Earth 2 (TV series)

Infobox Television
bgcolour = #DEDEE2
show_name = Earth 2


caption = Earth 2 opening title.
format = Science fiction
runtime = 45 min. approx.
creator = Michael Duggan
Carol Flint
Mark Levin
Billy Ray
starring = "see below"
country = United States
network = NBC
first_aired = November 6, 1994
last_aired = June 4, 1995
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 22
list_episodes = List of Earth 2 episodes
imdb_id = 0108758
tv_com_id = 339
composer = David Bergeaud
executive_producer = Michael Duggan
Mark Levin
Carol Flint
co_exec = Tony To
supervising_producer = Cleve Landsberg, Tony To
asst_producer = Chip Masamitsu
Janace Tashjian
co-producer = Tony To

"Earth 2" is a short-lived science fiction television series which aired on NBC from November 6, 1994 to June 4, 1995. [cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/Earth-2/show/339/summary.html|title=Earth 2 - TV.com] The show was canceled after one season of 22 episodes. [cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/antonio-sabato-jr|title=Antonio Jr. Sabato: Information from Answers.com] It followed the journey and settlement of a small expeditionary group called the Eden Project, with the intent to journey to an Earth-like planet called G889 in an attempt to find a cure to an illness called the Syndrome. The series was created by Michael Duggan, Carol Flint, Mark Levin, and Billy Ray, produced by Amblin Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Studio, [cite web|url=http://www.episodeguides.com/scripts/getshow.php?s=0x7f0&p=credits&m=html&remote=|title=EpisodeGuides: Earth 2 detailed episode guide] and filmed primarily in northern New Mexico around the Santa Fe area. [cite web|url=http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/earth2/reviews/The_Dallas_Morning_News.html|title=The Dallas Morning News] The series' music was composed by David Bergeaud, and the executive producers were Michael Duggan, Mark Levin, and Carol Flint.

Initially, viewership was high for the show, capturing 23% of television viewers; however, by April 23 of the next year, that had dropped to 9%. [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_n2620_v125/ai_19029248/pg_2|title=Extreme green doesn't float on television] During its run, it had been nominated for a Primetime Emmy, [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Emmy_Awards/1995|IMDb: Emmy Awards: 1995] Saturn [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108758/awards|title="Earth 2" (1994) - Awards] , and other awards. With some of its plot lines and elements, it has been stated the show somewhat explored the Gaia hypothesis. [cite book|last=Masco|first=Joseph|authorlink=Joseph Masco|coauthors=|title=The Nuclear Borderlands: The Manhattan Project in Post-Cold War New Mexico|publisher=Princeton University Press|date=2006|location=Princeton, New Jersey|pages=183|url=|doi=|id=|isbn=0691120773, 9780691120775] [cite web|url=http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/earth2/06gaia.html|title=Earth2: The Gaia Hypothesis] [cite web|url=http://umsa7.ums.edu/~anniebw/earth2/e2faq1.html#1o|title=Earthw2 FAQ] In 2005, the entire series was released on DVD in a 4-disc set. [cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/DV0G7212sS7a24/reviews|title=Earth 2: The Complete Series: 4 Discs DVD (2005) Reviews - MovieWeb.com]

Plot

In 2192, most of the human population had fled Earth to live on large orbiting space stations. Only a small number of humans remain on the Earth’s surface as the Earth had become mostly uninhabitable.

Billionaire Devon Adair's eight-year-old son, Ulysses Adair, had contracted a rare but fatal disease called the Syndrome, a condition whose existence is not acknowledged by the government and medical community. It is theorized that this disease, which affects only children, is somehow caused by the lack of an Earth-like environment. [cite web|url=http://www.fandango.com/earth2%5Btvseries%5D_v331298/summary|title=Earth 2TV Series Synopsis] Most children who are born with the disease do not live past the age of nine.

Desperate to save her son, Devon puts together a group who will pioneer the effort to settle a planet 22 light-years away from Earth, on which other families with members thus afflicted can settle. The eventual colonization of the planet, however, is opposed by the government. Secret monitoring and agent infiltration threaten the creation of the colony of New Pacifica. Hours before Adair's group intends to leave, a bomb is discovered, set to explode the hour the ship would leave. The Eden Project leaves immediately, jettisoning the bomb before detonation.

Twenty-two years later, the ship arrives at G889, but it crash lands [cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304856,00.html|title=Earth 2 TV Review Entertainment Weekly] shortly after arrival on the side of the planet opposite of the original plan. With her group scattered on the planet and supplies missing, Devon begins heading west to the planned site of New Pacifica.

