The Ark (TV series)

The Ark (TV series)

The Ark is an American science fiction television series created by Dean Devlin for Syfy, with Devlin and Jonathan Glassner serving as showrunners for the series. The first season consists of twelve episodes and premiered on February 1, 2023. The series stars Christie Burke as Lt. Sharon Garnet who becomes the de facto captain of an interstellar spacecraft after a disaster. It also stars Reece Ritchie, Richard Fleeshman, Stacey Michelle Read, Ryan Adams, Pavle Jerinić, Shalini Peiris, Christina Wolfe, and Tiana Upcheva.

In April 2023, the series was renewed for a second season consisting of twelve episodes, which premiered on July 17, 2024. In March 2025, the series was renewed for a third season, which is set to premiere in 2026.

Premise

The Ark (TV series)

A hundred years in the future, a vast spacecraft known as Ark One is shuttling a complement of would-be colonists away from a devastated Earth to a new home, Proxima Centauri B. The ship suffers a catastrophic event that kills almost all of the technical crew and all of the ship's senior officers. The survivors must work to reorganize themselves to maintain the ship and stay on course to reach their destination.

Cast and characters

Main

• Christie Burke as Lt. Sharon Garnet, one of the three remaining junior officers, who assumes the role of the de facto captain of the ship after the disaster • Reece Ritchie as Lt. Spencer Lane, one of the three remaining junior officers; he is suspicious of Garnet's leadership • Ritchie also portrays Ian (season 2), a clone and Spencer's brother • Richard Fleeshman as Lt. James Brice, one of the three remaining junior officers and a self-proclaimed "navigation wonk" who now has to take on other duties after the disaster • Stacey Read as Alicia Nevins, a waste management engineer with coding skills who is promoted to chief of life support • Ryan Adams as Angus Medford, a farm and 4-H youth from horticulture whose duties include crop development at the prospective colony • Pavle Jerinić as Felix Strickland, acting head of security enforcement • Shalini Peiris as Dr. Sanjivni Kabir, the only remaining doctor on the medical staff • Christina Wolfe as Dr. Catrina "Cat" Brandice, a social media star and "TV relationship specialist" whom Garnet orders to be the head of ship-wide mental health • Tiana Upcheva as Eva Markovic, acting head of maintenance, engineering, and construction

Recurring

• Lisa Brenner as Lieutenant Commander Susan Ingram (season 1), a career military officer, who would have been the superior officer to the surviving crew • Miles Barrow as Baylor Trent (season 1), an ensign and Ingram's protégé • Dominik Čičak as Harris Beckner (season 1), a member of Eva's engineering team and her secret lover • Chris Leask as Jasper Dades (season 1), a crew member with a secret • Paul Murray as William Trust, the inventor of the Ark program • Samantha Glassner as Kelly Fowler, an Ark 3 survivor and Evelyn Maddox's daughter • Jadran Malkovich as Dr. Marsh (season 2; guest season 1), Evelyn Maddox's former chief of medical who defected to Ark 1 after disagreements with her • Díana Bermudez as Kimi Joma (season 2), Maddox's former chief of security who defected to Ark 1 • Jelena Stupljanin as Evelyn Maddox, commander of Ark 15 • Jessica Yemi as Naomi Spencer • Milos Cvetkovic as Sasha Novak

Episodes

Season 1 (2023)

<table><thead><tr><th>No. overall</th><th>No. in season</th><th>Title</th><th>Directed by</th><th>Written by</th><th>Original release date</th><th>U.S. viewers</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>"Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship"</td><td>Dean Devlin</td><td>Dean Devlin</td><td>February 1, 2023 (2023-02-01)</td><td>578,000</td></tr><tr><td>When an accident causes the crew of the Ark to wake up prematurely and with most of the senior staff dead, the remaining crew must establish a leadership committee from the remaining survivors and find a way to get the mission back on track.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>"Like It Touched the Sun"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>February 8, 2023 (2023-02-08)</td><td>408,000</td></tr><tr><td>A murder leaves the crew divided and suspicions running rampant.</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>"Get Out and Push"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>February 15, 2023 (2023-02-15)</td><td>310,000</td></tr><tr><td>An engine malfunction puts the ship at risk of an approaching comet, but the comet may provide an opportunity to deal with the imminent water shortage.</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>"We Weren't Supposed to Be Awake"</td><td>Sandra Mitrović</td><td>Rebecca Rosenberg</td><td>February 22, 2023 (2023-02-22)</td><td>350,000</td></tr><tr><td>While Garnet is arrested for murder, the crew start to experience hallucinations that may lead to death if they don't find a treatment.</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>"One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"</td><td>Sandra Mitrović</td><td>Kendall Lampkin</td><td>March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01)</td><td>340,000</td></tr><tr><td>Garnet's secret is exposed and the true identity of the murderer is revealed as the ship faces a potential engine overload.</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>"Two by Two"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>March 8, 2023 (2023-03-08)</td><td>361,000</td></tr><tr><td>A fuel shortage forces the Ark to attempt a risky manoeuvre to reach a planet to refuel, while certain secrets come out among the crew.</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>"A Slow Death Is Worse"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>March 15, 2023 (2023-03-15)</td><td>426,000</td></tr><tr><td>The discovery of Ark 3 leaves the crew facing difficult revelations about life on Earth after their departure.</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>"Every Single Person Matters"</td><td>Orsi Nagypal</td><td>Kendall Lampkin</td><td>March 22, 2023 (2023-03-22)</td><td>403,000</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>"The Painful Way"</td><td>Orsi Nagypal</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29)</td><td>339,000</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>10</td><td>"Hoping for Forever"</td><td>Sandra Mitrović</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05)</td><td>357,000</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>11</td><td>"The Last Thing You Ever Do"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>Rebecca Rosenberg</td><td>April 12, 2023 (2023-04-12)</td><td>437,000</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>12</td><td>"Everybody Wins"</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>April 19, 2023 (2023-04-19)</td><td>463,000</td></tr></tbody></table>

