The Ark (TV series)
{{Short description|American television series}}
{{about|the 2023 TV show|similarly titled shows|Ark (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image = TheArkTVPoster.png
| caption = TV release poster
| genre = {{ubl|Science fiction|Mystery|Drama}}
| creator = Dean Devlin
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Christie Burke
- Reece Ritchie
- Richard Fleeshman
- Stacey Michelle Read
- Ryan Adams
- Pavle Jerinić
- Shalini Peiris
- Christina Wolfe
- Tiana Upcheva
}}
| based_on =
| opentheme =
| composer =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 24
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Dean Devlin
- Jonathan Glassner
- Marc Roskin
- Rachel Olschan-Wilson
- Steve Lee
}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Jonathan English
- Steve Lee
- Mark Franco
}}
| location = PFI Studios, Belgrade, Serbia
| cinematography =
| editor =
| camera =
| runtime =
| company = {{ubl|Electric Entertainment|Balkanic Media|PFI Studios}}
| network = Syfy
| first_aired = {{Start date|2023|2|1}}
| last_aired = present
}}
The Ark is an American science fiction television series created by Dean Devlin, with Devlin and Jonathan Glassner serving as showrunners for the series. It premiered on Syfy on February 1, 2023, with the first season consisting of twelve episodes. The series stars Christie Burke as Lt. Sharon Garnet who becomes the de facto captain of an interstellar spacecraft after a disaster. It also stars Reece Ritchie, Richard Fleeshman, Stacey Michelle Read, Ryan Adams, Pavle Jerinić, Shalini Peiris, Christina Wolfe, and Tiana Upcheva.
In April 2023, the series was renewed for a second season (also of 12 episodes), which premiered on July 17, 2024. In March 2025, the series was renewed for a third season.
Premise
A hundred years in the future, a vast spacecraft known as Ark One is shuttling a complement of would-be colonists away from a devastated Earth to a new home, Proxima Centauri B. The ship suffers a catastrophic event that kills almost all of the technical crew and all of the ship's senior officers. The survivors must work to reorganize themselves to maintain the ship and stay on course to reach their destination.{{cite web |last=Easton |first=Anne |date=January 31, 2023 |title='The Ark' Isn't a Show About Laser-Beam Fights with Strange Aliens, It's About People in a Pressure Cooker Situation |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anneeaston/2023/01/31/the-ark-isnt-a-show-about-laser-beam-fights-with-strange-aliens-its-about-people-in-a-pressure-cooker-situation/ |website=Forbes |access-date=December 31, 2022 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913060021/https://www.forbes.com/sites/anneeaston/2023/01/31/the-ark-isnt-a-show-about-laser-beam-fights-with-strange-aliens-its-about-people-in-a-pressure-cooker-situation/ |url-status=live }}
Cast and characters
= Main =
- Christie Burke as Lt. Sharon Garnet, one of the three highest-ranking remaining members of the crew and the de facto captain of the ship after the disaster.
- Reece Ritchie as Lt. Spencer Lane, one of the three highest-ranking remaining members of the crew; he is suspicious of Garnet's leadership.
- Ritchie also portrays Ian (season 2), a clone and Spencer's brother.
- Richard Fleeshman as Lt. James Brice, one of the three highest-ranking remaining members of the crew and a self-proclaimed "navigation wonk" who now has to take on other duties after the disaster.
- Stacey Read as Alicia Nevins, a waste management engineer with coding skills who is promoted to chief of life support.
- Ryan Adams as Angus Medford, a farm and 4-H youth from horticulture whose duties include crop development at the prospective colony.
- Pavle Jerinić as Felix Strickland, acting head of security enforcement.
- Shalini Peiris as Dr. Sanjivni Kabir, the only remaining doctor on the medical staff.
- Christina Wolfe as Dr. Catrina "Cat" Brandice {{efn|Wolfe was credited as main in season 2, episode 1 and as guest starring in season 2, episode 4.}}, a social media star and "TV relationship specialist" whom Garnet orders to be the head of ship-wide mental health.
- Tiana Upcheva as Eva Markovic, acting head of maintenance, engineering, and construction.
= Recurring =
- Lisa Brenner as Lieutenant Commander Susan Ingram (season 1), a career military officer, who would have been the superior officer to the surviving crew.
- Miles Barrow as Baylor Trent (season 1), an ensign and Ingram's protégé.
- Dominik Čičak as Harris Beckner (season 1), a member of Eva's engineering team and her secret lover.
- Chris Leask as Jasper Dades (season 1), a crew member with a secret.
- Paul Murray as William Trust, the inventor of the Ark program.
- Samantha Glassner as Kelly Fowler, an Ark 3 survivor and Evelyn Maddox's daughter.
- Jadran Malkovich as Dr. Marsh (season 2; guest season 1), Evelyn Maddox's former chief of medical who defected to Ark 1 after disagreements with her.
- Díana Bermudez as Kimi Joma (season 2), Maddox's former chief of security who defected to Ark 1.
