Earth 2: Spielberg Quietly Pulled His Name From This 90s Sci-Fi Show Before It Ever Aired

Steven Spielberg’s legacy commands immense respect among film fans, and for good reason. His name alone can carry entire projects to a whole new level of quality. Be it the Animaniacs or even video games like Boom Blox, if it says “Steven Spielberg presents” on the tin, it has to be great. That mentality was even more prevalent in the ‘90s, after Spielberg shocked the world with Jurassic Park.

In 1994, screenwriters Billy Ray, Michael Duggan, Carol Flint, and Mark Levin envisioned an ambitious sci-fi series that – they hoped – could challenge Star Trek. Earth 2 (63% Critics, 92% Audience – Rotten Tomatoes) started on the right foot, bringing together an amazing cast and an intriguing plot. Sadly, this space-faring adventure couldn’t keep its thrusters on for long, essentially crashing before it left the atmosphere. Let’s take a look at why Earth 2 failed, and why Steven Spielberg eventually wanted nothing to do with the show.

Why Spielberg Removed His Name From Earth 2

As we mentioned before, Spielberg’s name was in high demand by the mid-90s. NBC had hoped that Earth 2 could serve as a companion piece to SeaQuest DSV, another show produced by Amblin Television with Spielberg as executive producer. Both shows were sci-fi adventures, and while one explored the stars and the other went to the depths of the sea, the two series shared a similar DNA.

Things changed once Spielberg actually saw Earth 2’s pilot. As reshoots delayed the show’s premiere by months, Spielberg removed himself from the series during production, full stop. Disappointed with the show’s direction, one of the most prominent filmmakers working in Hollywood had essentially sentenced Earth 2 to its demise before the show aired.

Still, against all odds, Earth 2 had a moderate success, with its two-hour premiere reaching eighth place in the Nielsen ratings for the week. Until it didn’t. Despite the mildly positive reviews, ratings reign supreme in the world of television, and Earth 2 simply wasn’t making the numbers NBC needed to justify its existence. After 21 episodes (or 22, if you count the Pilot as a two-parter), NBC decided not to renew the series for a second season, with cancellation confirmed on May 28, 1995.

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Why Earth 2 Still Has a Cult Following Today

Like many other shows that end abruptly, Earth 2 has found some love among new fans who discovered the series as one of those “hidden gems” of the mid-90s. Earth 2 was ambitious, with a sci-fi worldbuilding that, honestly, could have offered years of stories if given the chance.

It also helps that the cast includes many actors and actresses the internet simply can’t get enough of. Any fan of Tim Curry and Clancy Brown would be thrilled to know they appeared in a short-lived sci-fi film from the ‘90s – especially now that Brown is back in the spotlight thanks to his role in Dexter: New Blood.

As optimistic as one would like to be, Earth 2 simply had no chance. NBC’s poor scheduling set the show against heavy-hitters like 60 Minutes that essentially guaranteed no one would watch the series. After a rocky run and Spielberg’s distance, Earth 2 failed to capture an audience of sci-fi fans that, just a couple of months later, would be positively enamored with Star Trek: Voyager.

Luckily for fans looking to hunt down this elusive sci-fi oddity, the entire Earth 2 run got a DVD release back in 2005. While it’s not available to stream (officially, of course), at least the show won’t become lost media anytime soon, as much as Spielberg would probably prefer if it did.

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Where to Watch Earth 2

At the moment, Earth 2 isn’t available to stream anywhere. It left Netflix in January 2017. Now, the only way to watch it is a 2005 four-disc DVD set, which you could probably grab secondhand on eBay and Amazon Marketplace.