Spielberg Plunges Earth Into Post-Apocalyptic Nightmare

Pesky aliens — you never really know what to expect. Sometimes they’re intent on wiping out the human race. On other occasions they just want to eat Reese’s Pieces, make bikes fly and try to contact their mothership so they can return home.

In Steven Spielberg’s new TV show Falling Skies, they’re very much of the antagonistic persuasion. In fact, by the time the show starts, they’ve already made first contact, announced their hostile intentions and taken over. Their in-full-swing master plan? To kidnap the world’s children and set them to work as slaves. Dastardly.

Of course, the human race doesn’t take this lying down. Yes, the planet’s major cities have been gutted. And yes, the Earth’s armies have been destroyed. But you don’t need them when you’ve got a ragtag bunch of survivors led by a former history teacher played by Noah Wyle (pronounced as though it’s partnered with ‘Coyote’), best known as ER’s Dr Carter.

If the human race’s last hope doesn’t sound as tough as you might like, never fear — Wyle’s Tom Mason (pictured in an exclusive shot) is no pushover. A former marine, he has access to a military-strength cache of weapons. And, if any more motivation were required, his son is one of the children who have been swiped. The requisite ‘siren’ assisting him in his quest? Terminator Salvation’s Moon Bloodgood.

Spielberg devised the story and serves as the series’ executive producer. And (much as JJ Abrams was with Lost, despite not being involved after Season 3) will no doubt serve as the talent mentioned in all references to the show.

Proof of that: there are three other executive producers working on Falling Skies and we haven’t named any of them.

Falling Skies premieres on FX (Sky 124) in July