If we are going to be completely honest about it, television over the last few years has been a wasteland for good science fiction shows. There have been exceptions but most shows have died a harsh and just death. Sometimes our geeky eagerness for good science fiction often has us embracing shows with very little merit (V, anyone). When Falling Skies was announced as a new show for TNT my skepticism was on high alert. Even when I heard Steven Spielberg was involved because, of course, the question was always going to be, “How involved?”

I was recently given the chance to take part in an interview with two of the stars of Falling Skies, Moon Bloodgood and Noah Wyle. I was glad for the chance because, honestly, Falling Skies sounds a whole lot like a whole lot of other things. Aliens invade the earth. Military is destroyed. A band of survivors get together to fight said aliens and despite all odds manage to not become dead. There’s a lot of cool special effects, action, and explosions. Geeks around the world rejoice. We know this story, we have been there before.

The problem is that most of the past attempts, especially on television, forget one important thing, a good story. Aliens, special effects, and action do not make a successful show. What they make is a show which a whole bunch of people watch the premiere of and then go away leading to the eventual cancelation of the show. The first chance I got I asked Ms. Bloodgood how they were going to make sure the story didn’t get lost. What were they going to do to make sure the family drama stayed front and center because that is the engine which keeps shows going successfully? I was not disappointed in her answer.

“I think primarily when Rob Rodat wrote this — and he’s from Boston — that it was always a human drama and not – a simple story about a family; that was supposed to be the paramount story and then the science fiction kind of secondary.

I don’t – the reason I don’t think we get overshadowed by the science fiction is because it sort of goes on and off where we go family story, and that stays but then the second episode will be filled with science fiction, then we take a break and we get away from all that — the guns and action — and go back to a love of the dialogue and the interpersonal relationships.

I really truly believe we did succeed in always keeping the family structure and the human element of it in the forefront and the science fiction secondary because I do think sometimes science fiction, if you don’t have a good story behind it, it can become one dimensional.”

It was the first time I actually started to think there might be something there. Ms. Bloodgood talked about “doing something that is not just one dimensional; it’s science fiction but it’s human tragedy.” This was the theme again and again during the interview. Mr. Wyle added “the notion of family and the quality of human relationships comes to the floor and that’s what I think we pretty successfully explored through the first half of the season.”

They both pounded home the notion that the drama would carry the show. The tragic events, the triumphant moments, love, hate, despair, these would be the meat which would keep viewers coming back over and over again. That isn’t to say this isn’t a science fiction show. It most certainly is one and at its helm is Stephen Spielberg who Mr. Wyle said, “His fingerprints are all over it. He was instrumental in helping craft the original pilot script and certainly in casting the pilot.” Mr Wyle also added Mr. Spielberg “made lots of editorial suggestions all along the way in bringing those shows to their final cut.”

As a science fiction fan the name of Steven Spielberg gives me confidence. The fact that this wasn’t just some show he plopped his name on but was actively involved finally turned the jazz button on. Where before I was mildly interested in the show, now I can’t wait. June 19th can’t get here fast enough. Falling Skies will kick off with a two hour premiere and then play out over seven more episodes. Something else I am excited about because I have always felt short television series are far more powerful. Sometimes the writing gets watered down when you try to stretch it out over a 22 episode season.

If Falling Skies wasn’t on your watch list before, it should be now. There is just too much talent involved in this show to not give it a look. Here’s hoping it falls on the Battlestar Galactica side of the spectrum (I, of course, mean the recent one which showed on the SyFy Network) and not the recent drudge we have been subjected to. I am ready for another good piece of geek television. A person can not live on Dr. Who alone.

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