Season 2 (2024)

<table><thead><tr><th>No. overall</th><th>No. in season</th><th>Title</th><th>Directed by</th><th>Written by</th><th>Original release date</th><th>U.S. viewers</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>13</td><td>1</td><td>"Failed Experiment"</td><td>Marc Roskin</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>July 17, 2024 (2024-07-17)</td><td>240,000</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>2</td><td>"Kill or Be Killed"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>John-Paul Nickel and Jonathan Glassner</td><td>July 24, 2024 (2024-07-24)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>3</td><td>"Anomaly"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>John-Paul Nickel and Jonathan Glassner</td><td>July 31, 2024 (2024-07-31)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>4</td><td>"The Other You"</td><td>Milan Todorović</td><td>Madeline Hendricks Lewen</td><td>August 7, 2024 (2024-08-07)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>5</td><td>"Museum of Death"</td><td>Sandra Mitrović</td><td>India Sage Wilson</td><td>August 14, 2024 (2024-08-14)</td><td>285,000</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>6</td><td>"Pretty Big Deal"</td><td>Milan Konjević</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>August 21, 2024 (2024-08-21)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>7</td><td>"It Can't Be True"</td><td>Milena Grujić</td><td>Madeline Hendricks Lewen</td><td>August 28, 2024 (2024-08-28)</td><td>282,000</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>8</td><td>"We Don't Kill Our Own"</td><td>Marc Roskin</td><td>India Sage Wilson</td><td>September 4, 2024 (2024-09-04)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>9</td><td>"Cycle of Violence"</td><td>Hannah Espia-Farbová</td><td>James DeLorean</td><td>September 11, 2024 (2024-09-11)</td><td>239,000</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>10</td><td>"It Should Have Been You"</td><td>Sandra Mitrović</td><td>Madeline Hendricks Lewen</td><td>September 18, 2024 (2024-09-18)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>11</td><td>"It Will Be Over Soon"</td><td>Orsi Nagypál</td><td>India Sage Wilson</td><td>September 25, 2024 (2024-09-25)</td><td>201,000</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>12</td><td>"Fortunate"</td><td>Jonathan Glassner</td><td>John-Paul Nickel</td><td>October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02)</td><td>281,000</td></tr></tbody></table>

Production

The Ark (TV series)

The premise is very similar to the 1970s series The Starlost, in which a multi-generational starship called Earthship Ark was launched to allow the passengers to escape a dying Earth. More than 100 years into the voyage, an unexplained accident occurs, and the ship goes into emergency mode. The survivors have to figure out how to safely pilot the starship.

The Ark went straight-to-series in late January 2022 with a 12-episode order from Syfy. Principal photography began at PFI Studios in Belgrade, Serbia in March of that year. Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner serve as showrunners and producers.

In March 2022, it was announced that the regular cast of the series had been set, with Christie Burke starring as Lt. Sharon Garnet, along with Richard Fleeshman, Reece Ritchie, Stacey Read, and newcomer Ryan Adams. In April 2022, it was announced that Lisa Brenner would be a recurring guest star, playing Commander Susan Ingram, with Christina Wolfe, Shalini Peiris, Miles Barrow, Pavle Jerinić, and Tiana Upcheva also recurring.

On April 12, 2023, Syfy renewed the series for a second season. On March 5, 2025, Syfy renewed the series for a third season, which is set to release in 2026.

Broadcast and release

The Ark (TV series)

The series trailer was released in December 2022. It premiered on Syfy on February 1, 2023, with episodes to be streamed the next day on Peacock. A second season premiered on July 17, 2024.

Reception

The Ark (TV series)

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 50% approval rating based on 14 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "The core concept of The Ark ought to be alluring enough for the sci-fi faithful, but blasé writing and chintzy production values call into question whether this particular world is worth preserving." Metacritic assigned a score of 50 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".