During their travels, Adair and her companions learn that the Councila government group that seems to wield most of the power on the space stationswants to gain control of G889 for resettlement. But through their various experiments, they have learned that they cannot remove the Terrians without killing the planet itself. This means that Devon's son, who has been healed by the Terrians and who had begun to exhibit some of their unique characteristics, has become the key to the Council's plan for the planet.

Life on G889

The landscape and climate of the new planet where the ship crashed seems very much like that of harsher climes on Earth, such as the southwestern United States. Water is scarce and scrub grows out of rock formations. In this area, three different species of life are discovered by Devon Adair and her group.

Grendlers
Soon after arrival the colonists come into contact with a semi-intelligent race named Grendlers, traders and scavengers whose saliva is a cure-all for virtually any disease.

Terrians
Exploring further, the group encounters an intelligent subterranean alien species named the Terrians, who seem to have a symbiotic relationship with the planet and can only communicate with the colonists through a dreamscape that few of them understand.

Humans
During the series the colonists learn they are not the only humans on the planet; it had previously been used as a penal colony so the government could learn more about how to colonize the planet.

Characters

The interactions among the original crew, the convicts, the government and the local aliens and their planet forms the basis of many of the story's plot lines, as the colonists learn more about their new home while trying to avoid detection by the Council.

Devon Adair
A billionaire who leads the expedition and whose own son is afflicted with the Syndrome. As the leader, she attempts to balance directing the group as obstacles are encountered while confronting the possibility that her son may not survive his sickness.

John Danziger
Previously an indentured worker aboard the space station from which the group leaves. He eventually forms a close friendship with Devon while his daughter forms a bond with Uly.

Yale
A former convict and part cyborg whose memory has been erased and behavior altered under a government program for the purpose of becoming a tutor for the children of wealthy families.

Dr. Julia Heller
A genetically modified junior physician the colonists later learn is an agent for the Council [citation|last= |first= |author-link= |title=What's up, doc?|newspaper=TV Guide|volume=42|issue=2178|pages= |year=1994|date=December 24, 1994]

Morgan Martin
A government official supervising the Eden Project, husband to Bess Martin.

Bess Martin
Wife of Morgan Martin, who grew up in the mines of Earth.

Ulysses Adair
Nicknamed "Uly," he is the son of the expedition's leader, Devon Adair. His arrival on G889 and eventual connection to the Terrians is one of the keys to the colonization of the world and is a recurring plot theme.

True Danziger
The daughter of John Danzinger, and also previously an intentured worker on the space station from which the expedition departed. She forms a bond with Uly, initially one of jealousy and dislike, but eventually a close friendship.

Alonzo Solace
A cold sleep pilot far older than he looks, and eventually a love interest of Dr. Heller.

Episodes

The series premiered on November 6, 1994 with a one-hour, thirty minute pilot episode that ran from 7:00 – 9:00PM EST (including advertisements – it was later split into two episodes for syndication). The following week it moved to a regular timeslot. On April 23, 1995 two individual episodes were aired back-to-back from 7:00 – 9:00PM EST. It was also aired in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Italy and Spain, later in 1995.

Cast

* Debrah Farentino - Devon Adair
* Joey Zimmerman - Ulysses Adair
* Clancy Brown - John Danzinger
* J. Madison Wright - True Danzinger
* Sullivan Walker - Yale
* Jessica Steen - Dr. Julia Heller
* Rebecca Gayheart - Bess Martin
* John Gegenhuber - Morgan Martin
* Antonio Sabàto, Jr. - Alonzo Solace
* Terry O'Quinn - Reilly
* Walter Norman - Walman
* Marcia Magus - Magus
* Tierre Turner - Zero
* Kirk Trutner - Cameron

Location

Exterior shots such as Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks and Diablo Canyon provided an alien-like setting for the series.Fact|date=November 2007

Merchandise

Novels

Three "Earth 2" novels were published between December 1994 and May 1995. The first was a novelization of the two-part premiere. The remaining two were original stories.
*"Earth 2: A Novel" (Melissa Crandall, December 1994) ISBN 0441001467
*"Puzzle" (Sean Dalton, February 1995) ISBN 0441001483
*"Leather Wings" (John Vornholt, May 1995) ISBN 044100198X

DVD release

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0108758|title=Earth 2
*Tv.com show|id=339|title=Earth 2