What I’m Watching: People of Earth (Season Finale)

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 10 “Game Night” (B+)

They may be a different species that purports superintelligence over their human subjects, but these aliens really aren’t all that smart. Even Eric didn’t realize that all it would take to stop Gerry from being triggered by the fives becoming twos, a humorously simple way of describing both dice showing the same number, would be someone showing up and tackling him to the ground so that it would sound like he was glitching. The game was pretty intense and cool, though of course its aim was to have Gerry kill everyone in the group, which wasn’t great. Fortunately, Walsh showed up at just the right moment and Yvonne hadn’t gotten rid of all – or any – of her weapons, so Gerry posed no threat. Alex wasted no time in arresting Walsh in front of her very proud newfound twin sister, and it’s a good thing that Walsh quickly proved both that the FBI was lying and that he was an alien so that he and the two sisters can fight to get their friends back. Jeff already failed to kill the bee, and he, Don, and Kurt didn’t realize that Eric was able to shrink his box size down, enabling him to escape their bigger box and then fly up Don’s nose to take control of his body. The sight of all of our friends, including Doug, strapped to beds onboard the ship with a possessed Don marching back and forth and telling them not to be weird was an unsettling ending, especially since the only way they survive, I’d imagine, is if their memories get wiped, but I suppose we’ll see when the show returns for what I know will be a great season three.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Ken Hall as Jeff

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 9 “Truth or Dare” (B+)

It’s sad that there’s just one episode left this season, but I’m very comforted by the fact that this show will be back for a third season. I’m a bit puzzled about the speed with which Walsh is planning to bring back Ozzie, but apparently it’s a big ship, so I guess we just don’t know what’s going on in this episode, which didn’t even feature Don at all. I think that Jeff has officially become my favorite character this season, trying hard in this episode to work up the courage to tell Kurt how he feels about him, egged on by Walsh, and then ultimately relegated to pretending that he loves scrubbing every surface of the ship with a toothbrush. Discovering that Eric charges every night is important, and could help with the mutiny, but Gerry appears to have finished his project, which is bad news for everyone. I enjoyed Richard’s mediation and the fact that he was able to achieve a victory for the believers, which he followed up by taking the settlement money he got and quitting his job so that he could find something he actually likes. Everyone bringing him pajamas was especially sweet. Alex showing up at Gina’s door for some free therapy was funny, and her rambling voicemail was a pretty big disaster, culminating in her saying “I love you.” My favorite part was her realization that her last name was Foster because she lived in a lot of foster homes. It seems that her connection has been a positive one, and I can’t wait until she finds out that her birth mother was abducted by aliens while giving birth.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 8 “Alien Experiencer Expo” (B+)

I had seen a preview for this episode and wasn’t sure how having an alien expo on a show that confirms the existence of aliens almost more than any other comedy I’ve seen would play, but I’m happy to report that, as usual for this show, it was a resounding success. I think the main reason for that is that all of the characters, save for Alex of course, went in with the attitude that this was research and a great learning opportunity. Author Leonard Bechdal, who Gina was a big fan of, was a fraud only because he stole his wife’s story, not because he wasn’t actually abducted by aliens. And my absolute favorite reaction came from Don, who went around to each of the booths to discuss the accuracy and ethical nature of each of the exhibits. Jeff didn’t seem very excited by Don’s gift for him, even though the White really did mean well by it. Slipping Alex an envelope with the phone number for her family was a sweet move on Don’s part, but I can only imagine that it’s going to lead to some questions when her mother theoretically confirms her very lucid abduction by aliens many years earlier. Chelsea’s pregnancy was confirmed very quickly despite Margaret’s efforts to make it seem like far from a done deal, and let’s hope that it is indeed Father Doug’s and not some alien artificially inseminated by our friends on the ship. Ozzie still hasn’t been brought back yet, and I wonder whether that’s something being saved for the season finale of this awesome show that fortunately has just been renewed for season three!

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 7 “Bee Kind” (B+)

I saw a commercial for this show on TBS and was explaining to those I was with that this show is so great, something that those who haven’t seen it find hard to believe. This episode was further confirmation of this show’s greatness, since the “intruder alert” turned out to be just a bee which had Jeff scared for his life and the others a bit on edge too. The best part of the whole thing was that Jeff was most concerned with being the one to push the button to jettison it out of the airlock so that he could tell Eric that he saved the day, and of course the bee was still on the ship. We got an important piece of information in this episode that was revealed in a rather straightforward way, which is that Don once brought a pregnant woman in the middle of labor onto the ship, Jeff beamed her back to Earth, and then Don had to find something to do with the baby, who was of course Agent Foster, who can now be known simply as Alex. I’m curious to see how she would react upon learning her true origins, and something tells me we’re getting closer to that with Don’s attempts to use AA for his own catharsis. Walsh killing the assassin was a positive step, since it shows his allegiance to Ozzie and also eliminates him as a threat. It was pretty awkward that Chelsea’s husband brought her to Father Doug for marriage counseling, and it was great to see the priest step down and embrace his newfound relationship, thanks in no small part to her husband’s continued infidelity. I wonder where they go from here!

