Followers and fans of George R. Martin’s work were thrilled beyond zest when Syfy announced a new series inspired by the legendary author’s mind. The haunting new sci-fi series called Nightflyers is based on the author’s novel and the 1987 film of the same title. The first season of Nightflyers, adapted for television by Jeff Bugler, will span 10 episodes. George RR Martin will serve as one of the executive producers.
Nightflyers takes audiences into the world of eight scientists and a telepath with incredible powers who embark on a journey through space aboard a state-of-the-art ship called the Nightflyer in search of extraterrestrial life. The expedition, however, becomes fraught with danger; violent and frightening events begin to occur, and the team begins to question and blame each other. The captain of the lone ship and his close-knit crew face the daunting task of surviving what the spaceship throws at them, and the very grim possibility that something terrifying may invade them on the Nightflyer.
Every action on the Nightflyer is high-stakes and every decision could have deadly consequences. With the story set in the year 2093, this futuristic psychological thriller takes characters and audience to the edge of space and madness. Its core message is that in anything that scares you, the horror that could bring it down doesn’t always come from outside, sometimes even from within; at least that’s what the crew aboard the Nightflyer must learn.
Nightflyer’s mission is to make contact with extraterrestrial life and intercept their spacecraft with the hopes of saving humanity, but what form of salvation does humanity deserve? Either way, the show combines soap opera drama with space horror. The crew must deal with serious life issues while dealing with an existential crisis. Their survival and that of humanity depends on what they do with this adventure.
Who are the cast members?
Maya Eshet (Lommie)
Maya plays the role of a cyber tech specialist who interacts better with computers than she does with her peers. The gender scientist merged with computers by surgically injecting Neuro-Port into her arms.
The Israeli actress started her acting career when she was just nine years old and worked as a voice artist and recorded voices for cartoon characters. Over the years, Maya has carved out a place for itself in the sector. She has featured in several notable works, including To the Bone, Flower, Dead Women Walking, Keep Watching, My Boring Life, and Voices from the Heartland: Slaves of the Lord. Maya has also scored TV credits on several shows such as Teen Wolf, Man Seeking Woman, Love, Krill Show, and Scandal: Gladiators Wanted Webisodes
David Ajala (Roy Eris)
The reclusive captain of Nightflyer is none other than British actor, David Ajala. He is also the head of the Eris Corporation, a leading organization in the business of building Old World colonies in outer space. Roy is a solitary man who delights in hiding in his private chamber, where a terrible secret lurks in the shadows and prefers to communicate with his crew via computer interfaces.
David began his acting career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company where he starred in notable productions such as Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Witness and more which starred in several prestigious theaters.
Most people recognize David from his roles in movies like Fast & Furious 6, The Dark Knight, Black Box, Rising Jupiter, Reading Season, and One Day. He has also played various TV characters in award-winning series including Law & Order: UK, Dr Who, Silent Witness, and Death in Paradise. The actor seems perfectly suited to his new role in Nightflyers.
Gretchen Moi (Dr. Agatha Matheson)
Gretchen plays Dr. Agatha Matheson, a psychiatrist whose specialty is working with telepaths. Agatha chose to join the Nightflyer team despite her fears about space travel in order to protect one of her telepaths from the rest of the team who are very suspicious of him.
Gretchen is a talented actress with screen and stage experience. Some might recognize the beautiful actress from her role in Seven Seconds, a crime drama, and Yellowstone, in which she stars alongside Kevin Costner. She has also featured in Manchester by the Sea, A Family Man, Mozart in the Jungle and the TV series Chance, Life on Mars, and Spin City. Gretchen had a role in the Broadway production Disgraced at the Lyceum Theatre, Chicago, and an off-Broadway theatrical version of The Shape of Things.
Perhaps Gretchen’s biggest credit is Broadwalk Empire, the award-winning series produced by Martin Scorsese, for which she received the Screen Act Guild Award for Outstanding Performance, alongside her costars.
Eoin Macken (Karl D’Branin)
Eoin plays a bright and brilliant astrophysicist, Karl, who leads the Nightflyer expedition deep into space in search of extraterrestrial life.
