The Man Who Fell to Earth is an American science fiction drama television limited series created by Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis.[1] It is a sequel to the 1976 film starring David Bowie.[2][3] The series stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as an alien who arrives on planet Earth and Bill Nighy, playing the role originally played by Bowie in the 1976 film. It debuted on Showtime on April 24, 2022.[2] A portion of the series was shown at SXSW on March 12, 2022.[4] The series was canceled after one season.[5]
| The Man Who Fell to Earth | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Based on | The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | April 24 – July 3, 2022 |
Premise
editThe future of the planet is in the hands of an alien who arrives on Earth at a pivotal moment in history.
Cast
editMain
edit- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Faraday
- Naomie Harris as Justin Falls
- Annelle Olaleye as Molly Falls
- Clarke Peters as Josiah Falls
- Bill Nighy as Thomas Jerome Newton
- Jimmi Simpson as Spencer Clay
- Kate Mulgrew as Drew Finch
- Sonya Cassidy as Edie Flood
- Joana Ribeiro as Lisa Dominguez
- Rob Delaney as Hatch Flood
Recurring
edit- Tanya Moodie as Portia
- Juliet Stevenson as Sister Mary Lou Prescott
- Art Malik as Henning Khan
- Josh Herdman as Terry Mannch
- Laurie Kynaston as Clive Flood
Guest
edit- Martha Plimpton as Officer K. Faraday
- Zoë Wanamaker as Watt
- Victoria Smurfit as Penny Morgan
Episodes
editEach episode is named after a David Bowie song.[6]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Hallo Spaceboy" | Alex Kurtzman | Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | April 24, 2022 | 0.125[7] |
| 2 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | Alex Kurtzman | Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | May 1, 2022 | 0.127[8] |
| 3 | "New Angels of Promise" | Alex Kurtzman | Story by : Michael Alaimo Teleplay by : Michael Alaimo and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | May 8, 2022 | 0.145[9] |
| 4 | "Under Pressure" | Alex Kurtzman | Story by : Jane Maggs Teleplay by : Jane Maggs and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | May 15, 2022 | 0.193[10] |
| 5 | "Moonage Daydream" | Sarah Harding | Story by : John Lopez Teleplay by : John Lopez and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | May 29, 2022 | 0.162[11] |
| 6 | "Changes" | Sarah Harding | Story by : Jane Maggs Teleplay by : Jane Maggs and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | June 5, 2022 | 0.164[12] |
| 7 | "Cracked Actor" | Joss Agnew | Story by : Helen Shang Teleplay by : Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | June 12, 2022 | 0.137[13] |
| 8 | "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" | Joss Agnew | Story by : Bill Wolkoff Teleplay by : John Hlavin and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | June 19, 2022 | 0.121[14] |
| 9 | "As the World Falls Down" | Olatunde Osunsanmi | Story by : Jane Maggs Teleplay by : Jane Maggs and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | June 26, 2022 | 0.171[15] |
| 10 | "The Man Who Sold the World" | Olatunde Osunsanmi | John Hlavin and Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman | July 3, 2022 | 0.149[16] |
Production
editA television adaptation of Walter Tevis's novel The Man Who Fell to Earth, moved from Hulu to CBS All Access in August 2019. It was created by Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman. It had been in development at Hulu for over a year, and was moved as a result of the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, as disagreements over co-production could not be resolved.[1]
In February 2021, Chiwetel Ejiofor was cast to star in the series, playing the role of the alien/Faraday.[17] The next month, the series moved to Showtime, with Naomie Harris, Jimmi Simpson and Clarke Peters added to the cast.[18][19][20][21] Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, and Annelle Olayele would join in April.[22][23][24] In August, Kate Mulgrew joined in a recurring role.[25] In January 2022, Bill Nighy was cast to play Thomas Jerome Newton, the role David Bowie played in the film.[26] In October 2022, it was reported that Showtime would not renew the series for a second season.[5]
Major part of the filming was done in the University of Hertfordshire.
