Extant
Released 2014
www.ink2quill.com

”Extant” is an American mystery, scifi, televison drama series whose story takes place in the not too distant future. It was created by Mickey Fisher and produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg and the very talent and gracious Halle Berry who also stars in the lead role. It also stars a very talented cast that includes Pierce Gagnon, Grace Gummer, Tyler Hilton, Goran Visnjic, Lynnanne Zager, Huroyuki Sanada, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Michael O´Neill, Camryn Manheim, Kiersey Clemons, Maury Sterling, David Morrisssey, Sergio Harford, Brad Beyer, Charlie Bewley, Cleo Anthony, Kate Burton, Necar Zadegan, Henderson Wade, Khalid Ghajji, Leah Haile, Shana Vonn, Mirai Booth-Ong, Colton Wheeler, Jamila webb, Krisatina Jimenez, Seril James, Cheyenne Nguyen, Billy ”Sly” Williams, Brody Nicholas Lee, Kenzo Lee, Stephanie Stevens, Jack Guzman, Ann Hu, Eric Pumphrey, Jeannetta Arnette, Enver Gjokaj, Tessa Ferrer, Shannon Brown, Tehmina Sunny and Louis Gossett Jr. These are just some of the large talented cast of ”Extant”. There is additionally a large cast of talented directors like David Lerner, Daniel Attias, Paris Barclay, Holly Dale, Paul McCrane and Christine Moore to name a few.

The story begins in the not too distant future when the character of Molly Woods, played by Halle Berry, returns from a solitary 13 month space trip to discover she´s pregnant. She is an astronaut for the International Space Exploration Agency (ISEA) studying worm growth in space. While on her mission aboard the space station Seraphim she is confronted with an alien intelligence that impregnates her. Add to this the fact that she has adopted a highly advanced robotic boy named Ethan, played by Pierce Gagnon, back on Earth. Her husband John Woods, played by Goran Visnjic, built the boy and witnesses, as the season progresses, The robot´s development into a highly intelligent and talented sentient being. This worries Holly at first who is also grieving the loss of her ex-husband and son.

I loved the picture ”Extant” paints of life in the not too distant future because it´s a very plausible. People still use cell phones, albeit nicer ones and people still drive cars, albeit self driving ones. The surveillance state is a reality in this world. Whether in the home or outside there seems to be cameras everywhere and nobody seems offended. Nobody objects to the invasions of privacy that happens on a daily basis. Robots that perform simple tasks are commonplace.

Most disturbing was the way the boy robot was perceived and sometimes treated by everybody. People either saw him as a threat or just a robot. That is to say, a non sentient tool to be used and not deserving basic rights or respect. There are even people who hate him because he symbolizes the oppression of the individual in the technological age.

So I have to ask firstly the question: what is our responsibility to the life we create outside of the man and woman union? Secondly, where does our respect for that life end? Does it end when the life we create does not look like us or is smarter or stronger than us?

This series really is about the survival of 3 different sentient life forms. Will they co-exist or will cosmic law (as we know it) prevail and the more belligerent life form annihilate the weaker ones or the more intelligent species exploit the less intelligent ones? Is the future a gladiator arena or a type of UN council where the different life forms can effectively communicate with each other and co-exist? Any outcome is possible.

I highly recommend ”Extant” as a must see and own for the great actors, directors and producers. All of whom have put their talents together to create a great series.

( Commentary by www.ink2quill.com )
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