People of Earth explained
People of Earth is an American science fiction sitcom television series created by David Jenkins about a support group for alien abductees, as well as the aliens who had abducted them. TBS ordered the pilot under the name The Group in May 2015,[1] and announced a 10-episode order in January 2016.[2] The series premiered on October 31, 2016, on TBS. On September 13, 2017, TBS renewed the series for a third season,[3] but on June 9, 2018, they reversed the decision and canceled the series with season 3 already written.[4]
Plot
The series follows city journalist Ozzie Graham (Wyatt Cenac), who travels to Beacon, New York to write a piece on a support group called "StarCrossed", who are survivors of alien encounters. Although skeptical at first, Ozzie realizes the truth of the group's claims when he begins to recall similar experiences. Ozzie eventually quits his job and moves to Beacon to further investigate the town's strange occurrences, as well as resolve issues in his past related to his possible abduction.
As the series progresses, Ozzie gradually learns that his employer, Jonathan Walsh, is a reptilian in disguise. Jonathan, who has considered him a friend since he abducted the young Ozzie, explains that the Trinity Federation, an alliance among three races of extra-terrestrials (greys, whites, and reptilians), was sent many years ago to conquer Earth under reptilian leadership. However, in his time on Earth, Jonathan has developed sympathy for humans and wants to expose the truth about the invasion, so he hopes to persuade his alien coworkers and the humans he calls friends to help.
Cast
"StarCrossed" members
A support group for "experiencers" – the term they prefer to abductees.
- Wyatt Cenac as Ozzie Graham, a reporter who travels to Beacon to investigate StarCrossed, then joins them upon realizing that he, too, is an experiencer[5]
- Aaron Davis as young Ozzie
- Ana Gasteyer as Gina Morrison, a therapist
- Luka Jones as Gerry Johnson, a toll booth attendant who is passionate about aliens
- Brian Huskey as Richard Eugene Clancy Schultz, VP of a tech company that makes terminators for ethernet cables
- Alice Wetterlund as Kelly Grady, a temp receptionist at a funeral home
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Yvonne Watson, a postal worker
- Tracee Chimo as Chelsea Wheeler, a homemaker
- Daniel Stewart Sherman as Ennis Hart, a farmer
- Nancy Lenehan as Margaret Flood, a retiree[6]
- Nasim Pedrad as Agent Alex Foster/Crystal, an FBI agent who was abducted as a baby
- Pedrad also plays Jasmine, Foster's twin sister
Aliens
- Ken Hall as Jeff, a grey working on the alien spaceship (the "Sub-Ship") as part of the Trinity Federation
- Björn Gustafsson as Don, a white working on the Sub-Ship
- Drew Nelson as Kurt, a reptilian working on the Sub-Ship
- Nelson also voices the deer Ozzie hallucinates after his experience
- Michael Cassidy as Jonathan Walsh, a reptilian working on Earth as owner of the Glint media empire Ozzie works for[7]
- Debra Lynne McCabe as Nancy, an android working as Jonathan's Earth assistant
- Victor Williams as Assessor, a reptilian and senior operative on Earth
- Peter Serafinowicz as Eric, a floating robotic cube from the Alpha Federation, who becomes the new boss on the Sub-Ship after a merger between the Alpha and Trinity Federations
- Ted Jefferies as Eric's guard
- Paul Lieberstein as Assessor, a reptilian assassin
Supporting characters
- Oscar Nuñez as Father Doug, the priest in charge of the church where StarCrossed meets, who renounces his priesthood to pursue a relationship with Chelsea
- Amy Landecker as Debbie Schultz, Richard's ex-wife
- Michael Crane as John Wheeler, Chelsea's husband
- H. Jon Benjamin as Officer Lance Glimmer, a police officer working for the aliens
- Kevin Hanchard as Agent Jim Saunders, an FBI agent working for the aliens, and Foster's superior
- Eddson Morales as Brian
- Sam Malkin as Glenn, Richard's neighbor
- Douglas Nyback as Todd, Richard's boss
Episodes
Season 2 (2017)
Production
