Stream the first three episodes of The Man Who Fell to Earth today via Paramount+ in the UK. New episodes stream each week on Wednesday.
Synopsis
An alien (Chiwetel Ejiofor) crashes deep into the oilfields of New Mexico with a mission: he must find the brilliant scientist Justin Falls (Naomie Harris), the one woman on earth who can help save his species. Even as he struggles to adapt to our world and to become more ‘human’, her faith in humanity couldn’t be lower. An unlikely duo, together they discover that in order to save his world, they must first save ours. An inspired continuation of the novel by Walter Tevis and the iconic 1976 film starring David Bowie.
Review
Back in 1976, David Bowie made waves with his iconic role as an alien coming to Earth in search of answers to save his people from ecological disaster. Of course in 1976, the idea that mankind itself would be on the verge of ecological disaster was a far out notion. In 2022, it feels all too much like the only potential outcome.
Created by Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman, The Man Who Fell to Earth TV series cleverly plays on our own failings to save our planet. Rather than recreate and retell the story of Nicolas Roeg’s film, the series acts as a continuation. Starting out in a similar fashion, an alien (Chiwetel Ejiofor) crashes to Earth from the planet Anthea. His arrival follows the receipt of messages sent by Bowie’s Thomas Jerome Newton in the closing moments of the film.
Known as Faraday, the alien’s arrival is bookended by an on-stage appearance at The Royal Albert Hall, presenting to a group of investors and journalists. It teases that over the course of the series Faraday will find himself in a similar position of technical prowess and fame as Newton. But first we need to follow his journey.
Faraday’s arrival on Earth allows The Man Who Fell to Earth to play with more comedic elements. A series which intends to tackle climate change and population extinction could easily come across heavy-handed. But these first three episodes, written by Lumet, Kurtzman and Michael Alaimo, straddle a fine line between comedy and drama.
For his part, Ejiofor brings a childish innocence to Faraday in his first days on Earth. He has to learn our language, our customs and way of life. In the first episode, “Hallo Spaceboy”, that naivety really helps arrest the audience amidst plenty of exposition. A guest spot from the hilarious Martha Plimpton misconception about the use of the word “f*ck” in getting what you want. As the narrative progresses across the three episodes I’ve seen Ejiofor is able to dial back his childlike persona and begin to replace it with something more contemplative. It keeps things fresh but also helps to push forward the narrative, increasing the stakes as Faraday is able to properly communicate the danger facing both his and our people.
Playing opposite Ejiofor is the wonderfully cast Naomie Harris as Justin Falls. Justin might just be the only hope for saving two planets from ecological disaster. But with an ailing father and young daughter, she is in position to introduce clean energy to the universe. When we first meeting Justin she simply stops to help a man – Faraday – being beaten on the side of the road. This kind of selfless act is emblematic of her character. She works herself to the bone to pay for her father’s meds. She sacrifices everything for her family and for Faraday.
Her maternal instincts lead her to be protective of Faraday. In much of the first episode she protects and mothers him. In episode two this dynamic begins to shift as she learns his true nature and mission. In episode three they become something of reluctant partners. It’s another great example of how The Man Who Fell to Earth uses its shifting dynamics to keep a pleasing pace throughout these episodes.
Replacing the dearly departed Bowie as Thomas Jerome Newton is Bill Nighy. His Bowie-esque portrayal of the older Newton is fun. It adds something more outlandish to a series which takes its science-fiction elements a little more seriously. Though confined to only a small number of scenes across these first three episodes, Nighy certainly makes his mark.
Given the addition of the Kurtzman name to the production its no surprise that The Man Who Fell to Earth looks and sounds great. Star Trek composer Jeff Russo’s score is strikingly effective, underpinning comedic and dramatic moments perfectly. Likewise the cinematography is high brow for a TV series. It has all the cinematic qualities of Kurtzman-era Trek and easily on par with other streaming/cable TV fare.
Verdict
In these first three episodes The Man Who Fell to Earth establishes itself as a strong continuation of the 1976 film. Ejiofor and Harries are undeniably charismatic leads, both having fun with the material whilst never distracting from more dramatic thematic elements.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
