know you have a world-class filmmaker backing up what you're trying to do who is supportive and helping design the great stuff."
Casting
Casting announcements began in June 2009 when Noah Wyle was announced as the lead. Wyle, who worked with TNT on '' The Librarian'' films, was sent scripts for various shows on their network. He said part of the reason he chose the part was to gain credibility from his children. "With the birth of my kids, I started to really look at my career through their eyes more than my own, so that does dictate choice, steering me toward certain things and away from other things," he said.
He also decided to do it as he could relate with his character, stating, "I identified with Tom's devotion to his sons, and admired his sense of social duty." Spielberg wanted Wyle for the role because he knew him from his previous series '' ER'', which Spielberg's company produced. He had wanted Wyle to appear in his 1998 film ''Saving Private Ryan'', but Wyle was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts. Spielberg stated that he was determined to work with him again.
In July 2009, Moon Bloodgood was cast as Anne Glass, Jessy Schram was cast as Karen Nadler, Seychelle Gabriel was cast as Lourdes, and Maxim Knight was cast as Matt Mason. Bloodgood, the female lead, did not have to audition for the role. She received the script and was offered the role. Bloodgood was drawn to the role because of Spielberg and Rodat's involvement. She stated: "Well certainly when you get handed a script and they tell you it's Bob Rodat and Steven Spielberg, you're immediately drawn to it. It's got your attention. I was a little cautious about wanting to do science fiction again. But it was more of a drama story, more of a family story. I liked that and I wanted to work with Spielberg." Bloodgood added that portraying a doctor excited her. "I liked the idea of playing a doctor and deviating from something I had done already," she said.
In August 2009, Drew Roy was cast as Hal Mason, and Peter Shinkoda was cast as Dai. Drew Roy's agent received the script and the pair joked that Roy might get the role. "This one came to me through my agent, just like everything else. We even joked about the fact that it was a Steven Spielberg project. We were like, 'Oh yeah, I might have a chance.' We were just joking." He auditioned four times for the part. "The whole process went on for quite some time, and then towards the end, it was down to me and one other guy, and we were literally waiting for the word from Steven Spielberg 'cause he had to watch the two audition tapes and give the okay. That, in and of itself, had me like, 'Okay, even if I don't get it, that's just cool.' Fortunately, it went my way."
Filming
The pilot was filmed in 2009 in Oshawa
Oshawa ( , also ; 2021 population 175,383; CMA 415,311) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of Downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the G ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, and the rest of the season was shot from July to November of the following year in Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
and Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
.
TNT announced production had begun on the second season on October 24, 2011. Filming took place in Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
and at the Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. ...
from October 2011 to March 2012.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
for the third season commenced on August 22, 2012, and concluded in December.
Production team
Rodat and Spielberg serve as executive producers on the project. Graham Yost
Graham John Yost (born September 5, 1959) is a Canadian film and television screenwriter. His best-known works are the films ''Speed'', '' Broken Arrow'', and '' Hard Rain'' and the TV series '' Justified''.
Early life, family and education
Yo ...
, Justin Falvey, and Darryl Frank are also executive producers. Yost had previously worked with Spielberg on the HBO miniseries ''The Pacific''. Mark Verheiden
Mark Verheiden (born March 26, 1956) is an American television, movie, and comic-book writer. He was a co-executive producer for the television series '' Falling Skies'' for DreamWorks Television and the TNT network.
Career
Comics and comic-r ...
is a co-executive producer and the series showrunner. Verheiden had worked as a writer and producer on ''Battlestar Galactica
''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series), original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel se ...
''. Greg Beeman
Greg Beeman (born 1962 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American film and television director and producer and winner of the Directors Guild of America award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement.
He is well known for his work on the television ser ...
is also a co-executive producer. Melinda Hsu Taylor
Melinda Hsu Taylor is an American television writer and producer, co-creator and showrunner of ''Tom Swift'' and showrunner of ''Nancy Drew'' for the CW Network.
