‘Odyssey 5’s’ Quest to Save Earth Gets Off to an Audacious Start

As first acts go, tonight’s two-hour premiere of Showtime’s new science-fiction series “Odyssey 5” (8 p.m.) hits the ground running--and fast.

With the opening credits still rolling, a half-dozen American astronauts are bantering good-naturedly aboard their trusty craft, with the warm, blue-green glow of Earth serving as a comforting backdrop.

Then, as one of the female astronauts looks on in disbelief, the planet implodes in a fiery swirl before disappearing altogether. As the crumpled, charred remnants of an SUV float past, crew members, led by Commander Chuck Taggart (Peter Weller), begin to reassess their reentry plans.

With oxygen running out and nowhere to go, the crew drifts into unconsciousness, only to awaken sometime later in the presence of a mysterious figure. “I guess I should have expected it,” says African American astronaut Sarah Forbes (Leslie Silva). “God is an old white guy.”

But Heaven can wait. This old white guy, who calls himself the Seeker, says he can set the clock back five years and put the space travelers back in their earthly bodies so they can foil the forces responsible for the planet’s destruction. It’s an offer they can’t refuse.

That’s the audacious kickoff to the weekly hourlong series that will air at 10 p.m. on Fridays after tonight’s feature-length special. Even if you’re not a Showtime subscriber but do have basic cable, you can watch tonight’s series debut as part of the channel’s free preview weekend.

It’s a shrewd move by Showtime, because this series has considerable viewer-hooking appeal. When the crew members reconvene back on Earth during tonight’s second hour and begin to form their five-year plan, you know the fun is only beginning.