"Earth: Final Conflict" (1997) TV series 1997-2002

Creator:

Gene Roddenberry

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

6 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When an alien species comes to Earth bearing boons to Humanity, a few suspicious humans seek to learn and resist the newcomers' true designs.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Implant | Police | Product Placement | Planet In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Von Flores	...	Ronald Sandoval (110 episodes, 1997-2002)
Leni Parker	...	Da'an / ... (88 episodes, 1997-2001)
Anita LaSelva	...	Zo'or (78 episodes, 1997-2002)
Richard Chevolleau	...	Marcus 'Augur' Deveraux (70 episodes, 1997-2001)
Robert Leeshock	...	Liam Kincaid (67 episodes, 1998-2002)
David Hemblen	...	Jonathan Doors (67 episodes, 1997-2000)
Jayne Heitmeyer	...	Renee Palmer (66 episodes, 1999-2002)
Lisa Howard	...	Lili Marquette (49 episodes, 1997-2000)

Also Known As:

EFC (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Gene Roddenberry's Battleground Earth (USA) (working title)
Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict (USA) (complete title)
Invasion planète Terre (Canada: French title)
Mission Erde: Sie sind unter uns (Germany)

Runtime:

Canada:60 min (110 episodes) | UK:41 min | USA:60 min

Country:

USA | Canada | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

On the desk of Dr. Julianne Belman, played by Majel Barrett, is a picture of Gene Roddenberry, Barrett's husband and creator of the concept for the series.

Quotes:

Zo'or: Where there is an asset, there is a liability. Eliminate the latter.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Reality Quest (2004)

A disappointing end to a promising idea

I really enjoyed this series when it first came out. Although the idea of benevolent-seeming aliens with ulterior motives is not new (see the original Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man"), EFC gave it a new and fresh approach. Add to that the intrigue between Da'an and Zo'or and the other Taelons, the power struggles within the Resistance, and the Machiavellian Sandoval, and you had a story with some real promise.

Unfortunately, the loss of Kevin Kilner as Boone towards the end of the first season, signaled the beginning of a string of cast changes that disrupted the continuity of the series and the story line (to paraphrase a line from "The Outlaw Josey Wales": when I get to liking a character, they don't stay around very long). Robert Leeshock put in a fine performance as Liam Kincaid; but I felt Liam became less interesting the more "human" he became. As part alien, he straddled both sides of the fence and could bond with Da'an in ways that no human ever could; but as a human, he was just one more resistance fighter.

Another disturbing trend--and maybe it's my own imagination--was the tendency to cast women based on their brassiere sizes. I thought nothing of it with Lisa Howard--I thought her portrayal of Lili Marquette was first-rate--but then with the introduction, shortly after Lili's disappearance, of Jayne Heitmeyer as Renee Palmer, I became more suspicious. The final straw was Lori Alter's well-endowed and scantily-camisoled Ehrengraf wrestling with Liam in the final moments of "Emancipation". All we needed was the Jell-O. Were they TRYING for the adolescent male audience? I'm not criticizing the acting abilities of any of these women; I'm just saying that it was hard to take the series seriously after that.

Finally, would it have been rocket science to choose a less transparent name than Doors International? Jonathan DOORS--Bill GATES??? (Not to mention Microsoft WINDOWS(R)!)

I can't comment at all on the fifth season--once I saw the Atavus appear and started reading some of the story lines, it just became too painful to bear.