TNT has a monster hit with the sci-fi dramatic television series “Falling Skies.” The show, about an invasion by an alien military force and the human survivors’ retaliation, has garnered rave reviews. And it also has an impressive pedigree: Steven Spielberg is an executive producer. The show is already receiving accolades, Noah was nominated for a Teen Choice award as a summer TV star and the series was nominated by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association as one of the most exciting new series at their inaugural Critics’ Choice Television Awards this past June 20th.
I recently talked with “Skies” star Noah Wyle about working with the iconic filmmaker and found out which character in Spielberg’s Oscar-winning epic “Saving Private Ryan” inspired his “Skies” character.
LS: How would you describe the show?
NW: “Family and character drama on the canvas of an alien invasion show. It’s a drama and a science fiction show and it walks a fine line between the two.”
LS: Are you surprised by the great reviews the series has received?
NW: “I was a bit cynical about it when I first started. This is such a communal effort; the acting part is a small part of it. Really, it’s in the post production that it takes shape. Until they put the special effects, music and the monsters in, I didn’t know what we had. In the finished form it’s very gratifying.”
LS: Is Steven Spielberg an involved producer?
NW: “He sure is. Steven was one of the executive producers on “ER” so I’ve had the good fortune of working for him for almost twenty years now. He gave great notes; they weren’t directly aimed at me but at every single level of the production. From the shaping of the script, to the casting, to the editorial suggestions, to the designing of the aliens and the spaceships, his fingerprints are all over this. He’s been very encouraging. When Steven described the character to me the prototype that he used was Tom Hank’s character in “Saving Private Ryan.” He was in the editing room tweaking some of the final visuals and the special effects in the final episode. It’s a great indicator that he’s proud of the show and is invested in it, so that’s gratifying. He seems pleased with my work, so I’m happy not to have gotten subsequent notes.”
“Falling Skies” returns to TNT in the summer of 2012.