Threshold (TV series)

Did You Know?

• Dr. Julian Sloan, a hybrid, can physically see those altered by the signal due to a rare genetic disorder.
• The show has a rating of 64/100 on metacritic.com based on 26 reviews.

Overview

The series stars Carla Gugino as Dr. Molly Caffrey, a high-level government crisis management consultant from the Blackwood Institute who creates contingency plans for emergencies. One of her plans, code-named Threshold, is designed for first contact with aliens. After a U.S. naval vessel encounters a UFO and many crew members die, the Threshold protocol is activated. Caffrey's plan calls for a secret task force called the Red Team, which includes Dr. Nigel Fenway (Brent Spiner), an individualistic NASA-employed microbiologist; Lucas Pegg (Rob Benedict), an aerospace engineer; Arthur Ramsey (Peter Dinklage), a mathematics and linguistics genius; and freelance paramilitary operative Sean Cavennaugh (Brian Van Holt). Government liaison J.T. Baylock (Charles S. Dutton) oversees the team. Daphne Larson (Catherine Bell) joined in the episode "Outbreak." The team works in absolute secrecy, unknown even to the vice-president and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The aliens attempt to rewrite human DNA using an audio signal that alters body chemistry, and a fractal triskelion pattern appears in electronic signals, blood, and city lights, interpreted by Ramsey as representing triple-stranded alien DNA.

Show mythology

The main threat comes from an alien probe that infected the crew of the USNS Big Horn. The infection spreads through bodily fluids or audio samples, affecting humans and animals, and plants can be genetically modified to spread it. Pre-pubescent humans and animals are immune due to stronger immune systems; once humans can reproduce, the infection can reproduce in them. Four variants occur in exposed humans. Infectees are converted into aliens with triple-helix DNA, appearing normal but lacking emotions and compassion. Mutation occurs when the body reacts badly, causing grotesque deformation and death, with survivors impulsively trying to kill themselves and others. Dreamers have low-level exposure, becoming attuned to the alien consciousness. Hybrids are a one-in-a-million occurrence where an individual is only half transformed due to genetic instability; Dr. Julian Slone, with a defective gene for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, became a hybrid. Hybrids retain humanity, are strong and durable, and can perceive exposed individuals by a blue-green aura, but cannot distinguish between minimal exposure and full infection.

Broadcast history

In Australia, Network Ten aired the series from December 18, 2005, moving to late Wednesday nights and later to Ten HD, showing all 13 episodes. In the Arab World, MBC Action started on August 11, 2007. Belgium's VT4 aired only the first 9 episodes from January 3, 2010. Brazil's AXN began on August 28, 2006, occupying a Lost time slot between seasons 2 and 3. Canada aired it on Space. Germany's ProSieben aired all 13 episodes under the title Nemesis: Der Angriff from March 3, 2008. In the United Kingdom, Sky1 aired the series, with repeats on Sky2, Sky3, and Pick, and the Sci Fi Channel also broadcast it. Threshold was the first CBS series to use streaming video to re-air new episodes after the original airdate; each episode was posted on CBS.com five days after airing and remained for three days. CBS president Nancy Tellem said the goal was to recruit new viewers and help existing viewers catch up. The following season, CBS incorporated this into a streaming video area called Innertube.