"Falling Skies" follows a resistance movement born in the ashes of an alien attack that has left most of the world incapacitated. At the center of the movement, is Noah Wyle's Tom Mason, a history professor whose family has been torn apart -- his wife killed and one of his three sons captured. This Paley Center for Media live event honors "Falling Skies," the science fiction drama about a group of humans fighting an alien invasion that has decimated ninety percent of the population. Cindy Braun (director of operations and administration, The Paley Center for Media/Los Angeles) offers opening remarks and welcomes Cynthia Littleton (deputy editor, Variety) to the stage. Littleton introduces executive producer Mark Verheiden, who talks about the show's themes. Littleton moderates the following panelists: executive producers Mark Verheiden, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey; and cast members Colin Cunningham (John Pope), Moon Bloodgood (Anne Glass), Noah Wyle (Tom Mason), Drew Roy (Hal Mason), and Sarah Carter (Margaret). The panelists touch on such topics as: Wyle's comparison of his longtime role as Dr. John Carter on "ER" and his current character of Tom; working with "perfectionist" executive producer Steven Spielberg; and finding inspiration from films like "Jaws" in creating tension around "what you don't see." Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics among others: the cast's strenuous training with guns and motorcycles; atypical romantic scenes in such a tense show; and why the actors had to peruse Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" to prepare for their roles.
