The Man Who Fell to Earth (TV)

In 1987 "The Man Who Fell to Earth" was made into a pilot for an attempted television series based on the 1976 film and the 1963 science fiction novel by Walter Tevis. There are some distinct changes from the novel. Most notably, the names of the main characters have been changed - while the World Enterprises retains its name from the source material, Thomas Jerome Newton's name has been changed to John Dory (played by Lewis Smith), Oliver Farnsworth's name becomes Felix Hawthorne (played by James Laurenson), and Nathan Bryce's name becomes Vernon Gage (played by Robert Picardo). Yet, in spite of these changes, the plot itself and much of the detail remains intact from the source material; when John Dory meets Hawthorne the dialogue is almost identical to the original dialogue between Newton and Farnsworth.

In some ways, this adaptation was closer to the source material than the 1976 film adaptation - the alien's affection for oatmeal is retained in this adaptation, as is his tendency to sleep rarely. With improved special effects, one can see him remove his human contact lenses, the earlobes, and other elements of disguise, rather than simply relying on implication. The name of his home planet, Anthea, is disclosed aloud in this version, whereas it remained unnamed in the previous cinematic adaptation.

However, this adaptation takes also takes some liberties with the literary material as well. The Betty Jo character, known as Eva Milton in this version (played by Beverly D'Angelo), is a resident of New York and has a kleptomaniacal son named Billy (played by Wil Wheaton), a new addition to the cast of characters. Rather than a set of identical golden rings, Dory carries with him a pouch of diamonds. Alcohol has no effect on him, but tomato juice intoxicates him. Anthea's destruction is the consequence of meteor showers rather than nuclear war. Rather than pills to ease his nausea, he carries a small glowing crystal that would allow him to heal himself and others, as well as provide some telekinetic abilities. Also, in addition to Dory, four other Antheans fly with him in his spacecraft, but are killed in the crash-landing on earth; their remains add to the government's investigation of Dory's alien origins.

This rendition of the material also borrows from Roeg's film - the Dory owns a wall of many television sets, which are simultaneously tuned to different channels. The World Enterprises base in New Mexico is identical to the original film. John Dory's appearance in his natural alien form is identical to that of Thomas Jerome Newton, as portrayed by David Bowie in 1976, when his prosthetics are removed.

John Dory is, however, characterized as more clever and less naive than Thomas Jerome Newton in previous adaptations. He is observant of others attempting to discover his secret identity - he easily locates a hidden camera in his house, realizes that his phone line is being tapped, and prevents a secretary from acquiring a sample of his blood from a stained handkerchief. When the antagonist, Agent Richard Morse tape records him, he knowingly quips "I think your tape's run out."

Vernon Gage, the Nathan Bryce character, is characterized as being far more sadistic in nature than his more reluctant counterparts from previous adaptations. He betrays John Dory, but in this version he deliberately causes him to faint and then steals his healing crystals. Gage then interrogates Dory while he is strapped to a table in a laboratory. The subsequent conversation is identical to Newton's friendly confession in the novel, but with Gage keeping Dory restrained to his table. Gage then tortures Newton, but accidentally destroys his own lab and kills himself in the process.

The pilot follows the basic plot of the book, however, it ends with Dory ending his relationship with Eva, who defends her son Billy, who disclosed Newton's secret identity to Vernon Gage. Dory, though hindered by Vernon Gage, remains optimistic about his chances of getting back to Anthea, hence, this pilot, which encompasses the basic conflict of the novel without an ending of sound defeat, leaves the series open for subsequent unrealized episodes.

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*imdb title|id=0093486|title=The Man Who Fell To Earth (TV)