Earth to Ned
An alien talk show host abducts celebrities for interviews.
Earth to Ned is an American television series on Disney+ that follows an alien named Ned who, after being sent to invade Earth, becomes enamored with its pop culture and instead hosts a late night talk show. The series premiered on September 4, 2020, with ten episodes, and an additional ten episodes were released on January 1, 2021. It was removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Puppetry
- Improvisational comedy
- Talk show
- Starring
- Paul Rugg
- Michael Oosterom
- Colleen Smith
- Theme music
- Gimme Moonz
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 1 (2 parts)
- Episodes
- 20
- Executive producers
- Brian Henson
- Vince Raisa
- Joseph Freed
- Allison Berkeley
Facts from the source article.
Premise
Sent by his father, the Admiral of the Galactic Fleet, to conquer Earth (classified as Planet 2187), Ned becomes enchanted with Earth's celebrities and buries the Battlecruiser Nova deep below the planet's crust. Instead of invading, he abducts celebrities by beaming them to his ship for interviews in a late night talk show format. Ned hosts the show with Cornelius, an alien sidekick from a conquered race called Cornisians; the ship's A.I. B.E.T.I.; and small beings called CLODs (Cloned Living Organism of Destruction) who speak in gibberish and scare guests. Episodes typically begin with Ned facing an issue or becoming intrigued by a cultural phenomenon such as sports, pets, or dreams. He banter with Cornelius and B.E.T.I. before starting the show. Cornelius introduces the first guest, who is often beamed into a waiting room mid-activity and converses with B.E.T.I. before arriving on set. Ned explores the guest's background and the episode's subject, sometimes having them play a game or perform a task. After the first guest leaves, Ned sends Cornelius to the surface to learn more about the topic, where Cornelius interacts with a professional or occasionally another celebrity. Ned may instead play a video or send Cornelius on another task. The second guest is then brought directly to the set for a similar interview, sometimes including a game.
Characters
Ned, performed by Paul Rugg, is a 437-year-old spaceship captain and talk show host from an unidentified alien race with four arms. He was tasked with leading an assault on Earth but fell in love with its culture and started a talk show instead. His father, the Admiral of the Galactic Fleet, is charged with conquering the galaxy, and the first season heavily implies a troubled relationship between them. Ned is egotistical and brash but curious, and he considers Ben Schwartz his arch-nemesis because Schwartz hosts a future reboot of the show. His favorite Earth cuisine is mayonnaise, and his real name is a high pitch scream. Paul Rugg is assisted in performing Ned by Morgana Ignis, Donna Kimball, Allan Trautman (who leads the animatronic performance), and Jack Venturo. Cornelius, performed by Michael Oosterom, is the lieutenant and co-host from the Cornisian race, whose homeworld of Cornassus was destroyed by Ned's species, causing Cornelius to lose his family. He introduces guests and often performs field reporting, becoming absorbed in the subject. He is slightly inept but witty. Michael Oosterom is assisted by Nicolette Santino (left-hand operator) and Drew Massey, with Kyle Pacek as the in-suit performer for full body shots. B.E.T.I., voiced by Colleen Smith, is the ship's artificial intelligence, a charge of energy that powers the ship and doubles as a computer. She is sarcastic and cynical, often belittling Ned and Cornelius, and appeared on a giant screen behind the set. Her digital build was done by Eri Hawkins, John Hold, Dan Ortega, and Patrick Palmer.
Production
Executive produced by Brian Henson and Vince Raisa, Earth to Ned combines expert puppeteering with improvised banter and selected guest appearances. Henson stated the show had been in development for years, based on the concept of someone unfamiliar with humans trying to understand them. He focused on making the content family friendly because episodes are available at any time. The character of Ned requires four puppeteers and two other operators, while Cornelius requires three puppeteers. All puppets are fully animatronic with no CGI. Henson revealed that almost none of the interview segments are scripted; Ned, Cornelius, and the guests improvise the conversation.
Reception
Critics gave the Jim Henson Company's Earth to Ned a warm reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 12 reviews were positive, averaging 6.60 out of 10. The site's consensus praised its imaginative puppeteering and infectious sweetness, calling it an intergalactic treat. Anne Victoria Clark of Vulture described the show as a joyful answer to our darkest worry, noting how refreshing it is to see Ned rooting for humanity. Joel Keller of Decider found it weird, funny, and heartwarming, a formula right in the Henson wheelhouse. Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times placed it on his list of the 10 best TV shows of 2020, highlighting its dry humor, loose rhythms, and friendly mood with a touch of acid. Garrett Martin of Paste ranked it fifth among the best late night shows of 2020 and fourteenth on his list of the 20 funniest TV shows of 2020. The series also earned a nomination for Excellence in Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series at the 2020 Art Directors Guild Awards.
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