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 6 “Aftermath” (B+)

I definitely didn’t realize that Ozzie was supposed to be dead, though I guess he did utter “Trust...Walsh” as what appeared to be his last words. I’m just surprised that Wyatt Cenac would leave the show - not that it couldn’t survive without him, more just that he’s a great part of it. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like he’s actually going anywhere, since the sudden reanimation of Kurt has inspired Walsh to do the same thing with his late friend, even though there hasn’t been any time to determine if there are lasting effects of such a revival that could be detrimental to one’s physical or mental health. While the humans on Earth are busy grieving through bickering about who should be able to take care of Ozzie’s fish and cursing at the aliens within earshot of a children’s birthday party, the aliens up on the ship are getting ready for a good old-fashioned mutiny, led by Walsh and eagerly supported by Jeff, who was not at all happy to learn that Eric really hates him. I enjoyed seeing Walsh and Jeff interact with the former trying to have secretive conversations, something the latter clearly didn’t comprehend. Agent Saunders put on a show like he doesn’t believe Agent Foster, but his follow-up call to the Assessor demonstrates that he does, and the members of Star-Crossed are now in more danger than before. Gerry being hypnotized by the moon thanks to the box is equally disconcerting, especially since we don’t know what mission he’s ultimately meant to carry out.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 5 “The Truth Hurts” (B+)

Walsh isn’t holding anything back from Wyatt, and it’s great to see the two of them teaming up as Wyatt took whatever kind of alien technology bullet that was for him and then told Agent Foster that she could trust him. Taking off his human mask was very helpful in skipping over any sort of doubt and triggering flashbacks for Wyatt of the formative moments in his life where Walsh really did seem like a friend to him. It was sweet to see that he flashed his frightening alien eyes at the bullies who stole his yo-yo so that they would stop picking on him, and they’ve now come quite a long way. Agent Foster was furious that they had gotten her drunk and distracted her with karaoke, and she was ready to go with her buttering up of Richard to get him to take her to where he knew Wyatt was. Nancy being there was an unfortunate coincidence – though of course we know it’s not – and I suspect he’s going to be in bad, bad shape when he inevitably sees her again. Earlier in the episode, he walked into work with donuts as if he was everyone’s best friend, but all that’s changed is that he took a whole long time off work without any permission. I like the notion that there are other rebel aliens out have developed empathy for humans, and I’m eager to see more of those, especially since we know that Don has come around to similar thinking.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 4 “Always a Day Away” (B+)

The group made quite the effort to help Ozzie sneak away to go meet Walsh, and what a scene it was seeing Agent Foster go up on stage and sing a very heartfelt and obviously emotional karaoke rendition. One of the things I love most about this show is that its characters manage to help each other, and I think that Gina’s offer to help Agent Foster work through her issues with being an orphan is sincere, and even though right now she’s furious about being deceived, she may end up taking her up on it. It was also cool to see Don in the distance and have Agent Foster realize that she knew him from a memory since she too is apparently an experiencer! Don coming down to Earth to talk to Kelly was really great, and the fact that she reacted so poorly every single time when he kept erasing her memory, in the style of “Men in Black,” and telling her that he was married wasn’t the best resolution but seemed to be the only one that didn’t end with her freaking out. Father Doug and Chelsea were looking to move forward with their relationship, but it seems that leaving the church isn’t something that’s so simple. The most surprising development of all came from the Cube’s attempt to test Jeff by forcing him to get rid of Kurt’s body. Only it turns out that Kurt isn’t dead after all, and, now that he’s back, he doesn’t feel the same way that Jeff does about him.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 3 “Gerry’s Return” (B+)

