Pilot Review: Extant

Extant (CBS)
Premiered July 9 at 8pm

Halle Berry doing television any time of the year on a cable network would be relatively surprising, therefore her headlining a summer show on CBS is even more interesting. An executive producer credit from Steven Spielberg adds considerable gravitas to this off-season sci-fi effort, and makes this easily one of the most alluring series of the summer. I’ve never found Berry to be a particularly terrific actress, Oscar win notwithstanding, but movie actors switching to television doesn’t almost mean top-notch acting. It’s more about the appeal of the project, and the fact that someone like Berry would be interested in taking on a weekly role. The plot here is definitely inviting, featuring a suspicious solo astronaut setup, and the very puzzling revelation that Berry’s Molly is pregnant. The suspenseful events aboard the ship were very well-done, and I wish that the episode as a whole was more about that than awkwardly creepy run-ins by the garbage can. I like the fact that Brad Beyer’s supposedly deceased astronaut is actually alive, but his “don’t trust anyone” warning felt a bit melodramatic and forced. I do like the cast, which includes Beyer of “Jericho,” Michael O’Neill of “24” and much since then, Goran Visjnic of “ER,” Hiroyuki Sanada, recently seen on “Helix,” Grace Gummer from “The Newsroom” and much more, and Camryn Manheim from “The Practice” and “Person of Interest.” They’re of more interest to me than Berry, and I think that this show might be able to prove a stirring summer series. I’m definitely up for another look.

How will it work as a series? Molly is going to have trouble keeping the fact that she is pregnant a secret, and Alan and Hideki are already making shady moves to ensure that she is under close surveillance. Robot Ethan adds an entirely different dimension of problems, as his emotions and whole personality are subject to the potential for serious malfunctions. To me, this has the making of a strong series.
How long will it last? CBS would love to have another hit to position alongside its breakout from last summer, “Under the Dome.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be it. Maybe its random mid-July launch explains it, but I think the ratings here won’t be enough for CBS, even though they’re pretty good compared to anything else. I see no reason why CBS wouldn’t air the initial thirteen episodes, but I doubt there’s more to come after that.

Pilot grade: B-