TBS first began developing the show in May 2015 and was going by The Group as its working title at the time.[8] The final title "People Of Earth" is derived from classic sci-fi media: in the 1956 film Earth vs the Flying Saucers, conquering aliens first address humans with the phrase, "People of Earth. Attention!" [9]
The pilot was ordered to series with a 10-episode order by TBS in January 2016.[10] [11] It was directed by Greg Daniels and shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[12]
Reception
People of Earth has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the first season an approval rating of 89%, based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "People of Earth skillfully grounds its high-concept premise with a strong story, quirky humor, and sweetly relatable humanity."[13] On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 72 out of 100, based on reviews from 20 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".[14] The second season on Metacritic has a score of 76 out of 100, based on reviews from 20 critics, also indicating "Generally favorable reviews".[15]
Mike Hale of The New York Times gave it a positive review, writing: "People of Earth provides a funny line or detail just often enough to keep you watching."[16] Maureen Ryan of Variety also praised the series, declaring "People of Earth may be slight and decidedly modest in its ambitions and execution, but it’s not a show that sets out to mock or belittle unconventional people."[17] The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman said People of Earth was "easily one of the best comedies on television."[18]
Notes and References
- Web site: Turner Broadcasting. Kevin Reilly Unveils Bold Vision for TNT & TBS At Turner Broadcasting's 2015 Upfront. The Futon Critic. 13 January 2016. May 13, 2015.
- Web site: TBS press release. TBS Greenlights New Comedy "People of Earth". The Futon Critic. 13 January 2016. January 7, 2016.
- Web site: 'The Guest Book,' 'People of Earth' and 'Wrecked' all renewed at TBS. https://web.archive.org/web/20170914034743/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/more-tv-news/the-guest-book-people-of-earth-and-wrecked-all-renewed-at-tbs/. dead. September 14, 2017. Porter. Rick. September 13, 2017. TV by the Numbers. September 13, 2017.
- Web site: People of Earth Cancelled at TBS, Reversing Season 3 Renewal. TVLine. Ryan Schwartz. June 9, 2018.
- Web site: Anthony . D'Alessandro . July 30, 2015. Wyatt Cenac, Alice Wetterlund, Luka Jones, Brian Huskey & More Join TBS' 'The Group' . Deadline Hollywood. 13 January 2016.
- Web site: Nellie . Andreeva . September 11, 2015 . Vanessa Lengies Named 'Lookinglass' Regular On Fox, Nancy Lenehan Joins TBS Pilot 'The Group' In Recasting . Deadline Hollywood. 13 January 2016.
- Web site: Denise . Petski . August 17, 2015 . Michael Cassidy Joins TBS Pilot 'The Group' . Deadline Hollywood. 13 January 2016.
- Web site: TNT & TBS Get New Direction, Order Series 'Alienist' & 'Wrecked' And Pilots 'Will', 'Animal Kingdom' & 'The Group' . Deadline . Nellie . Andreeva . May 13, 2015 . January 15, 2017.
- Web site: Earth vs The Flying Saucers Trailer. YouTube.
- Web site: Lesley . Goldberg . TBS' Wyatt Cenac Alien Comedy 'People of Earth' Ordered to Series . The Hollywood Reporter. January 15, 2017. January 7, 2016.
- Web site: Cynthia. Littleton. TBS Gives Series Order to Wyatt Cenac Comedy 'People of Earth'. Variety. January 15, 2017. January 7, 2016.
- Web site: FX press release. Donald Glover Pilot "Atlanta" Casts Its Leads as Production Gets Underway. The Futon Critic. January 15, 2017. June 27, 2016.
- Web site: People of Earth (2016) . Rotten Tomatoes . May 26, 2024.
- Web site: People of Earth – Season 1 Reviews . Metacritic . May 26, 2024.
- Web site: People of Earth – Season 2 Reviews . Metacritic . May 26, 2024.
- Web site: Review: The Alien Abductees of 'People of Earth' Keep the Humor Grounded . The New York Times . Mike . Hale . October 31, 2016 . January 17, 2017.
- Web site: TV Review: 'People of Earth' . Variety . Maureen . Ryan . October 26, 2016 . January 15, 2017.
- News: 'People of Earth' Season 2: TV Review. The Hollywood Reporter. 2018-05-21. en.