Hsu Taylor is well known for her work on the ABC series ''Lost''. She was nominated ...
is a supervising producer for the series; she previously worked on ''Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
''. John Ryan is the on-set producer. Remi Aubuchon
Remi Aubuchon is an American television writer and producer. He is well known for his work on the Fox thriller '' 24'' and the TNT alien-drama '' Falling Skies''. He is the son of the late US actor Jacques Aubuchon.
Career
A theater director ...
was hired as the showrunner for the second season in May 2011 before the first-season premiere. Noah Wyle
Noah Strausser Speer Wyle (; born June 4, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as John Carter (ER), John Carter in the television series ''ER (TV series), ER'' (1994–2009), which earned him nominations for three Golden Glo ...
became a producer for the second season.
Distribution
Broadcast
The series premiered on June 19, 2011, and was broadcast on the cable television channel TNT in the United States. It also premiered internationally in more than 75 countries that same year.
Online promotion
For the first season, character videos were made available online.[ The videos explore the main characters of the series.
As part of the promotional campaign, a vehicle, with the TNT logo and called ''Falling Skies Technical'', was released as a free gift in the social networking game '']Mafia Wars
''Mafia Wars'' is a defunct freemium multiplayer social network game created by Zynga.
In ''Mafia Wars,'' the players assume the roles of gangsters while building their own Mafia-type organization. The players fight and "rob" other players onli ...
'' on June 14, 2011. Following the second-season premiere on June 17, 2012, a live after-show titled ''2nd Watch'' hosted by Wil Wheaton
Richard William Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American actor. He portrayed Wesley Crusher on the television series ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', Gordie Lachance in the film ''Stand by Me (film), Stand by Me'', Joey Trotta in '' ...
premiered. The series airs after encore presentations of ''Falling Skies'' on TNT's official site. Wheaton discusses the latest episode with actors and producers of the series.
Blu-ray and DVD releases
The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 5, 2012, in North America, on July 2, 2012, in the United Kingdom and on August 29, 2012, in Australia, and on DVD only in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
on August 27, 2012. In addition to all the episodes of the first season, extras include an extended version of the pilot episode, audio commentary on the pilot episode, a season-two preview, the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
panel, deleted scenes, character profiles, international promos, behind-the-scenes featurettes including the "Making of Skitter", "Harness Makeup Tips", and "Director One on One". A collectible trading card was released exclusively to Blu-ray.
Comic books
In September 2010, Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
, in partnership with DreamWorks Television and TNT, released the first issue in a four-part digital comic
Digital comics (also known as electronic comics,Ian Hague, ''Comics and the Senses: A Multisensory Approach to Comics and Graphic Novels'', Routledge, 2014, ch. 2: "Sight, or, the Ideal Perspective and the Physicality of Seeing". eComics, e-comi ...
online limited series entitled ''Falling Skies''. Written by Paul Tobin with art by Juan Ferreyra, the series details events taking place before the first season of the television show, but after the alien invasion and victory. These issues were later compiled into a single trade paperback volume entitled ''Falling Skies Volume 1'', which was released in June 2011. On June 15, 2011, Dark Horse announced that due to higher-than-anticipated orders, the graphic novel had completely sold out. It remained in publication .
In April 2012, Dark Horse began releasing a second eight-issue limited series entitled ''Falling Skies: The Battle of Fitchburg'', with Paul Tobin returning as writer and Juan Ferreyra returning as series artist. The digital comic was made available through both Dark Horse Comics and TNT via their respective websites. The story takes place chronologically between the first and second seasons of the television show and details a costly engagement occurring between the skitters and the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment when the aliens surround the human forces at Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private e ...
. While not vital to the story of the television series, TNT and Dark Horse have stated that ''Falling Skies: The Battle of Fitchburg'' provides insight into the events leading up to the second season, and elaborates on how the characters got to where they are when the new season opens. As a companion to the comic, TNT released an audio series featuring the character John Pope, offering additional insight into the events detailed in the comic series.