Gerry’s return to the group was pretty triumphant, as he quickly realized, thanks to Yvonne being furious at him for standing her up four days earlier, that he had finally been abducted. Getting hypnotized proved it, though it also led to him revealing his relationship with Yvonne. He was upset for a moment that everyone else was “extra abducted,” but in the end he managed to stay in what sort of counts as a slow-moving relationship with Yvonne after all. Nancy coming back for her finger made Agent Foster a bit suspicious about what’s going on in Beacon, but she’s so hyper-focused on arresting white-collar criminal Jonathan Walsh that she’s not buying any of this alien abduction crap. I like the dynamic that she and Wyatt have, and I look forward to her being around for a while. Gina’s comeback of “I don’t walk into your FBI office and tell you how to do your FBI job” was my favorite line of the episode. I forgot to mention the introduction of Paul Lieberstein from “The Office” at the end of the last episode as the alien assassin, who thought that Glimmer did him a favor by having a heart attack but who actually tricked him into thinking that he was dead to spare his own life. Father Doug and Chelsea’s relationship is continuing to blossom, and of course they would head all the way to Poughkeepsie only to find someone who made it out of Beacon and knew Father Doug.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 2 “Uneasy Alliance” (B+)

I’m loving the way things are going this season, both on earth as Agent Foster gets closer to the truth and Jeff has to contend with new management aboard the ship. It wouldn’t be easy to describe to anyone what exactly is happening with Nancy and Jonathan and the group, but I think Agent Foster thinks that it’s much simpler than that. Richard got himself arrested very quickly, and I’m not sure what Wyatt is going to do since he promised her Jonathan in exchange for Richard’s release. I find it hilarious that the police station is closed on Sundays and at night, something that Agent Foster pointed out to Officer Glimmer was extremely dangerous. Kelly seemed understandably upset that no one noticed that she went to Iceland and that she got new hair, and I feel like they’d all be much more interested if they knew that she was briefly dating an alien. Eric is a fantastic addition to the show, not too into Jeff and the way he does work and much more sympathetic to his new bud Jerry and would-be screwup Don. I like the cube’s matter-of-fact style of speaking, asking Don how incompetent Jeff is before seeming so excited to see Jerry. Jeff was clearly annoyed about this, and I don’t think things up there can last all that long the way they currently are. It’s hard to know what happened to Jerry before Eric sent him back, and something tells me he’s not going to be the same person he was when he left.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth (Season Premiere)

People of Earth: Season 2, Episode 1 “New Beginnings” (B+)

I really, really like this show, and I’m so glad that it’s back. Season one was terrific, and now it’s looking like this year is going to get even better. The addition of Nasim Pedrad, already one of the best parts of “New Girl” in a major recurring role, as a disgraced FBI agent sent to Beacon for a crappy assignment that she’s determined to resolve and close quickly, is superb. We also got to see Kevin Hanchard, best known as Art from “Orphan Black,” in a minor role that may or may not become more significant over the course of the season. What’s great, and clear, about what’s going on now is that we know where everyone stands. Jeff couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with a flying box that has similar aims to what he wants to do, and I enjoyed the box’s interactions with a thrilled Gerry. Don was doing a great job keeping up the charade with Kelly, even picking out a fake mom in Iceland, but when the jig was up, it all imploded, leaving her very angry and him back on the ship and likely in trouble due to his philandering. Ozzie’s getting the group back together, which is great, and I enjoyed all the reintroductions to the characters in this episode. Things may be different, like Richard blood-testing everyone and touching their faces to make sure they’re not reptiles, but I think have no doubt that this is going to be a blast.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth (Season Finale)

People of Earth: Season 1, Episodes 9 and 10 “Lost and Found” and “Snake Man and Little Guy” (B+)

I love this show, and I’m so happy that it’s coming back for a second season. This double-decker finale was fantastic, and a lot happened. The most important thing that we learned was that all of the members of the group – except for Jerry, of course – were all abducted as kids and then repeatedly taken back up for experiences. While Jeff is out for blood and just wants to kill the person who took his friend Kurt, both Jonathan and Don are far more compassionate about the human race. Seeing how Ozzie first got abducted was great, and Jonathan was always all about treating the humans with kindness. Richard tailing Nancy to Gina’s house and then seeing her fight with Jonathan made for a superb series events that helped Ozzie to put Jonathan’s identity together. Now they all have confirmation that aliens are real, and finally Jerry is able to get the chance he always wanted, which of course means that Yvonne is going to think that he stood her up. Other romantic developments were much sweeter, namely Kelly offering to go with Don to Iceland when he said that he needed to break up with her because the pressures were getting to be too much, and Chelsea supporting Doug on his quest for a vacation from the cloth and then realizing that they need to sleep together since it would make both of them much happier. This show has wonderfully exceeded all my expectations, and I can’t wait for everything about season two. I think this is the underpraised show I’m going to be recommending to everyone who’s looking for something good to start.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Everyone!

