TNT's new series brings "The Walking Dead" to mind

I was laying on the couch the other night when a trailer for a new series coming to TNT in June came on the TV. It was for "Falling Skies". A man versus alien show that seemed oddly familiar. Here is the premise:

"FALLING SKIES opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the six months since the initial invasion, the few survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back. Each day is a test of survival as citizen soldiers work to protect the people in their care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign against the occupying alien force."

At the end of the trailer I said to my wife, "You know why this show was green lit? The Walking Dead."

Watch the trailer, which I have linked to the right, and tell me this doesn't remind you of The Walking Dead series. The only difference is they replaced zombies with aliens and seem to have a bigger budget. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I will probably give this show a chance. It doesn't look half bad and it might fill in the void that is left in my TV watching schedule until The Walking Dead is back on for it's second season.

I think the success of Walking Dead showed that a series based on something obscure like zombies and aliens can work and will have a dedicated fan base. The main difference between the two series is that The Walking Dead already has a comic book to base their episodes off of, Falling Skies does not. However, if you look at who all is behind "Falling Skies" you will see some pretty big names including, Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television. The key to the success of and longevity of the show is to see how long they can come up with interesting episodes based on man fighting an invading alien army.

I hope the show is a success and I'm sure I will be watching the first episode in June. Be sure to check out the trailer and website which are linked to the right. Also available on their website is a Falling Skies Web Comic.

- Nick Recchia