Release
editThe series was initially planned for a 2021 release on Paramount+.[28] It premiered on April 24, 2022 on Showtime and on Paramount+ internationally.[21]
Reception
editCritical response
editThe review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 86% approval rating with an average rating of 6.7/10, based on 29 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "The Man Who Fell to Earth may not be out of this world, but a commanding Chiwetel Ejiofor gives this space oddity an earthy gravitas."[29] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[30]
Ratings
edit| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) |
Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Hallo Spaceboy" | April 24, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.125[7] |
| 2 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | May 1, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.127[8] |
| 3 | "New Angels of Promise" | May 8, 2022 | 0.03 | 0.145[9] |
| 4 | "Under Pressure" | May 15, 2022 | 0.03 | 0.193[10] |
| 5 | "Moonage Daydream" | May 29, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.162[11] |
| 6 | "Changes" | June 5, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.164[12] |
| 7 | "Cracked Actor" | June 12, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.137[13] |
| 8 | "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" | June 19, 2022 | 0.01 | 0.121[14] |
| 9 | "As the World Falls Down" | June 26, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.171[15] |
| 10 | "The Man Who Sold the World" | July 3, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.149[16] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn Awards | October 25, 2022 | Best Science Fiction Television Series: Network/Cable | The Man Who Fell to Earth | Nominated | [31] |
| Best Actor in a Network or Cable Television Series | Chiwetel Ejiofor | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (August 1, 2019). "'The Man Who Fell To Earth' TV Series From Alex Kurtzman Ordered By CBS All Access". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ a b Framke, Caroline (22 April 2022). "Showtime's 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' Continues the David Bowie Version With Care, But Fewer Risks: TV Review". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ Orquiola, John (24 April 2022). "The Man Who Fell To Earth Timeline Explained: Is It A Remake Or Sequel?". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ "The Man Who Fell To Earth". SXSW.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (October 10, 2022). "'Man Who Fell to Earth' Will Not Return for Season 2 at Showtime (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ "'The Man Who Fell to Earth' is an Entertaining but Frustrating Trip into the Unknown: Review". 22 April 2022. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (April 26, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 4.24.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (May 3, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 5.1.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (May 10, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 5.8.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ a b Salem, Mitch (May 17, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 5.15.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Salem, Mitch (June 1, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 5.29.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Salem, Mitch (June 7, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 6.5.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (June 14, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 6.12.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Salem, Mitch (June 21, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 6.19.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (June 28, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 6.26.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (July 6, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Sunday 7.3.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 5, 2021). "Chiwetel Ejiofor To Star In 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Series At Paramount+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ White, Peter (March 17, 2021). "'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Moves To Showtime From Paramount+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 23, 2021). "Naomie Harris To Star In 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Showtime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 23, 2021). "Jimmi Simpson To Star In 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Showtime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ a b c White, Peter (March 29, 2021). "Clarke Peters Joins Showtime's 'The Man Who Fell To Earth'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 14, 2021). "Rob Delaney Joins 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Showtime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 20, 2021). "Sonya Cassidy Joins 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' Showtime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 30, 2021). "'The Man Who Fell To Earth': Joana Ribeiro & Annelle Olayele Join Showtime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 20, 2021). "'The Man Who Fell To Earth': Kate Mulgrew Joins Showtime Drama As Recurring". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 3, 2022). "The Man Who Fell To Earth: Bill Nighy To Take Over Iconic David Bowie Character In Showtime Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ Alex Kurtzman [@Alex_Kurtzman] (May 3, 2021). "Day 1 #TheManWhoFellToEarth" (Tweet). Retrieved June 20, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Petski, Denise (July 30, 2020). "CBS All Access Eyes Fall & Late 2020 Premieres For Richard Linklater Docuseries, 'The Stand', More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ "The Man Who Fell to Earth: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ "The Man Who Fell to Earth: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