Eoin is an Irish director, model, author, and actor who has appeared in several films, including The Callback Queen, Centurion, The Next Near Movie , The Forest, and Resident Evil: The Last Chapter. He has also featured in several television series including the Emmy nominated show. Kill Jesus, as well as Merlin, and The Tudors. Eoin starred in Leopard, a film he wrote and directed. Don’t be surprised if you find Eoin Maclean’s name in a library. He is also an accomplished writer who has two books to his credit: Kingdom of Scars, andHunter and the Grape
Bryan O’Bryne (Auggie)
Auggie is an accomplished and experienced veteran who worked as chief engineer for the Nightflyer for over two decades. The character played by O’Bryne is loyal to the captain of the ship and is eager to carry out all his orders, even if it means becoming a killer.
O’Bryne has a very impressive resume both on and off screen. He is popular for his work in TV series like Mercy Street, Prime Suspect, Brotherhood, Love/Hate, Saints and Strangers, Flashforward, Aquarius and the miniseries Manhunt: Unibomber, and Little Blue Boy, which won him a BAFTA award for the second role. He also scored an Emmy-nominated role in Mildred Pierce, starring opposite Kate Winslet.
The talented actor also has film experience starring in such films as Million Dollar Baby, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Queen and Country, and Jimmy Hall. Stage fans will also recognize him for his Broadway performances in productions such as Tony Award-winning Frozen, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Doubt, and many more. He has won numerous awards for his dexterity and been nominated for many more.
Jodie Turner-Smith (Melantha Jhirl)
Jodie plays the character Mel, a genetically-enhanced cadet hand-selected by the Nightflyer’s commander to join the mission. Mel is athletic, gorgeous, and one of the brightest members of the genetic space program. Although she is loyal to D’Branin, her loyalty is questioned after the ship’s captain, Eris, notices her.
Turner-Smith could be recognized from his popular roles in The Last Ship, Novelty, Jett, True Blood, and Rabid Dogs. She has also starred in a number of independent films such as The Neon Demon.
Sam Strike (Thale)
Sam brings to life the character Thale, a young L-1 Telepath with dangerous psychic powers, seen as a prototype for future humans. He is heavily sedated and dragged aboard the spacecraft so he can help the crew communicate with the alien life they are looking for.
Sam Strike is a British actor who played Monty Rissel, a notorious serial killer in Mindhunter and Johnny Carter in EastEnders, a role that earned him critical acclaim. He has also featured in Timeless, Leatherface, Silent Witness, and Monster Party
Angus SampsonRowan
Angus plays Rowan, a friendly, intelligent xeno-biologist aboard the Nightflyer. He is skeptical of the expedition and believes that making contact with aliens could put humanity in a dangerous situation, but he is still willing to put his life on the line to see the mission through.
Angus is an Australian actor whose chops is respected and appreciated for its depth. His work spans film, television, stage, writing, journalism and broadcasting. He reprized Tucker in the latest addition to the Insidious franchise, Insidious: The Last Key. He also starred in Fargo, the Golden Globe and Emmy winning series.
The brilliant actor has also featured in Where the Wild Things Are, Mad Max: Fury Road, Now Add Honey, Kokoda: 39th Battalion, and Darkness. Angus has been nominated for several awards for his work.
When was Nightflyers released
The Nightflyers series premiered on December 2, 2018, on Syfy. The first five episodes aired nightly for the five nights following the premiere, while the remaining five aired over the following week, with the season finale scheduled for December 13. rhythm. Nightflyers will also be coming to Netflix.
Things you need to know
1. The series is a little different from the book
Although the Nightflyer series is based on the 1980 short story of the same name, it’s a bit different. The book is only used as source material, as the characters and story develop.
2. George RR Martin is involved in the production
George worked as an executive producer on the series, but was unable to actively participate due to his contract with HBO.
3. Some of the main characters won’t survive
Those familiar with Game of Thrones know that Martin doesn’t shy away from killing off characters in the most startling ways. The series is not expected to rush to kill characters, but eventually the numbers will be high and worth it.
4. Memory is a weapon at Nightflyers
Much of the series’ plot revolves around the personal lives of the crew and the struggles they fight within themselves. The further the ship goes, the more the crew withdraws into their minds; memory becomes a crucial weapon for survival.