Throughout every decade ofSteven Spielberg’s career, you would be hard-pressed to pick one that solely exemplifies the director’s prowess and command of a film. The ’70s gave film fans bothJawsandClose Encounters of the Third Kind. The ’80s saw the release ofRaiders of the Lost Ark, followed byE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialthe next year. Even looking at the director’s more recent outings, Spielberg gave fans bothWest Side Story(2021) andThe Fabelmans(2022) a year apart.
Ask a group of film fans to name Spielberg’s best work or personal favorite, and you’re unlikely to get a definitive answer. Yet, what is almost a guarantee is that no one will reply with the TV seriesExtant, as not only was Spielberg’s name only attached as executive producer, but thesci-fiseries came and went without making much of a mark while getting hit with a mixed reception. Now that the TV series is available onNetflix, is it time to revisit and give this one a chance, or skip over it and spend time withone of Netflix’s acclaimed sci-fi seriesinstead?
Plot and Star Power Behind the Spielberg-Produced Sci-Fi Series ‘Extant’
Extantfollowed the astronaut Molly Woods (Halle Berry), who, after a 13-month solo mission in space, returns home to the surprise that she is pregnant, having previously been diagnosed as infertile and given an AI son. As Woods begins to address the bizarre circumstances of her pregnancy and its potential alien origins, she starts to communicate with her newborn through its ability to manifest people from memory. At the same time, the International Space Exploration Agency (ISEA), Molly’s employer, is revealed to have an active hand in her situation, with Molly not the only one to be carrying a creature from an alien planet. The second season would introduce Jeffrey Dean Morgan as gruff yet loyal ex-cop JD Richter, who helps her investigate the other cases of alien life and the conspiracy behind introducing them to Earth.
The series would last two seasons (2014-15) and 26 episodes, led by a phenomenal cast. Following a downturn in Berry’s career, marked by a lack of significant hits,Extantrepresented a potential resurgence for the actor, as she ventured into television for the first time. She was joined by a phenomenal supporting cast, including Goran Višnjić and Hiroyuki Sanada, in the show’s first season.The second season would introduce Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kiersey Clemonsas central characters, further deepening the talent on tap.
Behind the scenes, the show was marked by lesser-known names, with writer and producer Mickey Fisher having not worked on any major projects before the show’s release; co-writer Gavin Johannsen, who tackled as many episodes as Fisher, also had a lack of experience in the space at the time of the series' release. Spielberg’s production company was also dealing with a lukewarm reception of fellow CBS sci-fi showUnder the Dome. With this in mind, it is not surprising thatExtanthad its issues upon release.
‘Extant’s Mixed Reception Upon Release
Extant, on its initial release, was received with a degree of positivity, with the show currently sitting fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 77%. However,even within positive reviews, the show received common complaints of being slow, underdeveloped, and inconsistent in certain areas. This resulted in the show’s cancellation after two seasons due to a decline in viewership, a lessening opinion of the series, and the massive budget. In his review of the second season forVariety, Barry Lowry summarized many of the series’ downfalls that led to its sharp decline in fan interest.
It would be better if the new elements were more exciting than they feel here, but it’s hard to recover from a show that underwent as many odd contortions as “Extant” did in its maiden voyage. That Berry manages to escape with her dignity intact despite how thinly written her character continues to be and the absurdity of the situations she must face is a testament to the actress’s abilities.
While there are still those who praise the series despite its faults, reflective of a vocal group that touts the productionas an underrated sci-fi series from the 2010s, the series has been mostly lost to time. However,new additions to Netflix have a way of making fans revisit a movie or TV series, and sometimes those initially seen in a negative light find newfound praise. The question is, isExtantworthy of another shot?
Is ‘Extant’ Worth Watching Now That It Is on Netflix?
Although Spielberg only acted as an executive producer, it is clear how influential his sci-fi films were in shaping the narrative and style ofExtant. A plot revolving around AI children is an obvious nod to the knownrevered (though initially misunderstood)A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and the exploration of contact with alien species through a profound means of communication, as seen inClose Encounters of the Third Kind, also feels like a heavy influence ofExtant. Of course, the big-budget spectacle, for a show that arguably did not need it, is also reminiscent of Spielberg’s approach to entertainment.
For those who adore Spielberg’s sci-fi works, there is some appeal to be found inExtant. Yet, stepping outside of that,the show is slow-paced and suffers from inconsistent writing. Its exploration of AI, while somewhat ahead of its time, joins the thousands of other TV series and movies that you can point to as a positive for tackling an issue that now has more relevance. Truthfully,Netflix is loaded with great sci-fi series, andExtantis not one of them.Still, you can always decide for yourself, asExtantis now available to stream onNetflix.
