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It all began right here ...
Earth 2 is a cult show, indeed. When it aired originally, it never had much of an audience, but -- with syndication and the explosion of home video -- more and more folks have found it and embraced it. It premiered on this day back in 1994 (in the U.S.), and here's the summary from IMDB.com:
"Devon Adair and her crew are searching a new home for the human race. The colonization of "Earth 2" is difficult. Some government forces want to destroy the ship of the colonists. But they manage to escape and arrive in orbit around "Earth 2". There the crew has to face some technical problems and they crash land on the planet. Soon they find out that the Earth like planet is inhabited by intelligent humanoid life forms..."
-- EZ
From Google.com:
Earth 2 is an American science-fiction television series that aired on NBC from November 6, 1994, to June 4, 1995, running for a single season of 21 episodes. Produced by Amblin Television and Universal Television, the show was created by Billy Ray, Michael Duggan, Carol Flint, and Mark Levin.
Premise & Plot
- Setting: In the year 2192, a severely polluted Earth has forced humanity to live on orbiting space stations.
- The Syndrome: Children born in space suffer from a fatal illness known as "the syndrome".
- The Eden Project: Billionaire Devon Adair organizes a covert, unauthorized expedition to colonize a distant, habitable planet named G889 (22 light-years away) to cure the children.
- The Trek: After their advance ship malfunctions and crash-lands on the wrong side of the planet, the unarmed survivors must make an arduous 3,400-mile overland journey across unfamiliar terrain to reach their designated settlement site, New Pacifica. Along the way, they encounter harsh alien environments, corporate/government antagonists, and the indigenous, subterranean-dwelling native species known as the Terrians.
Main Cast
- Devon Adair: Debrah Farentino (expedition leader)
- John Danziger: Clancy Brown (mechanic and survivalist)
- Alonzo Solace: Antonio Sabato Jr. (pilot)
- Dr. Julia Heller: Jessica Steen
- Ulysses Adair: J. Paul Zimmerman (Devon’s son)
- Morgan Martin: John Wollner
- Also starring Bess Martin, Yale (a biomechanical android/teacher), and True.
Cancellation & Legacy
The series was canceled after 21 episodes due to low ratings and high production costs, ending on a cliffhanger. Over time, it developed a cult following among fans of 1990s speculative fiction for its grounded, serialized survival tone and environmental themes.