Published Feb 11, 2026, 9:30 AM EST
Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.
Noah Wyle's forgotten sci-fi series, Falling Skies, is on Netflix and still worth checking out 15 years later. The Pitt has reminded audiences why Noah Wyle earned three Golden Globe nominations and five Emmy nominations for his role as Dr. John Carter in ER, a role that defined his early career.
After ER, Wyle's career plateaued a bit. He had a handful of roles in shows like The Red Line and has led the underrated The Librarian TV movie franchise for years. He did have one role, however, that should have elevated him back to the level of fame he waited until 2025 to return to.
Falling Skies recently came to Netflix streaming and is one of its hidden gems in the sci-fi genre. The series, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, is set in a post-apocalyptic world six months after a devastating alien invasion killed 90 percent of Earth's population and sent the rest into hiding.
Noah Wyle stars as Tom Mason, a former history teacher who becomes the second-in-command of a Massachusetts paramilitary regiment attempting to defeat the alien invaders. It's a straightforward, well-told sci-fi drama that continuously widens the world of the story, without overcomplicating things.
Falling Skies Is Noah Wyle's Only Sci-Fi Show (So Far)
Noah Wyle is not well-known for his sci-fi performances on television, though he is very well known for his performances in fiction where his characters are employed in the scientific fields. Falling Skies marks the only time he's appeared in a TV show that can be described with the classical definition of "science fiction".
Most people know Wyle as Dr. Robby in The Pitt or Dr. Carter in the ER, where he plays highly intelligent but incredibly human characters. One of his strengths as an actor is to show how real people react to real, harrowing situations. In Falling Skies, he shows how real people react to the impossible.
Why Falling Skies Is Still Worth Watching
Falling Skies wasn't a bust or anything, and the series did end up getting five seasons altogether, along with a proper series finale, but it's still a show that has been lost to time. Now that it's on Netflix, this is the chance to go back and watch a series that will suck you in after just one episode.
At only 52 episodes in total, each only about 40–45 minutes, it's not that demanding of a binge either. Falling Skies offers up plenty of mysteries and questions, but it makes sure it doesn't move so fast that it doesn't answer the mysteries it lays out, resulting in a very satisfying watch.
Release Date 2011 - 2015-00-00
Network TNT
Showrunner Mark Verheiden
Writers Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Mark Verheiden, Melinda Hsu Taylor, Bryan Oh, Carol Barbee, Jack Kenny, Josh Pate, M. Raven Metzner, Heather V. Regnier, Joe Weisberg, Ryan Mottesheard, Bruce Marshall Romans, Fred Golan, Jonathan Glassner, Marc Dube, Robert Rodat, Melissa Glenn
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Noah Wyle
Thomas 'Tom' Mason
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Moon Bloodgood
Dr. Anne Glass
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English (US) ·