Earth 2 Frequently Asked Questions

Part 2 of 3

Information about the cast, crew, and production

Who created Earth 2?
The concept for Earth 2 was originally created by Billy Ray for Amblin Entertainment. The project was given to a trio of producers: Michael Duggan from Law and Order; Carol Flint from China Beach; and Mark Levin from The Wonder Years. Although all three had a reputation for producing quality television, none of the three had ever worked in a science fiction genre. This, unfortunately, caused a lot of hard-core SF fans to write the program off before it aired. However, Steven Spielberg was firmly behind the project, and Amblin began pre-production in 1993.
Who are the stars of Earth 2?
The cast of E2 was:Supporting characters were played by: Marcia Magus, Rockmond Dunbar, Walter Norman, Kirk Trutner, Fred Lopez, Denielle Fisher, and Erin Murphy. Zero was played by stunt coordinator Thierre Turner. The Grendlers were played by Jeff Deist and Lisa Ebeyer of Cannom Creations. The Terrians were played by Russ Werkman. The Koba was puppeted by Bill Traetta of Cannom Creations.
Guest stars included Tim Curry, Terry O'Quinn, Roy Dotrice, Patrick Bauchau, Jeff Kober, Julius Carry, Kelli Williams, and Michael Reilly Burke.
Where was Earth 2 filmed?
E2 was filmed entirely on location in northern New Mexico. The state was chosen because of its rugged terrain and otherworldly appearance. E2 filmed all around the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area, most notably Tent Rocks, Abiquiu, Chamisa Trail, White Mesa, Santa Clara Pueblo, Nambe Pueblo, Diablo Canyon, Conchiti Lake, Tesuque, and La Bajada. Interior shots were done at Garson Studios on the campus of the University of Santa Fe.
Who created the special effects, aliens, and futuristic gadgets?
The world of Earth 2 was created by a number of talented artists and designers. The CGI special effects were done by Dream Quest Images. Other FX, including Terrian tunnels and the "Terrian on ice" were created by Kevin Pike of Filmtrix. The aliens were created by Cannom Creations, most notably Bill Traetta and Jana Marie Bonar. The creators studied NASA designs for things like cargo pods, escape pods, and exploration vehicles. The TransRover was a modified HumVee, which was given to the show in return for publicity. The Gear, Jumpers, and Magpros were designed by Ron Broedders, who now does props for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The ATV and DuneRail were designed by Filmtrix. The tents and biodome were from Shelter Systems, Inc.
Did Earth 2 win any awards?
It sure did! In 1995, E2 was nominated for Emmy awards in the categories of Best Visual Special Effects (First Contact), Best Makeup (After the Thaw), and Best Sound Editing (First Contact). It won Best Visual Special Effects category, beating out such heavyweights as Babylon 5, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space 9; and Seaquest DSV. In addtion, E2 was nominated for the German version of the Emmy in 1996.
Where else has Earth 2 been shown?
Like many other quality American TV shows, E2 was more popular overseas than in the US. It was shown in English-speaking Canada at the same time as the U.S. E2 was shown in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany, Brazil, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Mexico, Spain, France, Pakistan, and Israel - so far. The show was wildly popular in Germany, where it was in the top 5 and was nominated for the German equivalent of the Emmy awards. If E2 has been shown in your country, please let us know!
Were there any science consultants on the project?
Since none of the producers had a background in science fiction, they sought help from NASA. In addition, noted author Greg Bear was a consultant in the initial stages of the project, but left due to some artistic differences.
Did Antonio Sabato, Jr. really "diss" E2 in Entertainment Weekly?
In an August 1995 interview in Entertainment Weekly, Antonio Sabato, Jr. was quoted as saying, "Earth 2 sucked, and I'm glad it died." This came as quite a shock. Every other interview he'd done was very positive, and it seemed like he was having a good time doing the show. After several other interviews in which he was positive about E2, many fans feel that he was either misquoted, very bitter about life at that point (his show had been cancelled and his girlfriend had dumped him), or he had knowledge of the proposed changes to the show, and believed that it "was going to suck."