Despite a big star like Halle Berry in this sci fi series it was cancelled after the second season. So this is the last bits of the fairly brainy show about an astronaut who gets too close to something while in outer space and then the after effects of that. Might have been too scary to think about something like this happening or that it is too involved a concept…whatever the reason the ratings kept going down and down until the bitter end.

 

extant season 2Briefly, it is a series centered around astronaut Molly Woods (played by Halle Berry) who has taken a long voyage to the far reaches of the galaxy and has now returned to Earth, her family and life. Once back things start getting stranger and stranger and more dangerous.  This season you think things are finally returning to “normal” for Molly after a rocky first season, but no, it is just the calm before the storm. She has to deal with a death and then the reactivation of her robot son, Ethan (played by Pierce Gagnon). The reuniting of mother and son is short lived however and this brings about a mental break. After being committed against her will, Molly manages to escape and forges a partnership with a cop named J.D. Richter (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan). They team up to stop an impending alien invasion and something even more sinister.

 

This version of Extant is much more satisfying a show. The way the story is being told is different in season two from season one. Extant is less story oriented and more action driven this season. Despite my misgivings this works. Much better than the first season did. It really does still examine human morals, technology, human rights and plenty of philosophical questions humans face. Another thing that raises the level of it is the realistic looking world created and the special effects.

 

The change in the way the story is being told really suits Halle Berry. She comes off much better in this season than she did in the first. A sense of comfort at being at the center of all this chaos emanates from her. She plays the existential crises well.

 

Special Features:

Deleted Scenes (1080p)

“Extant”: A Look at Season 2 (1080p, 17:55): Examination of how the story has evolved in season to two by looking at the characters and the story arcs.

A Tour of the Sets (1080p, 6:01): A tour plus a discussion of how the sets serve the story and what practical purpose each item fulfills.

A Carnival of the Mind (1080p, 4:58): A brief look at the most important scenes this season.

Chemistry: Molly & JD (1080p, 6:10): The bond between Molly and J.D. is looked at and what part it plays in the story. Also how the introduction of this new character affected the show.

Two Humanichs: Ethan & Lucy (1080p, 7:02): The show has two main artificial characters – a look at how they are alike and different.

The Season Finale (1080p, 8:12): How the season and series ends.

Gag Reel (1080p, 3:47).