"Surface" (2005) TV series 2005-2006

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Creators:

Jonas Pate
Josh Pate

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

19 September 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The fate of the world is in their hands. They just don't know it.

Plot:

A marine biologist, an insurance salesman and a teen-aged boy find their lives fundamentally changed by the emergence of a new, and often dangerous, species of sea life, while government agents work to keep the affair under wraps.

Plot Keywords:

Babe Scientist | Sea Creature | Underwater Scene | Teenager | Oceanographer

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Lake Bell	...	Dr. Laura Daughtery (15 episodes, 2005-2006)
Jay R. Ferguson	...	Rich Connelly (15 episodes, 2005-2006)
Carter Jenkins	...	Miles Barnett (15 episodes, 2005-2006)
Leighton Meester	...	Savannah Barnett (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Ian Anthony Dale	...	Davis Lee (11 episodes, 2005-2006)
Louanne Cooper	...	Sylvia Barnett (11 episodes, 2005-2006)
Ric Reitz	...	Ron Barnett (11 episodes, 2005-2006)
Eddie Hassell	...	Phil Nance / ... (10 episodes, 2005-2006)
Kelly Collins Lintz	...	Tracy Connelly (10 episodes, 2005-2006)
Joe Cipriano	...	Announcer (10 episodes, 2005-2006)
Bobby Coleman	...	Jesse Daughtery / ... (7 episodes, 2005-2006)
Jason Davis	...	Sean (7 episodes, 2005-2006)
Caroline Kent	...	Emily Connelly (7 episodes, 2005-2006)

Also Known As:

Fathom (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Australia:PG | Australia:M (some episodes) | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina, USA

Company:

NBC Universal Television

Trivia:

The character of Richard Connelly is based partially on Roy Neary, the main character of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) played by Richard Dreyfuss.

Quotes:

Miles: It's more than that. He wants to sleep with me, he follows me into the shower...
Phil: Dude, we're in a locker room. Make it clear you're talking about a lizard.

Surface is the best of the new sci-fi/horror shows.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2005/10/03/surface-episode-3/

Surface: Episode 3 Posted Oct 3, 2005, 9:34 PM ET by Bob Sassone Filed under: NBC, Sci-Fi/Horror, Surface

Maybe a giant fireball of an explosion in the poolhouse will convince Miles that keeping a weird sea creature as a secret pet isn't the best idea in the world. But somehow, I doubt it. I still think it's ridiculous. It's not cute, it's potentially deadly, so the only two outcomes that will be acceptable are, a.) the kid brings the little creature to the attention of Laura or Rich, or b.) the monster grows up fast and devours the entire family.

So while Miles and his buddy are trying to figure out how to feed and train the little creature, Rich goes back to work at his insurance job (wow, what a dreary office/small desk he has - he should just quit and hunt monsters full-time), and Laura is having her own problems at work and has to get a job as a waitress ($68 in tips for 12 hours work...not too good). The appearance of these monsters are affecting all the major characters, in big ways.

This is the best of the new sci-fi/horror shows. It's not as boring as Invasion; it has a better plot than Supernatural; it's not as goofy as Threshold (save for the little monster subplot), and it's not as awful as Night Stalker seems to be so far. I like how they have three different plots going (Laura's, Rich's, Miles) but they haven't brought them all together yet in some forced, let's save the Earth sort of way. This show is methodical, but never boring. It's majestic and epic when it has to be, but it's never over the top. It's the only show of this bunch where I can honestly say I look forward to seeing every week and that is leaving me guessing as to what exactly is going to happen and where they are going with the plot. The structure is smart, and I love how it ends with some big event (the giant monster eating the boat whole from below, tonight's Old Faithful exploding into fire and smoke).

I've stopped watching Invasion, and I'm going to watch Supernatural only because I'm reviewing it. The Night Stalker I'll watch for the same reason or until it's cancelled. Threshold is fun too so I'll keep watching that. But Surface is the one I'll buy on DVD, if it ever gets to that point.