Halo (TV series)
A standalone Halo story set in the Silver Timeline.
Halo is an American military science fiction television series for Paramount+ that was developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane. It is based on the video game franchise originally created by Bungie and later developed by 343 Industries. The story takes place in the 26th century, centering on a war between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant—a theocratic-military alliance of alien species intent on wiping out humanity. The series exists as a standalone narrative within its own "Silver Timeline," a separate continuity inspired by the broader Halo lore rather than a direct adaptation, prequel, or sequel.
The show follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a genetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier played by Pablo Schreiber, alongside several other characters from the games. Jen Taylor reprises her voice role from the video games as Cortana, an artificial intelligence modeled on Dr. Halsey’s brain that is implanted into Master Chief to influence his decisions. The main cast also includes Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky, Natasha Culzac as Riz-028, Olive Gray as Commander Miranda Keyes, Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha, Bentley Kalu as Vannak-134, Kate Kennedy as Kai-125, Charlie Murphy as Makee, Danny Sapani as Captain Jacob Keyes, Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066, and Natascha McElhone as Dr. Catherine Halsey. Additional main cast members for the second season include Joseph Morgan as Colonel James Ackerson, Fiona O’Shaughnessy as Laera, Cristina Rodlo as Talia Perez, Viktor Åkerblom as Arbiter Var 'Gatanai, Tylan Bailey as Kessler, and Harry Lloyd as "The Monitor."
Development for the series began in mid-2013. Killen and Kane served as showrunners for the first season, which consists of nine episodes. Filming started in Ontario, Canada, in October 2019, but post-production on the first five episodes was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming later resumed in Budapest, Hungary, in February 2021. In February 2022, before the first season aired, the series was renewed for a second season, with David Wiener taking over as head and executive producer. Filming for the second season began in September 2022 and concluded in May 2023.
The first season premiered on March 24, 2022, and ended on May 19.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Action-adventure / Drama / Military science fiction
- Developer
- Kyle Killen / Steven Kane
- Based On
- Halo · Bungie & 343 IndustriesThe series was created by and developed by Bungie between 2001 and 2010. Subsequent entries of the franchise have been developed by 343 Industries since 2011.
- Showrunner
- Kyle Killen / Steven Kane / David Wiener
- Theme Music Composer
- Bear McCreary / Martin O'Donnell (themes) / Michael Salvatori (themes)
- Composer
- Sean Callery / Sparks & Shadows
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 2
- Num Episodes
- 17
- Producer
- Sheila Hockin / Charlotte Keating / Michael Armbruster / Sarah McCarron / Pablo Schreiber / Natascha McElhone / Nick Iannelli
- Cinematography
- Karl Walter Lindenlaub / Eric Kress / Ed Wild / Carl Sundberg / Andrew Commis / Nicola Daley
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series is set in the 26th century and centers on the conflict between humanity and the Covenant. The story follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a super-soldier of the Spartan-II program, and several other major characters from the video games. Executive producer Kiki Wolfkill revealed that the series is a standalone story taking place within its own 'Silver Timeline,' separate from and inspired by the core canon, allowing both canons to evolve individually. Development began in mid-2013, with Steven Spielberg attached as executive producer. After years of development, Showtime ordered a 10-episode series in June 2018, later reduced to nine episodes. The series moved from Showtime to Paramount+ in February 2021. Filming began in Ontario, Canada, in October 2019, with post-production affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed in Budapest, Hungary, in February 2021. The first season premiered on March 24, 2022, and ran until May 19. A second season was renewed ahead of the premiere, with David Wiener as head and executive producer, and premiered on February 8, 2024, running for eight episodes until March 21. The series was canceled after two seasons in July 2024.
Reader's Guide
The series received mostly positive reviews from critics for its first season, with praise for its action scenes, cast, and visual effects, but criticism for derivative writing and alterations from the source material. The second season was met with positive reviews, declared an improvement over the previous season. The series is significant for its attempt to adapt a major video game franchise into a live-action television format, while deliberately diverging from established lore through the 'Silver Timeline' concept. The cast includes Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and Jen Taylor reprising her voice role as Cortana from the video games. The series was canceled after two seasons in July 2024, marking the end of its run on Paramount+.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Halo TV series?
It is a military science-fiction show on Paramount+ that reimagines the well-known video game franchise as a standalone narrative. Set in the 26th century, it follows humanity's desperate war against the Covenant, a theocratic coalition of alien species bent on exterminating the human race.
Where can I watch the Halo TV series?
Both seasons stream exclusively on Paramount+. Season 1 (nine episodes) premiered on March 24, 2022, and Season 2 (eight episodes) dropped on February 8, 2024.
What is the Silver Timeline in the Halo TV series?
The Silver Timeline is the show's self-contained continuity, meaning it is inspired by the broader Halo universe rather than adapting any specific game plot. This gives the writers freedom to craft an original story while still honoring the franchise's core themes and lore.
Who are the showrunners of the Halo TV series?
Kyle Killen and Steven Kane developed the series and served as showrunners for its first season. They built the adaptation around the Silver Timeline concept to keep the narrative distinct from the games.
How many seasons of the Halo TV series have aired?
Two seasons have been released so far: nine episodes in Season 1 and eight episodes in Season 2. The underlying video game franchise was originally created by Bungie and is now developed by 343 Industries.
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