Deron Generally
Deron GenerallyDebris
NBC
Season 1 Episode 1
Pilot
A wrecked alien spacecraft has been identified in space and debris from this ship has broken off and been falling to Earth for the last six months. The government has assembled a team of specialists to track down those pieces of debris but they have some ruthless competition.
The episode opens with a group of mystery men coming to New York to secure a piece of the debris from a black market dealer. As the Feds move in, the bad guys scatter, but another piece of debris shows some surprising powers when discovered by one of the hotel staff. The first scene has definite Fringe and X-Files vibes to it and that tone will continue throughout the episode.
The series focuses on the investigations of American agent Bryan Beneventi (Jonathan Tucker) and his new partner MI6 agent Finola Jones (Riann Steele). Their dynamic is established right away as they’ve been thrust together to retrieve the debris, but they don’t completely trust each other and each one has personal secrets they are not sharing. The two start out the series as partners so you don’t get much of a sense of connection between the characters, but it does give the writers something to evolve.
The main crux of the first episode is the investigation into a series of disappearances that leave the victims seemingly comatose and floating to a specific location. A location that has a connection to a family tragedy, a mother’s grief and a piece of debris that seems to manifest that grief for its own ends.
There is an immediacy to the plot that I enjoyed. The first episode has creepy kids, which are always a plus in a sci-fi series, and a freaky vibe that is familiar but intriguing. You don’t get much sense of the characters in the episode because most of it is spent either explaining their circumstances or introducing obstacles. The performances are solid, but I want to know more about why I should care about these characters and their journeys. The premise is great and opens the door for some interesting and varied storytelling.
The first episode of Debris isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to sci-fi television, but there is enough there for me to be intrigued about what they are building and what it could evolve into.
Debris S01XE01
