Extant" is a summer blockbuster from CBS that seems to take its sweet time getting interesting -- like it has a second season in mind, not some wild "event" that ends this summer. Halle Berry's made the jump to the small screen to star in CBS' new sci-fi drama, Extant, debuting Wednesday night. Berry portrays astronaut Molly Woods. She's just returned home from a 13 month solo mission in space and besides adjusting to being around humans again – including her husband and son – she also has to process a mysterious occurrence. Despite being alone for over a year, she's somehow pregnant. The first episode reveals the barest of hints about what may have happened to Molly, but it presents more questions than answers. It's a tried and true technique to make the audience come back for more but is only successful if answers are actually provided instead of a constant tease. I'm looking at you Under the Dome.
Besides the glimpse at conspiracies, the otherworldly, and some clear similarities to the Aliens franchise, Extant appears as though it will center on relationships. The characters aren't treated as the backdrop for the story about possible alien life and artificial intelligence, they're woven into the plot and so are their interactions. That's not always visible in pilots, and it seems like focusing on the shiny toys is a tempting distraction in sci-fi stories. That's not the case in Extant. Berry is intriguing as an intelligent everyday sort of woman who has to suddenly process abnormal circumstances. Molly is in a fragile state by default since she spent so long alone, but she's trying her best to insert herself back into home life and work, and Berry communicates every nuance of Molly's challenges. Not to keep going back to the Aliens references, but Berry definitely seems to channel Ellen Ripley from time to time.
She has an interesting relationship with her husband John, played by Goran Visnjic. They appear happy on the surface but clearly have what seem like longstanding issues underneath. Her inexplicable pregnancy probably isn't going to help in that arena. John's an opinionated scientist working on developing the field of artificial intelligence, and while Visnjic excels at selling the character's passion for his work, his chemistry – positive or negative - with Berry is barely there. After Molly, the most fascinating character appearing in the pilot is her and John's son Ethan. Pierce Gagnon (Looper) may be young, but he presents a convincing portrait of Ethan's mood swings and difficulties. He's adorable in one instant and frightening in the next. Ethan isn't all he appears to be, and his true nature is clearly a point of contention between John and Molly.
The pilot episode hit the right note of providing information without falling into the overload trap. We still have plenty more to learn about Molly and her family and what exactly happened while she was in space in coming episodes. The lingering questions could be the show's downfall though; they'll have to avoid stringing viewers along and be careful in balancing the mystery with character developments.
THE VERDICT
Overall, Extant is off to a strong start. The story feels a touch too familiar to make it a standout premiere, but there is promise for a fresh exploration of that material and it's supported by interesting characters.
Besides the glimpse at conspiracies, the otherworldly, and some clear similarities to the Aliens franchise, Extant appears as though it will center on relationships. The characters aren't treated as the backdrop for the story about possible alien life and artificial intelligence, they're woven into the plot and so are their interactions. That's not always visible in pilots, and it seems like focusing on the shiny toys is a tempting distraction in sci-fi stories. That's not the case in Extant. Berry is intriguing as an intelligent everyday sort of woman who has to suddenly process abnormal circumstances. Molly is in a fragile state by default since she spent so long alone, but she's trying her best to insert herself back into home life and work, and Berry communicates every nuance of Molly's challenges. Not to keep going back to the Aliens references, but Berry definitely seems to channel Ellen Ripley from time to time.
She has an interesting relationship with her husband John, played by Goran Visnjic. They appear happy on the surface but clearly have what seem like longstanding issues underneath. Her inexplicable pregnancy probably isn't going to help in that arena. John's an opinionated scientist working on developing the field of artificial intelligence, and while Visnjic excels at selling the character's passion for his work, his chemistry – positive or negative - with Berry is barely there. After Molly, the most fascinating character appearing in the pilot is her and John's son Ethan. Pierce Gagnon (Looper) may be young, but he presents a convincing portrait of Ethan's mood swings and difficulties. He's adorable in one instant and frightening in the next. Ethan isn't all he appears to be, and his true nature is clearly a point of contention between John and Molly.
The pilot episode hit the right note of providing information without falling into the overload trap. We still have plenty more to learn about Molly and her family and what exactly happened while she was in space in coming episodes. The lingering questions could be the show's downfall though; they'll have to avoid stringing viewers along and be careful in balancing the mystery with character developments.
THE VERDICT
Overall, Extant is off to a strong start. The story feels a touch too familiar to make it a standout premiere, but there is promise for a fresh exploration of that material and it's supported by interesting characters.