| Falling Skies | |
| Season One | |
 | |
| Number of Episodes | 10 |
| Air date | Sundays @ 10/9c
June 19-August 7, 2011 |
| Other Seasons | |
| Previous | TNT.com Web Comic |
| Next | Season 2 |
Falling Skies is a new series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Noah Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) stars as a former college professor who becomes the second-in-command leader of a group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) co-stars as Anne Glass, a doctor who works with the surviving children to help them cope with the traumatic situation. The series also stars Drew Roy (Lincoln Heights) as Hal and Maxim Knight (Brothers & Sisters) as Matt, Tom’s two sons; and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) as Lourdes, an orphaned teenager who helps run the group’s commissary. Will Patton (Armageddon, TNT’s Into the West) will play a recurring role as a fierce resistance fighter.
TNT broadcast the first season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States. Falling Skies premiered on Sunday, June 19, 2011 in the United States with a two hour premiere. 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 first season finale received 5.6 million viewers, the highest rated episode since the series premiere with 2.5 million viewers 18-49.
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. 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 panel, deleted scenes, character profiles, international promos, behind the scenes features, "Making of Skitter", "Harness Makeup Tips" and "Director One on One". A collectible Trading Card was released exclusively to Blu-ray.
Summary[]
Falling Skies focuses on the resilience of the survivors and their determination to maintain their humanity when all else has been destroyed. It is a tale of endurance, commitment and courage in which everyday people are called upon to become heroes. They may be outmatched, outnumbered and outgunned, but nothing can beat the human spirit. Most of all, the series is about the ties that bind people together in the most difficult of circumstances.
The aliens in the series are mighty, mysterious, and merciless. They are highly intelligent and use military-like tactics, which makes them an overwhelming force against the 2nd Mass. There are two types of aliens, which the human survivors have named Skitters and Mechs. Combining live action and special visual effects, the Skitters have spider-like bodies and incredible strength and agility. The deadly, robotic Mechs stand upright and can shoot bullets from their arms. The aliens control captured children, like Tom's son Ben, through bio-mechanical harnesses but have yet to reveal their ultimate plan for them.
Episode List[]
| Series Number |
Episode Number |
Title | Director | Writer(s) | Original Air Date |
Production Code |
US Viewers (Millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | "Live and Learn" | Carl Franklin | Robert Rodat | June 19, 2011 | 101 | 5.91 | |
 |
The world is left in tatters after a sudden, unprovoked and unexplained invasion by aliens, leaving the planet’s remaining human population to fight for survival against the occupiers. History professor Tom Mason has been named second in command for the 2nd Mass, but his real focus is on his three sons, one of whom has been captured by the aliens and is used as a mindless slave, controlled by a mysterious harness. | |||||||
| 02 | 02 | "The Armory" | Greg Beeman | Graham Yost | June 19, 2011 | 102 | 5.91 | |
 |
While scouting for supplies, Tom, Hal and their squad encounter a gang of marauders determined to get their hands on the 2nd Mass weapons. Leading the gang is an ex-con named John Pope, who decides to use his hostages as bargaining material. | |||||||
| 03 | 03 | "Prisoner of War" | Greg Beeman | Fred Golan | June 26, 2011 | 103 | 4.20 | |
 |
Dr. Michael Harris (guest star Steven Weber) joins the 2nd Mass with a theory about what might save the children abducted by the aliens. But the plan could be derailed when Tom starts digging for answers to questions that have haunted him since the early days of the invasion. Meanwhile, in an attempt to rescue Ben, the 2nd Mass comes face-to-face with skitters and Mechs, and meets an unsuspected dilemma. | |||||||
| 04 | 04 | "Grace" | Fred Toye | Melinda Hsu Taylor | July 3, 2011 | 104 | 4.07 | |
 |
Tom and his team head out to track down more motorcycles for the 2nd Mass., relying on Pope to guide them to a good location. They hit the jackpot until they meet some skitters and harnessed teenagers at the bike shop. Back at the base, Dr. Harris(guest star Steven Weber) and Anne disagree over the best method to gather more intelligence on the aliens. | |||||||
| 05 | 05 | "Silent Kill" | Fred Toye | Joe Weisberg | July 10, 2011 | 105 | 3.90 | |
 |
Hal comes up with a risky new plan to rescue captured teenagers from the aliens, but it might require putting someone at risk. Meanwhile, a sudden tragedy causes Anne to make an enormous discovery that proves instrumental to Hal’s risky plan. | |||||||
| 06 | 06 | "Sanctuary (Part 1)" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Joel Anderson Thompson | July 17, 2011 | 106 | 4.27 | |
 |
Lt. Terry Clayton (guest star Henry Czerny – The Tudors) of the 7th Mass arrives with word that the aliens are on their way to attack the 2nd Mass. Clayton’s plan to lead the children to a safe haven while the adults remain behind to fight is met with some resistance from the parents, including Tom. | |||||||
| 07 | 07 | "Sanctuary (Part 2)" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Melinda Hsu Taylor | July 24, 2011 | 107 | 4.07 | |
 |
Hal takes the lead fighting an unexpected threat against the children of the 2nd Mass. Anne has her hands full when Sarah goes into labor while the 2nd Mass base is being evacuated. Henry Czerny (The Tudors) guest stars. | |||||||
| 08 | 08 | "What Hides Beneath" | Anthony Hemingway | Mark Verheiden | July 31, 2011 | 108 | 4.31 | |
 |
The 2nd Mass prepares to take the fight to the invaders with an assault on one of their bases. But Weaver’s increasingly strange behavior worries Tom that he might not be fit to command. Hal and Tom encounter a left-behind woman (guest star Blair Brown, Fringe) who employed a suspicious means of surviving the invasion, making it unclear whether they can trust her. | |||||||
| 09 | 09 | "Mutiny" | Holly Dale | Joe Weisberg | August 7, 2011 | 109 | 5.70 | |
 |
As the 2nd Mass. prepares for a major assault, divisions within the ranks threaten to tear the group apart. Tom has difficulty processing the profound implications of Anne’s latest discovery. | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Eight Hours" | Greg Beeman | Mark Verheiden | August 7, 2011 | 110 | 5.54 | |
 |
With Weaver leading several squads of fighters against the aliens, Tom remains behind to help protect the civilians as they evacuate. But a major breach in security endangers both the soldiers and the civilians. Tom is confronted with a decision that may lead him to discovering what the aliens want with the captured teenagers, humankind and the planet. | |||||||
Cast[]
Deaths[]
Production[]
Development officially began in 2009, when TNT announced that it had ordered to pilot an untitled alien invasion project.
Originally the title Falling Skies was called Concord. Spielberg later came up with the title Falling Skies.
Casting announcements began in June 2009 when Noah Wyle was announced as the lead.
In July 2009, Moon Bloodgood, Jessy Schram, Seychelle Gabriel and Maxim Knight were cast as Anne Glass, Karen Nadler, Lourdes and Matt Mason.
In August 2009, Drew Roy and Peter Shinkoda were cast as Hal Mason and Dai.
The show's official website offered an online web-comic prior to the show's launch. Released every two weeks it followed the characters of the series just weeks after the alien invasion.
For the first season, production took place in Hamilton.
The pilot was filmed in 2009 in Oshawa, Ontario, and the rest of the season was shot from July to November of the following year in Hamilton and Toronto.
Promotional Material[]
Posters[]
