Created by Amblin Entertainment and more specifically by Bill Ray and Michael Duggan, Carol Flint & Mark Levin, Earth 2 starred
Deborah Farentino as Devon Adair, the leader of a group of settlers looking for a second Earth. The show lasted for just one season.
In this future, the people of Earth live largely on space stations, but this has caused some children to be struck down with a crippling syndrome.
Devon's son Ulysses is a syndrome child, and Devon believes a new planet could cure him.
However, there is a powerful group called the Committee who do not want to see Devon's Eden Project succeed. During preparations for the trip, a not so accidental accident occurs
and many key personel are left behind as the ship is forced to leave early. The misfortunes continue when on arrival at planet G889, they crash land. Much of their equipment is lost, and more people are killed, leaving a core group
isolated many miles from their intended destination, named New Pacifica. On the new planet they soon meet the Terrians, a race that is literally part of the planet. Initial encounters are hostile, but after they help Ulysses, relations with these mysterious beings
are improved. Another indiginous species are the Grendlers, a curious hoarder/gatherer creature that looks like a walking hornless rhino! They are a potential help. if only the group could figure out how to communicate with them. The series follows the motley band as they make their way to the promised land.
Devon Adair (Deborah Farentino)
John Danziger (Clancy Brown)
Bess and Morgan Martin (Rebecca Gayheart and John Gegenhuber)
Doctor Julia Heller (Jessica Steen)
Alonzo Solace (Antonio Sabato Jr)
Yale (Sullivan Walker)
Ulysses Adair (Joey Zimmerman)
True Danziger (J Madison Wright)
Whose monied family background made the Eden project viable. She is used to getting her own way, and giving orders.
An engineer and man of action. He is practical and a little reckless at times.
Morgan is a goverment official, and possibly the most
useless member of the team! He hates the rough life of a settler, and causes
a lot of the problems the group has. His wife Bess is far more adaptable, and, fortunately for Morgan, is very loyal. She is not afraid to stand up to Devon.
An inexperienced medic who was supposed to be an assistant for the trip. She also is in touch with members of the committee through VR. She is attracted to Alonzo.
A deep space pilot, who is actually over 100 years old. He has spent most of his life in hyposleep though. He breaks his legs badly on arrival and is very downhearted
at being stuck on a planet instead of zooming through the stars.He can contact the Terrians through his dreams. He and Julia become close after she helps him heal.
A reformed criminal,implanted with the experiences of many encyclopaedias to become a teacher. He worked for Devon's family and looks after Ulysses.
Devon's son, who is soon cured at the new planet by the indigenous Terrians. After this he develops a link with them.
John's daughter who initially causes mischief, she is naturally inquisitive.
The series was cancelled after just one series. Only 21 episodes were made. The 1994/5/6 seasons on American TV were tough ones for many shows. Others like VR5, American Gothic, Space: Above & Beyond, Nowhere Man and Sliders were also axed, although Sliders was revived later. Earth 2 was expensive to produce. It was filmed on location in New Mexico, which was very effective as the alien planet. For whatever reason, it did not take off, and Amblin were not prepared to persevere. The last episode was broadcast in America in May of 1995.
I liked this series a lot for several reasons. Firstly I liked the characters. There was an interesting and diverse group. Deborah Farentino, while
first on the star sheet, was not always the main character. There was a nice contrast between her and Danziger. My favourite character was Dr Julia Heller.
I though her character had such a lot of depth and complexity. She always seemed to be on the side of good, but not always on the same side as the other
group members.
Like most shows these days, there was lots of plotting and goverment conspiracies. Trust no one has become a phrase written into so many TV shows.
Terry O'Quinn had a recurring role as Julia's VR contact. As usual he was untrustworthy but with a touch of something interesting about him. I particularly liked the
two episodes that dealt with Julia's treachery being discovered, and her acceptance back into the group. We saw that it is not always straightforward to sort out the good
guys from the bad guys.
Another guest star in some early episodes was Tim Curry, playing a fellow settler, but one whose motives were not good. He persuades the almost constantly annoying True Danzinger to get into trouble.
Another plus point in my opinion was the stunning New Mexico landscape. The show always looked authentic as an Earth slightly different
from our own. The Terrians were probably one of the minus factors when renewal time for the show was up. The design of them was suitably odd -they looked like their
ribs were on the outside. But their lack of communication, or menace meant that they were strange and enigmatic, but not really interesting enough.
There was a fair range of technology on view in the series. Virtual Reality plays quite a large part in the series, from Julia's chats with her contacts, Morgan's
addiction to it, a wonderful VR wedding and as a communications tool. Julia and Yale have special gloves that help them with medicine and teaching. The vehicles are
solar powered and there are other nifty technological toys. It is always nice to think there will be gadgets in the future that will make out life easier.
Of the episodes, like any series, there were good and bad ones, or rather some I liked more than others. The opening two hour episode was a good opener, although
the space station stuff was stronger than the planet scenes. This is part of the series problem I think. To be honest, the first few episode weren't very good.
Tim Curry as a stranded baddie astronaut was not right for the show. His character put things out of balance. It was not until episode 6, Water, that I feel the series really got going.
This was a good relationships episode, with Julia and Alonzo starting to face their attraction, and Devon and Danziger going through trials together as they search for water.
The Enemy Within and Redemption are two of my favourites as Julia shows signs of psychosis after experimenting
on Uly. She attacks Morgan (good on you Julia!) and becomes untrustworthy. The group's punishment is a harsh one as they decide to abandon her. The next episode begins with Alonzo
realizing that he cannot leave her, but on her return the group are attacked by a trained killer. Julia's medical skills are needed, and she is able to get information about
the assassin through her VR contact. These two episodes reveal more about the characters and their relationships. We see the normally cool and reserved Julia get pretty wired
on the DNA implants she gives herself, so that she attacks not just Morgan, but Devon too.
Another strong, and intriguing episode was The Boy who Would be Terrian King, where Devon
is visitied by a grown up Uly in a dream. The narrative switches from the present to the future as Devon must try to save her son in the future.
The last episode proper
is All About Eve. Natural Born Grendlers was shown last, although it should have been episode 6. Maybe there were technical hitches, I don't know. All About Eve is an excellent
finale, and typical of a show that knows it has been axed! The entire group are under threat of death from an illness caused by implants in their brains. They discover survivors af an earlier
mission to try and colonize the planet, who have secret knowledge about what will eventually kill them all if they stay. But these two survivors aren't talking, and it is up to the team to
try and delve into the supercomputer Eve to save themselves. The series then ends with a shudder as Devon reveals that she is suffering from a different illness. Before she dies, Julia does
the only thing possible and puts her into suspended animation.
And so that is how the series finished! Devon is sleeping in a glass tube, and the others are still miles away from their destination. A bit bleak, but that is what I liked about Earth 2. It is not always sweetness and light for the crew. They have a hard time, but their struggle to survive and to get to their Eden is a struggle we can all empathize with. Aren't we all striving for the unattainable? Earth 2 never intended to be Star Trek, with a command structure and prime directives. The question of leadership is an unresolved one, and the people are by no means perfect. But, sadly, Earth 2 wasn't cool enough or flashy enough, it didn't have and chases or shootouts or explosions. The stars are attractive, but without that charismatic star that will pull in the young audiences. A thoughtful, intelligent show isn't enough. Shame.
Last update 5th October 2001