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 8 “Mars or Bust” (B+)

There’s definitely a point at which being part of the group becomes problematic for your real life, and Ozzie saw that in a big way when he was being honored for his big exposé about Jonathan and then saw a job offer from the New York Times disappear instantly because he honestly answered a question about whether he believed in aliens. Even worse was the fact that the job offer didn’t go away, but came with the condition that he walk back what he said, something that totally negates all the progress he’s achieved. Leaving Beacon was a big step, but he couldn’t do it without seeing something that made him realize that he can’t suppress what he knows to be true. Jerry is being awfully assertive with Yvonne, and her desire to keep a secret romance up rather than move in together seems pretty fair, even though Jerry took it particularly poorly. Father Doug getting abducted was an interesting twist, though it turns out it was just H. Jon Benjamin’s Officer Glimmer paying some local kids to kidnap him so that he would come to the conclusions that all this alien nonsense in an unacceptable distraction. Jeff reprogramming Nancy for the sake of the mission was a fantastic development, and I love that he sent her into Star-Crossed and then ended up sharing some true emotions and feelings about his dearly departed friend Kurt. We have just two back-to-back episodes left, and I’m thrilled that this show secured a renewal for a second season.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 7 “Last Day on Earth” (A-)

I really liked this episode, and I feel like this show, which was renewed recently for a second season (hooray!), has come into himself in a fantastic way. Jerry is sometimes an obnoxious character, but he was perfect in this installment. Calculating the day on which, throughout history, people were taken and then not returned got him set for the biggest day of his life, where he was finally going to be abducted by aliens. I love that he quit his job and had a checklist, including packing astronaut snacks. Going over to Yvonne’s house to confess his feelings was sweet, and I love that she felt the same way and offered to drive him to his abduction the next morning. When he didn’t get taken, it was wonderful to see the group be totally supportive of his validity and worth since the aliens hadn’t chosen him. It’s just as great to see Jonathan sacrifice himself to make sure that Ozzie’s life could be spared, since, when he was abducted as a child, Ozzie drew a picture of Jonathan and called him his friend. I hope that we’ll still see Jonathan going forward, and maybe he can be a good friend to Ozzie now. My favorite part of the episode was the romance between Don and Kelly, with Don apologizing for all male privilege and then remarking that no one ever asks if he wants a drink. His first brainfreeze – and daiquiri – experience was entertaining, and I love that he has now developed a very polite assertiveness which he used with a very unamused Jeff.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 6 “Significant Other” (B+)

I think this episode might have been inevitable since the members of the support group needed to come out to their friends and family. I’m very glad it came around, since it was insightful and great to see how each of the experiencers interact with the people closest to them in their daily lives. What we saw with Gina’s attempt to help them open up was a moderate level of support from all of their people with varying degrees of distance. Richard’s brother was definitely the most entertaining, arguing with him in predictable fashion since they’re actually very alike. The other relationships demonstrated boredom and frustration, mostly resulting in eye-rolling and a dismissive finish tied to similar antics in the past. Chelsea’s husband bursting in after she lied to him about where she was going was probably the harshest development, and I wouldn’t consider the event a success. What I enjoyed most about the episode was Ozzie bonding with Father Doug, who appreciated the opportunity to, for once, not be seen as just a priest – his mother calling him father being a prime example of that. I like that he’s become a major player on the show and hope to see more of him. But for now, let’s focus on the unexpected acceleration of the mothership’s arrival, which is sure to be interesting. We’ve seen how well Jeff has functioned with Don on Earth with no outside pressure, and so I’d expect that he’s going to go into full overdrive mode making plenty of mistakes.

What I’m Watching: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 5 “Unexplained” (B+)

This was a great episode, featuring some truly hapless tinkering with Ozzie’s implant by Jeff and some unexpected exploration on Don’s part of what being human feels like. Ozzie is the most normal of all the group members by far, and to see him acting strange was startling, even if he does regularly have conversations with talking deer. The fact that Jeff could press buttons and it would trigger responses in Ozzie which he had absolutely no clue about was very entertaining and totally in line with this show’s sense of humor. In the hospital, Ozzie put it all together and expressed what was happening, but he also called Gerry his best friend, which might negate the validity of everything he said. I liked Gerry’s response to meeting Nancy, which consisted mostly of him commenting that Jonathan would have come in person if he was really his best friend. Wyatt seeing goatees on all the group members was a truly trippy sight. Don’s fascination with Kelly following her asking him how he was doing when he was examining her was fantastic, and he definitely didn’t get the same warm reception when he eavesdropped on her conversation and did something nice for her, though that probably has something to do with the fact that she doesn’t recognize him due to the whole memory being wiped thing. I’m enjoying Chelsea’s budding relationship with Father Doug, one that was initially built on an interest in Christianity but has now blossomed into something much sweeter that I think will benefit them both immensely.

