With the possible exception of “Rendezvous With Rama,” 1953’s “Childhood’s End” may be the most famous novel by Arthur C. Clarke that has nothing to do with Dave Bowman or Franke Poole.
Like other Clarke works, “Childhood’s End” depicts mankind’s first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Aliens arrive in city-size spacecraft (not dissimilar to those depicted in “Independence Day”) and proceed to transform the Earth into a war-free utopia. Though earthmen are suspicious of their new overlords, at no point do the extraterrestrials share a book titled “To Serve Man.”
Matthew Graham, who created the British time travel cop series “Life On Mars,” is writing the miniseries. At least three people involved with “Sherlock: His Last Vow” -- director Nick Hurran, cinematographer Neville Kidd and editor Yan Miles -- are performing the same functions for “Childhood’s.” (Hurran was Emmy-nominated for “Vow”; Kidd and Miles won Emmys for the same TV-movie.)
Charles Dance – Tywin Lannister himself – stars as our new supervisor.
Other foreigners in the cast include Hayley Magnus (“Mental”) and Star Trek icon Colm Meaney (“Hell on Wheels”).
Syfy plans to launch the three-part event in December.
