Hit or Miss: Showtime’s 'The Man Who Fell To Earth'
SHOWTIME has finally released a teaser trailer for their highly anticipated drama series The Man Who Fell To Earth. Developed by Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, this science fiction series is based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis and iconic film that starred David Bowie. It follows an alien who arrives on Earth at a pivotal moment in history, ultimately dictating what the future of the planet will be. The show stars Oscar and Emmy nominee and BAFTA Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, known for his work in 12 Years a Slave and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, as well as Naomie Harris, known for Moonlight. Harris will play Justin Falls, a scientist and engineer who must fight her own battles in the race to save two worlds while Ejiofor will portray the alien character that was mentioned previously. Rounding out the cast is Jimmi Simpson, Clarke Peters, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, and Annelle Olayele.
The original film retains a cult following primarily for its use of surreal imagery and Bowie’s performance as the alien Thomas Jerome Newton. It appears the 2022 series is not replicating the same storyline and is instead following a new character from the same planet Bowie’s came from. The 1987 film is still considered a vital work in the science fiction cinema aesthetic providing some expectations for the series.
The production of this series has been through its ups and downs. In August 2019, it was moved from Hulu to CBS All Access after being in development at Hulu for over a year with producers Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly. This move was a result of the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney and co-production not being feasible. In February 2021, Ejiofor was announced as the lead of the show finally putting a name on the series. In March of the same year, it moved to SHOWTIME from Paramount+ with filming beginning on May 3, 2021, in London.
The trailer starts off with the camera panning up from the ground, with the frame upside-down, showcasing Ejiofor walking barefoot on a dirt road with a voiceover asking, “How did we get here?” A cut shows the SHOWTIME logo on top of the previously established shot, this time right-side up. Immediately after a close-up there is a beautiful shot of a barren desert and a comet flying by. In just 5 seconds, this trailer establishes the world that this series takes place in
After, the camera does an overhead shot of Ejiofor lying in a body of water with a suit on. With his floating body, there are some lighting being projected on the water to make it look like scales of some sort. The first instance of dialogue happens with Harris as she states, “I am talking to someone from another planet.” After, cuts are made to bounce back and forth from introducing the cast over an other-worldly background. It’s unclear what images are behind the text, but with the color design, it seems as though they’ve strategically implemented the idea of space and extra-terrestrial beings. With this, shots of the desert, cities, whirling sand tornados and beautiful green trees establish the diverse locations presented in this series.
To contrast this, there is another quick montage of a cave-like environment with people sitting down in a meditative position – extremely different from the green scenery presented before. Right before the title card there are short clips of the main cast either interacting with a loved one, watching a projection or embracing hands. All of which keeps the audience guessing what is behind the camera. In under 30 seconds, the stakes have been established. The final shot is Ejiofor looking up and closing his eyes initiating the jump cut to the title card.
This series looks like it will be a standout in 2022. From the trailer, it seems as though it will live up to the book and movie of the same name. The cinematography looks incredible, capturing each nuance of the vibrant settings that were showcased. Everything in the trailer was compelling, detail-oriented and made me ask for more. The Man Who Fell To Earth looks to be an ambitious and promising series that should be on your bucket list. There is no official release date yet but is slated for Spring of 2022 on SHOWTIME.
