close enough for government work
Threshold is an amazing show that, had it come out in the wake of Fringe and not three years prior, it might’ve lasted more than a paltry thirteen episodes. It goes without saying that, if you have the means, I highly recommend it—but go in with the full knowledge that it was canceled and you’ll hopefully be less angry at the end.
A quick, mildly-spoilery synopsis: aliens are creatively invading Earth, taking over humans and changing our biology to be more like their own. In one episode, the self-appointed leader of the infiltrators tells our protagonists that the aliens’re doing this to save humanity: a stellar phenomenon beyond our casual observation occurred long ago, and it spells the end of humanity unless we’re modified to become hardier (i.e. more like the aliens are making us). It’s a big reveal about halfway through the truncated season, but our heroes don’t take the aliens’ words for it and resolve to verify their claims. In one of the last episodes before cancellation, they receive a memorandum from NASA confirming what the aliens claimed.
That’s all you need to know, plot-wise. In the real world, premiering in autumn 2005, Threshold was one of the earliest TV series to produce and broadcast their episodes in high-definition (720p). Just like the contemporary My Name Is Earl did (to hilarious effect), Threshold slipped in gags and Easter eggs for those watching in HD. That NASA memo was one.
TOP SECRET INFORMATION
Dear Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey.
In reply to your request for information on the following coordinates:
Eight hours right ascension, thirty-four degrees south declination
It has been confirmed that approximately 400,000 years ago two neutron stars collided at these coordinates, and the cosmic radiation that resulted from this collision is expected to effect the Earth in approximately 6 years.
Cosmic radiation is a collection of many different types of radiation from many different types of sources. When people speak simply of ‘cosmic radiation’ they are usually referring specifically to the cosmic microwave background radiation. This consists of very, very low energy photons (energy of about 2.78 Kelvin) whose spectrum is peaked in the microwave region and which are remnants from the time when the universe was only about 200,000 years old. There are also very old remnant neutrinos in the cosmic radiations.
When these particles make it to the earth [sic], it will interact with our atmosphere. Our atmosphere is able to reflect small amounts of these particles and act as a “radiation shield”. The amount of particles that will enter our atmosphere in 6 years as a result of this collision will most likely be more than our atmosphere will be able to protect us from. The Earth will be completely destroyed and all human life will be extinguished.
We thank you for your concern and interest and hope this information has been of help to you.
The show absolutely didn’t communicate the glibness of the memo; there were just a lot of serious stares and plain stating of facts. That bureaucratic banality was for the folks watching in HD (and presumably with a DVR). Just another example of this wonderful show’s commitment to excellence.
