"Night Sky" is the latest puzzle-box sci-fi series landing on Amazon Prime Video starting Friday (May 20) and we've got an exclusive clip from this provocative show to share.
Written by Holden Miller (comedian Dennis Miller’s son), "Night Sky" showcases Sissy Spacek ("Carrie," "Homecoming") and J.K. Simmons ("Spider-Man Trilogy," "Whiplash") as Irene and Franklin York, a senior citizen couple whose rural Illinois home contains a teleporting chamber that delivers people to an extraterrestrial observation room on a seemingly-deserted planet. Once it debuts, we expect the show will likely make our top sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime for the month.
As the Yorks continue to try and unravel this mysterious outpost with its jaw-dropping panorama of the cosmos, relatives and curious neighbors begin wondering just what's going on in the couple's backyard garden shed and start pressing them for answers.
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But when a mysterious drifter named Jude, portrayed by "The New Legends of Monkey's" Chai Hansen, appears inside their uncanny viewing area, a larger picture of the portal's true purpose begins to take shape as sinister forces close in to help protect a long-guarded secret.
Check out the exclusive clip at the top of this story of Irene and Franklin as they step over the threshold of the alien teleportation device and into the cozy confines of their personal window into the heavens on a strange and barren planet.
Check out our list for the best free sci-fi short movies and find out our picks for the best sci-fi movies of all time!
"Here, the audience gets their first view of Franklin and Irene's secret," showrunner Daniel C. Connolly tells Space.com. "It's a moment that speaks to both the grand wonder and the human-scale love that form the core of 'Night Sky.'"
In addition to Spacek and Simmons, "Night Sky" co-stars Kiah McKirnan ("Mare of Easttown") as Denise, Julieta Zylberberg ("Impuros") as Stella, Rocío Hernández (“Separadas") as Toni, and Adam Bartley ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") as Byron.
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"Bringing this scene to life required the skill, care and attention of our entire production team," Miller tells Space.com. "But certainly, it's the performances of Sissy and J.K. that truly bring 'the stars' to life."
Produced by Amazon Studios and Legendary Television, "Night Sky" was originally titled "Lightyears" and was set to star Ed O'Neill ("Modern Family") before he departed the project for personal reasons. Holden Miller ("The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore") created and wrote "Night Sky" in collaboration with executive producer Daniel C. Connolly (“Colony”).
"Night Sky" airs all eight episodes of Season 1 on May 20 on Amazon Prime Video. If you're looking to add more space awesomeness to your must-watch list, check out our list for the upcoming sci-fi movies in 2022.
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Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.