Will We See The Man Who Fell To Earth Season 2?
Showtime has been home to some flashy scripted programming over the last handful of years, with the breakout hit "Yellowjackets" right at the top of the list, not to mention the upcoming series adaptation of "Let the Right One In." This year saw the release of the ambitious "The Man Who Fell to Earth" on the premium cable channel/streaming service, serving as a sequel to the original 1976 movie that starred the late David Bowie.
For those who have been wondering whether or not we are going to get a second season of the sci-fi series, Showtime has finally handed down a verdict on that front. To get to the point, this is confirmed to be a one-and-done, though that may be for the best.
Season 2 is a no go
As was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, "The Man Who Fell to Earth" season 2 is a no-go. This will, instead, be a limited series. A spokesperson for the network released a statement on the matter, which reads as follows:
"Our thanks to the extraordinary Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, John Hlavin and Sarah Timberman who did a great job of turning the David Bowie film into such a resonant tale for our times. And kudos to a wondrous cast led by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris and Bill Nighy for bringing it to life. Alex and Jenny originally intended The Man Who Fell To Earth to be a close-ended story. While we flirted with the idea of expanding it into a second season, we all ultimately decided to embrace it as a one season story well told."
The original movie was based on Walter Tevis' 1963 novel of the same name. The show, somewhat ambitiously, aimed to be a sequel to that story, with Ejiofor, of "Doctor Strange" and "12 Years a Slave" fame, leading the way. In the end, tempting fate worked out, as the show currently boasts an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. So, why no second season?
Sticking with the original plan
As the spokesperson laid out in that statement, the show was originally designed as a limited series. When a show is successful, naturally, conversations are going to happen regarding a continuation. In this case, the brass ultimately decided to leave things be. That may be for the best so we don't run into a situation where it feels like they are stretching things out needlessly.
The series centers on an alien (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who crashes deep into the oil fields of New Mexico. His mission? Find the brilliant scientist Justin Falls (Naomie Harris), who is the one woman on Earth who can help save his species. He naturally struggles to adapt to our world, but the unlikely duo soon finds they must first save our world in order to save his.
The show had originally been set up at Paramount+ before it was determined that it suited Showtime better. Kurtzman and Lumet served as co-showrunners along with Hlavin, with the trio also serving as executive producers. While this show may be over with, Kurtzman and Lumet, who are behind much of the current "Star Trek" universe, still have an overall deal with CBS Studios and have other shows in the works.