Episodes
{{Series overview
| color1 = #BEE165
| link1 = #Season 1 (2023)
| episodes1 = 12
| start1 = {{start date|2023|2|1}}
| end1 = {{end date|2023|4|19}}
| color2 = #65BEE1
| link2 = #Season 2 (2024)
| episodes2 = 12
| start2 = {{start date|2024|7|17}}
| end2 = {{end date|2024|10|2}}
}}
=Season 1 (2023)=
{{Episode table |background=#BEE165 |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers=|viewers_type= |country=U.S. |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship
|DirectedBy = Dean Devlin
|WrittenBy = Dean Devlin
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|2|1}}
|ShortSummary = When an accident causes the crew of the Ark to wake up prematurely and with most of the senior staff dead, the remaining crew must establish a leadership committee from the remaining survivors and find a way to get the mission back on track.
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Like It Touched the Sun
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|2|8}}
|ShortSummary = A murder leaves the crew divided and suspicions running rampant.
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = Get Out and Push
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|2|15}}
|ShortSummary = An engine malfunction puts the ship at risk of an approaching comet, but the comet may provide an opportunity to deal with the imminent water shortage.
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = We Weren't Supposed to Be Awake
|DirectedBy = Sandra Mitrović
|WrittenBy = Rebecca Rosenberg
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|2|22}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
|DirectedBy = Sandra Mitrović
|WrittenBy = Kendall Lampkin
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|3|1}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = Two by Two
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|3|8}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = A Slow Death Is Worse
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|3|15}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = Every Single Person Matters
|DirectedBy = Orsi Nagypal
|WrittenBy = Kendall Lampkin
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|3|22}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = The Painful Way
|DirectedBy = Orsi Nagypal
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|3|29}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|EpisodeNumber2 = 10
|Title = Hoping for Forever
|DirectedBy = Sandra Mitrović
|WrittenBy = Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|4|5}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 11
|EpisodeNumber2 = 11
|Title = The Last Thing You Ever Do
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = Rebecca Rosenberg
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|4|12}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 12
|EpisodeNumber2 = 12
|Title = Everybody Wins
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Glassner
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|4|19}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = BEE165
}}
}}
=Season 2 (2024)=
{{Episode table |background=#65BEE1 |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers=|viewers_type= |country=U.S. |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 13
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = Failed Experiment
|DirectedBy = Marc Roskin
|WrittenBy = Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|7|17}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 14
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Kill or Be Killed
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel and Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|7|24}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 15
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = Anomaly
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel and Jonathan Glassner
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|7|31}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 16
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = The Other You
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorović
|WrittenBy = Madeline Hendricks Lewen
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|8|7}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 17
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = Museum of Death
|DirectedBy = Sandra Mitrović
|WrittenBy = India Sage Wilson
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|8|14}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 18
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = Pretty Big Deal
|DirectedBy = Milan Konjević
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|8|21}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 19
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = It Can't Be True
|DirectedBy = Milena Grujić
|WrittenBy = Madeline Hendricks Lewen
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|8|28}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 20
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = We Don't Kill Our Own
|DirectedBy = Marc Roskin
|WrittenBy = India Sage Wilson
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|9|4}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 21
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = Cycle of Violence
|DirectedBy = Hannah Espia-Farbová
|WrittenBy = James DeLorean
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|9|11}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 22
|EpisodeNumber2 = 10
|Title = It Should Have Been You
|DirectedBy = Sandra Mitrović
|WrittenBy = Madeline Hendricks Lewen
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|9|18}}
|Viewers =
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 23
|EpisodeNumber2 = 11
|Title = It Will Be Over Soon
|DirectedBy = Orsi Nagypál
|WrittenBy = India Sage Wilson
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|9|25}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 24
|EpisodeNumber2 = 12
|Title = Fortunate
|DirectedBy = Jonathan Glassner
|WrittenBy = John-Paul Nickel
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|10|2}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 65BEE1
}}
}}
Production
The premise is very similar to the 1970s series The Starlost, in which a multi-generational starship called Earthship Ark was launched to allow the passengers to escape a dying Earth. More than 100 years into the voyage, an unexplained accident occurs, and the ship goes into emergency mode. The survivors have to figure out how to safely pilot the starship.{{Citation |title=The Starlost |date=1973-09-22 |type=Sci-Fi |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069638/?ref_=ls_i_9 |access-date=2024-08-23 |others=Keir Dullea, Gay Rowan, Robin Ward |publisher=20th Century Fox Television, CTV Television Network, Glen Warren Productions |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913060022/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069638/?ref_=ls_i_9 |url-status=live }}
