Author: Echo Ishii

From the files of a Roddenberry legacy show….

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EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT  was a Canadian science fiction series based on notes and ideas of Gene Roddenberry under the guidance of his widow Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. It ran for five seasons from October 1997 to May 2002.
The show had a mixed reception; garnering both positive and negative reviews. It was canceled about two seasons by CTV due to low ratings but taken over and broadcast by another station for the remainder of its run. There were also apparently difficulties with casts, fees, and contracts-so the show had a rapid turnover of cast members.

Basically, a race of aliens called the Taelons or Companions come to Earth and provide us with advanced technology to counter war, disease, etc. The premise has been used often (think V or To Serve Man) though in this case it is unclear as to whether the aliens are ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

The first season follows William Boone a protector for the Companions recruited as a double agent with the Resistance.   Boone is given an implant by the Taelons that is designed to give him enhanced abilities, but is also suspected to make the humans more complacent. It is reworked by the Resistance.  He is assisted by a computer genius Augur, and a double agent pilot, Lili Marquette. Their most obvious nemesis is Sandoval-another protector of the Companions who is not sympathetic to the Resistance and possibly had other motives. The second season replaces Boone with a human-alien hybrid named Liam Kincaid who joins the Resistance.

The ambiguity is what keeps the show going, though it does deviate from this in its five year run. The main companion for Seasons 1-4 is Da’an, played by actress Leni Parker. Da’an is probably the most engaging character; and later on quite sympathetic to humans compared to other Companion. The Taelons are neither male nor female; are primarily made of energy though take physical form.  Sandoval, a troubled man with varying motivations places a significant part in the show. Many of the episodes followed a formula-Taelons give new invention (transporter-type technology); people like it at first, then something goes wrong, then the Resistance gets involved.

EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT  wasn’t the deepest show perhaps, but I found it enjoyable. I do think the constant cast changes hurt because the tone of the show was never consistent. Still, it was fun, some good ideas, and though it wasn’t the highest rated show, it maintained a loyal fan base.

So, Smart Girls readers, I quite liked the Taelons as an alien species. Any of you have an alien species from a TV show that you found particularly fascinating?