Take Three: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 4 “Past, Present, and Future” (B+)

This show is an absurdist comedy in many ways, but it also has a solid dramatic backbone that’s conveyed rather tragically. Take the origin story of Gina in this episode, who up until now had seemed like the most put-together person on this show. The Gina that we saw in flashbacks was totally different than the one we know now, not concerned with comforting or listening to those talking about their difficulties and instead set on pushing them to do whatever she thinks is easiest and best. Convincing one patient that he needed to show his commitment to his relationship by skydiving resulted in a quick flash to his funeral after he pushed himself too far towards deadly danger. That event changed Gina’s outlook and perspective to the point that, when she was abducted, she didn’t even want to believe that she was special. It’s nice to see the hope reinjected back into her life by Gerry’s kindness, and now she’s able to help people again in a less official way. Jonathan’s arrival to Beacon was quiet showy, and buying the employees of the newspaper flashy new tablets after they had decades-old desktops that barely worked before that is going to shake up one small town in a big way. Ozzie definitely isn’t acquiescing, and even though Jonathan seems sympathetic to him, another trip to the donut shop isn’t something either of them wants to happen. I like Michael Cassidy and think that he’s perfect for this role, so I’m glad that he continues to be a part of the show.

Round Two: People of Earth

People of Earth: Season 1, Episode 3 “Acceptance” (B+)

In its second week, this show demonstrated that its premise actually does work and that it’s able to relatively layered in both its comedy and its more sincere developments. When Richard first had something to share, everyone in the group groaned because he didn’t have a real update, but it turns out that he had in fact been served with divorce papers. I love that Amy Landecker from “Transparent” was the one who played Debbie, who, as soon as Richard asked her whether she was being coerced by the reptilians, lashed out at Richard for perpetuating this myth and then tracked him down at the meeting when he signed the forms in an unhelpful way. The best part of the whole thing was that, in acknowledging that she and Richard did have problems in their marriage, things were already bad by the time they were abducted. As viewers, we’re well aware that aliens do exist, and it’s nice to see that, even in this kind of situation, someone as level-headed, comparatively-speaking, as Debbie, still doesn’t try to deny the existence of aliens, deciding that being happy is more important than learning the truth. Gina definitely didn’t hit a raccoon, and her mention of that event has piqued the interest of several of her fellow group members. Though they’re not great at being emotive, the aliens are capable of looking through Kurt’s memory bank and identifying the license plate of the car that hit him, which is bad news for one of our human friends.

Pilot Review: People of Earth

People of Earth (TBS)
Premiered October 31 at 9pm

I didn’t expect anything at all from this show and thought I really wouldn’t like it. I’m not looking to pick up new comedies only because I think dramas tend to be more engaging, but then a show like this that’s genuinely funny comes along. I immediately recognized lead actor Wyatt Cenac from his time on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and more specifically his anchoring of the “Thin Jew Line” skit about the eruv. He’s a great straight man for ridiculous stuff to happen to, and having constant dreams about hitting a deer but not knowing exactly what happened led him to have a mild curiosity in this support group about those who have been abducted by aliens, who apparently are supposed to be called “experiencers” rather than “abductees” since the latter term is demeaning and offensive. The fact that the aliens on this show are not only real but also casual and silly is entertaining, and the concept works. The revelation that Michael Cassidy’s editor is an alien trying to keep Ozzie’s encounter quiet is especially interesting. The use of Ana Gasteyer as the group’s leader and Oscar Nunez as the reluctant priest in the supporting cast is effective, and the best standout player is Brian Huskey, best known as Leon West on “Veep,” as Richard, who is very intense about what he’s been through and how he sees the world. I’m not sure how long I can realistically stick with this show, but this start was great and I’m eager to see more of where it goes.

How will it work as a series? These episodes are short enough and relatively focused - a compliment considering how outlandish the material is - so I imagine that ten episodes shouldn't be hard to fill. The ensemble is pretty big and full of colorful characters - some literally different colors - who should be able to provide plenty of entertainment.
How long will it last? It looks like the show has received pretty solid reviews, and I think this is just the right kind of grounded irreverence that TBS is going for. I can't find too much data on ratings, but I'd bet on this one to do pretty well at this point.

Pilot grade: B+