NBC's Debris fails to embrace the power of the titular space junk

The A.V. Club

"The primary idea behind Debris, a new sci-fi series from Fringe alum J.H. Wyman, is quite wild," says Saloni Gajjar. "Two agents from different countries are supposed to track and bring in pieces of debris—here, small objects made from alien tech—that cause strange occurrences for anyone who comes in contact with it. It’s just bizarre enough to prompt a certain level of curiosity. In the last few years, network television has often attempted to make the next big X-Files or Lost—a compelling, high-concept drama that builds on its suspense—with mostly unremarkable results. These endeavors include CBS’s weak adaptation of Stephen King’s Under The Dome; NBC’s post-apocalyptic Revolution, where the world has lost electricity in the future; Fox’s Alcatraz, where vanished prisoners and guards reappear in modern day; and a roster of ABC’s unsuccessful, one-season sci-fi shows like The Whispers, Time After Time, Emergence, The Crossing. After achieving moderate success with Manifest (a missing plane shows up five years later and the passengers haven’t aged a day), NBC is risking it all with Debris, which doesn’t lean enough into its concept enough." Gajjar adds: "As much as they’re trying, the actors don’t yet have the prowess to carry the emotive weight of the show. To find its space in this television landscape, Debris should rely on the power of the titular space junk. The premiere hardly delves into the mystery of it all because by the time it starts, this debris has been around for a while and already passed the 'shock and awe' stage for the characters, and therefore, the audience."

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• Debris sets itself apart with its canny use of special effects: "Many moments in the pilot unfurl into downright chilling images, especially as more and more innocent bystanders get swept up in the creeping unease of an alien…well, if not 'threat,' then at least 'debilitating strangeness,'" says Caroline Framke. "As of now, it’s unclear exactly what debris is or can do, but it seems safe to assume that every new episode might reveal startling new properties. The most pressing question at this point is whether Debris will be confident enough in its particular perspective to lean into a more specific tone, or if it will collapse in a pile of government conspiracy clichés. For now, though, it’s enough to switch on a network drama with a bit of spooky flair to it and hope for the creative best going forward."
• Debris isn't afraid to explore the concept of grief: "Because this is sci-fi TV with a decent budget, there are striking visuals involving swirling spinning bodies, the basic laws of physics turned on their heads, along with some intriguing mysteries that seem like they'll be able to power at least 12 more episodes of drama. I was ready for those sorts of hijinks. But I wasn't prepared for Debris to be so sad," says Liz Shannon Miller. "To be clear, the show is not humorless, with (Jonathan) Tucker in particular bringing some spark and snark and intriguing facial hair to his scenes. But while much of what's showcased in the pilot feels familiar enough to make overlooking this show possible, what does feel new is the strong strain of melancholy which ripples as an undercurrent throughout the entire episode. COVID-19 is not a factor in the Debris universe (so far, anyway), but there's still a lot of loss packed into the pilot, and a key thread of this first installment is focused on the concept of connection, of looking outside ourselves for help."
• It doesn't bode well that NBC only sent one Debris episode to review: "Network television is in need of a truly great sci-fi series, something that merges episodic formulas with serialized storytelling to keep viewers tuning in week after week in the hopes that the writers will dole out a little bit more information about the mystery at the heart of the show—in this case, what happened to the alien ship, why it is here now, and what happens if all the pieces are eventually recovered," says Kaitlin Thomas. "I want to believe that Debris can be this show and that it will be able to dig into more compelling storylines that pose questions about life, the universe, and everything now that some of the table-setting is out of the way, but it’s difficult to judge whether that is possible from just the one episode. And since that’s all NBC saw fit to send in advance, it doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence in what’s to come. As such, this is one puzzle that isn’t worth solving."
• Debris feels like it's already answered its biggest mystery