"Extant" Pilot: A good enough start that doesn't leave you wanting much more.

The pilot begins with Halle Berry's astronaut character, Molly, returning to earth and her family after spending 13 months in space on a solo mission -- a time during which she's somehow managed to get herself pregnant. Because the space agency's physician is a friend, Molly manages to keep that little bit of news under wraps while she figures out what exactly she should do about that thing growing in her tummy. It's a bit of a stretch considering the implications -- pop culture alone should convince the doctor that it's a giant no no to let Molly walk around freely -- but fine, we'll run with it for the purposes of the story.

Fortunately for the viewer, this is isn't Lost. The show doesn't appear to be all that interested in indefinitely prolonging the suspense of Halle Berry's immaculate conception, and the writers clearly know where they're going with the central mystery. Already within this pilot episode, we're shown just by whom and when Molly probably came to be impregnated, and several big clues are dropped as to establish the various supporting characters motivations and intentions going forward.  

Yes, there appears to be a conspiracy surrounding Molly's mission, and, if there is a conspiracy, then there naturally has to be a nefarious corporation involved -- at least as far as Molly's health and family are concerned. The privatized space agency and its CEO, played by Helix's Hiroyuki Sanada, clearly already know about alien life-forms out there, and they very much intend to exploit the happenings of Molly's mission to their advantage.

But Molly's battles won't only be on the work front. At home, she has to contend with her estranged family that she up and left for more than a year. There's her husband, Goran Visjnic, that she keeps in the dark about the pregnancy, and his creation: their son, an android child played by that great creepy kid from Looper. The child, the first fully-realized version of its kind, is very much Spielberg going back to Kubrick's well that keeps on giving, and his side of the story plays like an A.I. prequel of sorts.  

While the evil corporation and android child aspects don't feel particularly fresh, there's a lot to like in Extant. The production values are top notch and miles above that other Spielberg produced show Falling Skies. The casting is solid across the board and worthy of a bigger screen, and there are plenty of sci-fi ideas and concepts being thrown around within a grounded, believable future. Unfortunately, there just doesn't seem to be all that much excitement to look forward to. 

The central mystery is intriguing enough, but, with the way it's being handled, it's difficult to see how it will have enough steam to push the show through an entire season. The end of the pilot doesn't really leave you with a strong urge for answers, and unless there are major twists and turns up ahead, so much already seems to have been revealed and laid out that the shows success will hinge more on flawless execution than anything else. Still, it's a commendable start for a hugely ambitious CBS show, and the talent involved alone will warrant sticking with the story for a little while at least.