What is Earth 2?
Earth 2 was an Emmy award winning television series first broadcast on NBC in 1994 and cancelled after only one season of 21 episodes. Originally produced by Michael Duggan, Carol Flint and Mark Levin for Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment, it was one of the first, if not the first Science Fiction TV series with an actual plot, with repercussions for a characters ections in the following episodes.The characters were well fleshed out, and the series had a certain mystique about it. It was new, fresh and I was very disappointed when it was cancelled. Hey, it even had Tim Curry
Premise:
The series is set about 200 years in the future, a time in which mankind has polluted Earth to a point where is nearly uninhabitable, with most humans having evacuated into space to live space stations, sterile and artificial habitats for the last of humanity. In fact, being so sterile, newborn children developed new illnesses that could spell the end of mankind after all, if they cannot find a new natural environment.
And so a colony ship carrying 250 families is sent to the earthlike planet G889 to set up a colony at a site called New Pacifica. But a group within the government has different plans and when unable to stop the mission, sabotaged the advance ship, causing it to break up in the orbit of G889. Half the crew manages to evacuate, but is now stranded far away from the original landing site where most supplies were dropped. And with the main ship arriving in two years timne, the team must pull together and find a way to get to New Pacifica in time to set up the colony. And that is only their least bit of trouble as the planet is not as uninhabited as they thought...
The survivors:
Devon Adair:
Growing up priviledged in a wealthy household, and head of her own megacorporation, Devon gave all that up to organize, fund and then lead this expedition in the hope of finding a cure for her sick son.
Ulysses Adair:
Son of Devon Adair, and born with The Syndrome, a disease caused by the lack of a natural environment. He is a bright and curious boy, who shows maturity beyond his age.
Yale:
Yale is a human who was turned into a cyborg in the Yale Program designed for criminal rehabilitation. Criminals in the program had their minds erased and replaced with a computer-like memory and an encyclopedia of knowledge. They also had his left arm replaced with a cyborg arm capable of creating holograms and were then used as tutors to the children of wealthy families. Yale was the personal tutor of Devon Adair. He doesn't even remember his name, nor what he did to incur this punishment. But sometimes there are flashes of memory...
John Danziger:
John Danziger grew up in space as a worker drone, paying off the debts his grandparents incurred in order to be lifted off the earths surface. Determined to pay off his debts to ensure freedom for his daughter, he takes on high-danger, high-pay assignments such as this mission. He is very pragmatic thinker, making him and Devon a perfect leadership team, if only they would listen to the other.
True Danziger:
John's daughter came with him on this mission as not to be left behind for 44 years. Still a little girl, exhibiting a childlike wonder at the new world, she is nevertheless very technically apt for her age, able to fix things others would consider beyond repair.
Morgan Martin:
Not directly involved in the Eden project Morgen and his wife Bess came on this mission as the Government Liaison. Used to the comforts on the stations, he absolutely hates being stranded on this planet, entering VR whenever there is an opportunity. He is extremely self-serving, thinking only about his own welfare, and doesn't work well in teams.
Bess Martin:
The only crew-member to be born and raised on Earth, Bess adapts to life on the new planet the fastest. Wanting to be a part of the team, she usually helps her husband around his own nature.
Julia Heller:
The only doctor in the mission, but without most of her equipment, she improvises to keep the group alive. But she is also in contact with the very group of people who sabotaged the mission in the first place.
Alonzo Solace:
Alonzo was the pilot of the starship that brought the crew to the new world, and was never supposed to land himself. Breaking his leg in the crash, and feeling responsible for not being able to prevent it, he becomes desolate and suicidal. But he also is the only member of the crew able to communicate with the terrians on the dream plane, and slowly finds a new role in life.
The Aliens:
Terrians:
A sentient race of humanoids living underground. The are able to communicate with the planet itself through the dream plane, though which they can also communcate with Alonzo Solace. They are pacificsts at heart, trying to cause no harm, but also never forget harm done unto them, as the Martins once almost found out.
Grendlers:
Intelligent creatures, but not linked to the planet. Their saliva is a great antidote against all kinds of illnesses. They love new things and are likely to trade with the cast-aways. Oh yes, and they react to human blood the same way humans react to drugs and alcohol...
Kobas:
Appearing even less intelligent, but with a great ability at mimicry, they are friendly unless provoked in which case they defend themselves by shooting their fingernails which induce a death-like coma for a few days.