People of Earth

Network: TBS.
Episodes: 20 (half-hour).
Seasons: Two.

TV show dates: October 31, 2016 — September 25, 2017.
Series status: Cancelled.

Performers include: Wyatt Cenac, Ana Gasteyer, Oscar Nuñez, Michael Cassidy, Alice Wetterlund, Luka Jones, Brian Huskey, Nancy Lenehan, Tracee Chimo, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Björn Gustafsson, and Ken Hall.

TV show description:      
This comedy series revolves around a reporter and the members of a small town support group for alien abductees called StarCrossed.

A seasoned and respected print journalist from New York, Ozzie Graham (Wyatt Cenac) goes on a quest for answers when a mysterious car accident leaves him suffering from hallucinations of a talking deer. His search leads him to the support group for people dealing with “alien experiences.” The more he digs into their oddball claims, however, the more he realizes a semblance of truth to their stories and, possibly, even signs that point to his own alien abduction.

Ozzie’s boss is Jonathan Walsh (Michael Cassidy), the young titan behind flashy online publication Glint Enterprises. He’s charming, ruthless and always seems to get his way.

After her therapy practice in New York folded following a traumatic incident, Gina Morrison (Ana Gasteyer) became the leader and co-founder of the StarCrossed support group. Trading her fancy office and high-paying clientele for a church basement with “alien experiencers,” Gina is focusing on building her new life in Beacon as best she can.

Beacon’s self-proclaimed “alientologist” (and local marijuana advocate), Gerry Johnson (Luka Jones) is StarCrossed’s other founder. The ultimate fanboy, he is enthusiastic about all things alien but he hasn’t actually had an “alien experience.”

A mild mannered VP at a company that makes jacks for Ethernet cables, and a rabid Reptilian alien conspiracy theorist. Richard Schultz (Brian Husky) blames the Reptilians for everything that’s gone wrong in his life. He also suspects that the Reptilians kidnapped his wife, Debbie, but his fellow group members suspect that Debbie just walked out on him.

With a less than stellar track record in relationships and long-term employment, one might say that Kelly Grady (Alice Wetterlund) has commitment issues. Her alien experience, while admittedly weird, is something that she secretly cherishes because it’s the only thing in her life that has made her feel “special.”

Doing her best to play the part of a housewife, Chelsea Wheeler (Tracee Chimo) struggles with the monotony of it all. When she has a steamy, sexual encounter with an alien, StarCrossed meetings become the highlight of her week.

The lonely pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows (where StarCrossed meets) Father Doug was doing just fine until the group shook things up at his sleepy church. This sends him spiraling into questioning his life, beliefs, and quite possibly his vows.

As a postal worker, Yvonne Watson thought she’d seen all the weird stuff the world could throw at her. That is until a green lizard man broke into her home in the middle of the night. She eventually tries to get to the bottom of a potential alien conspiracy in Beacon by teaming up with Beacon’s foremost alientologist, Gerry.

After losing her husband of many decades, Margaret Flood (Nancy Lenehan) had to start her life over as a single woman in a retirement community. She also had an alien experience. Searching for companionship and compassion, she belongs to as many activity clubs as there are days in the week.

Jeff the Grey (Ken Hall) is one-third of an alien team that abducts humans to gather intel about their planet and species. He is not the easiest co-worker to get along with, either. Snappy, sardonic, and self-serving, he makes life harder than it needs to be for his cohorts. He doesn’t respect humans at all and is looking forward to the annihilation of the species that the impending invasion will bring.

An alien, Don the White (Björn Gustafsson) is more interested in the human race than he is about ruling the human race. He’s gentle and compassionate. This makes him a great target for Jeff and Kurt’s jokes. The ultimate doormat, Don takes all the abuse until he discovers what it means to be treated kindly when he has his visitation with Kelly.

What do you think? Do you like the People of Earth TV show? Should TBS have cancelled or renewed this TV series for season three?