Video game
''Falling Skies: The Game'' was developed by Torus Games
Torus Games is an Australian video game developer founded in 1994 by Bill McIntosh. The company is located in Bayswater, Victoria. Its managing director is Bill McIntosh. The company being a family business.
History
They'd begin developing ...
and published by Little Orbit as a turn-based tactical video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
inspired by '' XCOM: Enemy Unknown'' and it was released for the PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
, PC, and the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
via the Nintendo eShop
The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service powered by the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and by a dedicated online infrastructure for the Nintendo Switch. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the eShop was en ...
on September 30, 2014.
The game received mostly poor to negative reviews across all platforms due to slow gameplay, poor balancing in its mechanics, uninspired characters, and a weak story.
Reception
Critical reception
For the first season, the series had a mostly positive reception. Tim Goodman of ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' wrote "...the entertainment value and suspense of ''Falling Skies'' is paced just right. You get the sense that we'll get those answers eventually. And yet, you want to devour the next episode immediately." Thomas Conner of the ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' called it "...a trustworthy family drama but with aliens". He continued, "It's ' ''Jericho''' meets ' ''V''', with the good from both and the bad discarded. It'll raise the summer-TV bar significantly." Ken Tucker from ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' gave the series a B+ and wrote that a "gradually developed, but decisive conviction makes ''Falling Skies'' an engaging, if derivative, chunk of dystopian sci-fi". He continued, "...''Falling Skies'' rises above any one performance; it's the spectacle of humans versus aliens that draws you in." In the ''Boston Herald'', Mark A. Perigard gave the series a B grade, writing, "Don't look now, but ''Falling Skies'' could be a summer obsession." Brian Lowry from ''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' gave the series a mixed review, stating that he enjoyed the action sequences, but that "the soapier elements mostly fall flat" and called the series "painfully old-fashioned".[
The second season had positive reviews. Some critics praised it as being stronger than the first season. Maureen Ryan of ''The Huffington Post'' compared the second season to the first by saying, "Season 2 is a different animal, a much leaner and meaner machine that allows sentiment to be present but unexpressed and depicts a darker world in which innocence is a luxury that no one can truly afford."] Chuck Barney declared, "Sunday's explosive two-hour opener boldly delivers on the promise by TNT producers to rev up both the pace and the firepower in Season 2." ''Screen Rant's'' Anthony Ocasio lauded the season premiere
A season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a returning television show. In the United States, many season premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or late winter.
In countries such ...
. "While further episodes will reveal more, the type of character development, intriguing storylines and exciting action that will be contained in ''Falling Skies'' season 2, there's no doubt that TNT's hit drama will likely become an epic adventure, spanning many seasons," he said.
Ratings
The two-hour premiere of ''Falling Skies'' was watched by 5.9 million viewers, making it cable television's biggest series launch of the year, with more than 2.6 million adults 18–49 and 3.2 million adults 25–54. The eighth episode was watched by 4.31 million viewers and scored a 1.5 ratings share among adults 18–49 and ''Falling Skies'' became TNT's highest-rated series in target demos. The first-season finale had 5.6 million viewers, the highest-rated episode since the series premiere, with 2.5 million viewers in the 18–49 demographic. The first season tied with the FX series ''American Horror Story
''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...
'' as the biggest new cable series of the year among adults 18–49. In the UK, it premiered on nonterrestrial channel FX, with 402,000 viewers.
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Falling Skies
2010s American drama television series
2011 American television series debuts
2015 American television series endings
American action television series
2010s American science fiction television series
English-language television shows
Post-apocalyptic television series
Serial drama television series
Television series about extraterrestrial life
Television series by Amblin Entertainment
Television series by DreamWorks Television
Television series by Studio T
Television shows filmed in Hamilton, Ontario
Television shows filmed in Toronto
Television shows filmed in Vancouver
Television shows set in Massachusetts
TNT (American TV network) original programming
Alien invasions in television