How Steven Spielberg Influenced 5-Season Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Thriller

Julie Edwards/Future Image/Cover Images Published Sep 10, 2026, 5:04 PM EDT Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Noah Wyle, the star and producer of the sci-fi thriller Falling Skies, has revealed how iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg had a huge influence on the series when it aired from 2011 to 2015. Spielberg, no stranger to the sci-fi genre, served as one of the executive producers on Falling Skies, considered one of the best military sci-fi shows of all time. Wyle played Tom Mason, a professor-turned-member of the Massachusetts Militia Regiment. The character made that drastic career change after an alien invasion completely changed society on Earth. via MovieStillsDB It's been 11 years since Falling Skies went off the air, and Wyle is now reflecting on the series with Star Trek: The Next Generation alum and filmmaker Jonathan Frakes, who directed three episodes during the final three seasons. During an appearance on Frakes and his TNG co-star Brent Spiner's podcast, Dropping Names with Brent and Jonny, Wyle gave props to Spielberg for how much he influenced the production. Carl Franklin directed the Falling Skies series premiere in 2011, and when he went to put his mark on the series, he ended up directing the episode "in the style of Steven's style," according to Wyle, who added that what Spielberg "really understands cinematically is geography." He would always tell the various directors on Falling Skies to make it clear where everyone was "at all times in relation to other characters and environment." Spielberg clearly knew what he was talking about, considering his background directing several iconic films, and the fact that Falling Skies earned multiple nominations throughout its run at the Saturn Awards and won Most Exciting New Series at the Critics' Choice Television Awards. Wyle got to work with "some great directors." Franklin, Frakes, Greg Beeman, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Holly Dale, David Solomon, Olatunde Osunsanmi and Miguel Sapochnik (who would go on to win awards for directing episodes of Game of Thrones) were just some of the many directors who worked on Falling Skies. Wyle himself even helmed the antepenultimate episode of the entire series. Not everything was smooth sailing on the production, though. As mentioned, Falling Skies aired for five seasons, but the show had multiple showrunners come and go throughout its run, which made the experience like "a little bit of schizophrenic parenting," as Wyle put it. "Carl Franklin directed the [Falling Skies] pilot. Carl directed it in the style of Steven [Spielberg]’s style, but we had five showrunners in five seasons on that show, so it was a little bit of schizophrenic parenting. The one thing that Mr. Spielberg really understands cinematically is geography. His whole thing to directors was that he wanted to know where he was at all times in relation to other characters and environment. I saw some great directors come through that show." Up to that point, Wyle was best known as the star of the hit NBC medical drama ER, which became the longest-running medical drama in TV history before Grey's Anatomy eventually surpassed it. Wyle left ER after season 11 but still worked on various projects in the entertainment industry like W., The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines and The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice before landing the role of Tom Mason on Falling Skies. When the sci-fi thriller ended in 2015, Wyle starred on The Red Line and Leverage: Redemption. He's currently the lead on HBO Max's The Pitt, which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and an executive producer on The Librarians: The Next Chapter. Meanwhile, Spielberg went on to direct the films Bridge of Spies, The BFG, The Post, Ready Player One, West Side Story and The Fabelmans. His most recent big-screen project is Disclosure Day, which marks his return to the world of aliens after Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and War of the Worlds. While Wyle and Spielberg haven't collaborated again since Falling Skies, the actor continues to look back fondly on his time working with the acclaimed filmmaker and doesn't hesitate to share positive memories about the experience. Release Date 2011 - 2015-00-00 Network TNT Showrunner Mark Verheiden Cast Moon Bloodgood Dr. Anne Glass Falling Skies is a science fiction television series beginning amidst the aftermath of an alien invasion, leaving Earth devastated. Six months post-invasion, survivors, including former history professor Tom Mason, form resistance groups outside cities to combat the alien occupiers. Directors Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jonathan Frakes, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Adam Kane, Fred Toye, Holly Dale, Anthony Hemingway, Bill Eagles, Carl Franklin, David Solomon, John Dahl, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Katleman, Miguel Sapochnik, Mikael Salomon, Nathaniel Goodman, Peter Leto, Rob Lieberman 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 Main Genre Sci-Fi Creator(s) Robert Rodat Executive Producer(s) Darryl Frank, David Eick, Greg Beeman, Justin Falvey Producers Cyrus Yavneh, Grace Gilroy, Graham Yost, Noah Wyle, Greg Beeman, Remi Aubuchon, Steven Spielberg Seasons 5 Story By Robert Rodat Streaming Service(s) MAX, Prime Video, AppleTV+