The Ark went straight-to-series in late January 2022 with a 12-episode order from SyFy.{{cite press release |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/01/24/the-ark-flies-to-syfy-with-independence-day-writer-producer-dean-devlin-at-the-helm-935112/20220124syfy01/ |title="The Ark" Flies to Syfy with "Independence Day" Writer/Producer Dean Devlin at the Helm |publisher=Syfy |via=The Futon Critic |date=January 24, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913060022/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/01/24/the-ark-flies-to-syfy-with-independence-day-writer-producer-dean-devlin-at-the-helm-935112/20220124syfy01/ |url-status=live }} Principal photography began at PFI Studios in Belgrade, Serbia in March of that year. Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner serve as showrunners and producers.{{Cite web |first=Ethan |last=Alter |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dean-devlin-the-ark-woke-sci-fi-independence-day-194347120.html |title=Dean Devlin explains why 'The Ark' isn't 'woke' sci-fi: 'There's an attempt to politicize everything now' |website=Yahoo! |date=February 2, 2023 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204014151/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dean-devlin-the-ark-woke-sci-fi-independence-day-194347120.html |url-status=live }}
In March 2022, it was announced that the regular cast of the series had been set, with Christie Burke starring as Lt. Sharon Garnet, along with Richard Fleeshman, Reece Ritchie, Stacey Read, and newcomer Ryan Adams.{{cite web |first=Joe |last=Otterson |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dean-devlin-syfy-series-the-ark-cast-1235220318/ |title=Dean Devlin Syfy Series 'The Ark' Sets Main Cast (EXCLUSIVE) |work=Variety |date=March 31, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101165017/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dean-devlin-syfy-series-the-ark-cast-1235220318/ |url-status=live }} In April 2022, it was announced that Lisa Brenner would be a recurring guest star, playing Commander Susan Ingram, with Christina Wolfe, Shalini Peiris, Miles Barrow, Pavle Jerinić, and Tiana Upcheva also recurring.{{cite web |first=Scott |last=Roxborough |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/lisa-brenner-syfy-series-the-ark-1235134687/ |title=Lisa Brenner Joins Syfy Series 'The Ark' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=April 25, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201153957/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/lisa-brenner-syfy-series-the-ark-1235134687/ |url-status=live }}
On April 12, 2023, Syfy renewed the series for a second season.{{cite web|last=Porter|first=Rick|title='The Ark' Renewed at Syfy|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-ark-renewed-season-2-syfy-1235372648/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 12, 2023|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412222232/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-ark-renewed-season-2-syfy-1235372648/|url-status=live}} On March 5, 2025, Syfy renewed the series for a third season.{{cite web|last=Webb Mitovich|first=Matt|date=March 5, 2025|title=The Ark Renewed for Season 3 at Syfy|url=https://tvline.com/news/the-ark-season-3-renewed-syfy-1235416312/|website=TVLine|access-date=March 5, 2025}}
Broadcast and release
The series trailer was released in December 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/dean-devlin-teases-the-ark-as-syfy-debuts-first-teaser-trailer |title='The Ark': Dean Devlin opens up about 'survival' story in new sci-fi series, as SyFy reveals first footage |first=Josh |last=Weiss |date=December 7, 2022 |website=Syfy Wire |access-date=December 31, 2022 |archive-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101033545/https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/dean-devlin-teases-the-ark-as-syfy-debuts-first-teaser-trailer |url-status=live }} It premiered on Syfy on February 1, 2023,{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Weiss|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-ark-syfy-dean-devlin-tv-series-official-trailer|title=Syfy Drops First Trailer For Deep Space Mystery Thriller 'The Ark' Ahead Of Feb. 1 Series Premiere|work=Syfy Wire|date=January 4, 2023|access-date=January 4, 2023|archive-date=January 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118023910/https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-ark-syfy-dean-devlin-tv-series-official-trailer|url-status=live}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/12/07/the-ark-lands-february-2023-on-syfy-824414/20221207syfy01/ |title="The Ark" Lands February 2023 on Syfy |publisher=Syfy |via=The Futon Critic |date=December 7, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913060142/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/12/07/the-ark-lands-february-2023-on-syfy-824414/20221207syfy01/ |url-status=live }} with episodes to be streamed the next day on Peacock.{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Spry|url=https://www.space.com/the-ark-premiere-syfy-outer-space-survival|title='The Ark' premiere sets up a sci-fi survival saga in outer space|website=Space.com|date=February 1, 2023|access-date=February 4, 2023|archive-date=February 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204162852/https://www.space.com/the-ark-premiere-syfy-outer-space-survival|url-status=live}}
Reception
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 50% approval rating based on 14 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "The core concept of The Ark ought to be alluring enough for the sci-fi faithful, but blasé writing and chintzy production values call into question whether this particular world is worth preserving."{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=the_ark|title=The Ark|type=tv|season=1|access-date=March 23, 2024|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}} Metacritic assigned a score of 50 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{Cite Metacritic|id=the-ark|title=The Ark|type=tv|season=1|access-date=March 23, 2024|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.syfy.com/the-ark}}
- {{IMDb title|tt17371078}}
- [https://www.electricnow.tv/shows/after-ark/ After The Ark] (The Ark aftershow)
{{Syfy Shows}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ark, The (TV series)}}
Category:2020s American drama television series
Category:2020s American mystery television series
Category:2020s American science fiction television series
Category:2023 American television series debuts
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:American post-apocalyptic television series
Category:Syfy original programming