Terra Nova

Watch in the UK

Watch in the US

Data provided by

7 / 10

1 Review

Rate this show:

7 Based on 1 Votes

10

0
9

0
8

0
7

1
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0

Overview

In the year 2149, the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped and overcrowded, with the majority of plant and animal life extinct. The future of mankind is in jeopardy, and its only hope for survival is in the distant past. An ordinary family goes on an extraordinary journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a part of a massive expedition to save the human race.

Media

Terra Nova Series Premiere Promo (HD)

Cast

Christine Adams

Creator:

Kelly Marcel, Craig Silverstein

Fist Air Date:

2011-09-26

Episode Runtime:

45m

Production Companies:

Amblin Television, Kapital Entertainment, Chernin Entertainment, Siesta Productions

Genres:

Action & Adventure Mystery Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Keywords:

colony dinosaur family drama time travel

More Show Details

Vote Average: 6.8/10

Vote Count: 871 Votes

Show Popularity: 6.119

Show Status: Canceled

Show Type: Scripted

Spoken Languages: English

Review

View all reviews

Insomniacs Reviews
- 23 April 2026 at 7:47 am

7 Based on 1 Votes
10

0
9

0
8

0
7

1
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0
⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 7/10 THE SUMMARY Welcome to the Cretaceous Period, where the rent is cheap but the neighbors will literally eat you. *Terra Nova* (2011) is a high-concept sci-fi epic produced by Steven Spielberg. In the year 2149, Earth is a dying, polluted mess, so humanity sends "pilgrims" through a time rift to a parallel past to start over. We follow the Shannon family as they join the colony, led by the rugged Commander Taylor (Stephen Lang). It’s a one-season wonder that feels like *Avatar* meets *Jurassic Park* on a network TV budget. By April 2026, it remains one of the most expensive "what-ifs" in the 900+ archive, especially since the fans are still yelling for a reboot this week on Reddit. THE PROS The production value is a total win; they actually built a massive, full-scale colony set in Australia, which gives the show a sincere, lived-in feel that CGI can't match. Stephen Lang is a masterclass as Commander Taylor—he’s the ultimate "jungle dad" with a knife and a mystery. The show’s biggest win is the creature design; the fictional dinosaurs like the "Acceraptor" (or Slashers) are genuinely terrifying and unique to the 900+ vault. When the show stops being a family drama and leans into the "Sixer" conspiracy and the mystery of the 18th-century boat in the desert, it’s absolute gold. THE CONS It is a 7/10 because the "family drama" can feel like total garbage compared to the cool dinosaur stuff. We came for the T-Rexes, but we often got subplots about Josh Shannon’s teenage rebellion and Maddy’s awkward dating life, which felt like a Languid Burn in the worst way. It misses the 8/10 mark because it was cancelled on a massive cliffhanger that saw the colony cut off from the future and a mysterious portal discovered in the "Badlands." By April 2026, it’s a total head-scratcher why no streamer has touched this for a reboot, given that CGI is about 80% cheaper now than it was in 2011. THE VERDICT A 7/10. It is a genuine, ambitious, and visually stunning adventure that was just too expensive for its time (costing about $4 million per episode in 2011). I was slightly gutted to see the "Marvel's Nova" news trending this April and realize it wasn't a *Terra Nova* revival—a common mistake for hopeful fans this week. It is total garbage that we never got to see the "War of the Worlds" style fallout they teased for Season 2. If you want a show that makes you want to live in a jungle and fight a Carnotaurus with a sonic cannon, this belongs in your vault. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA * The $14 Million Pilot: The two-hour series premiere cost a staggering $14 million, making it one of the most expensive pilots in TV history at the time.* Jurassic Connection: To ensure the dinosaurs looked "real," the production team consulted with paleontologist Jack Horner, who also worked on the *Jurassic Park* films.* Abandoned Sets: The actual "Terra Nova" set in Bonogin, Australia, was left to rot for years after cancellation. By 2026, all that remains are a few concrete slabs and overgrown streets—a literal ghost town of a dead show.* 2026 Connection: On April 16, 2026, a "How did Terra Nova not get a reboot yet?" thread went viral on Reddit, with fans pointing out that *Avatar: The Way of Water*’s success proves there is still a massive market for "jungle-planet family epics." THE VIBE Like a camping trip in your backyard, except your backyard is 85 million years ago. It is adventurous, sunny, and slightly paranoid. It makes you want to wear cargo pants, plant a garden, and keep a very close eye on the tree line for anything with too many teeth.

TV Show Poster

Season 1

11 Episodes

Air Date: 2011-09-26

Videos

Terra Nova Series Premiere Promo (HD)

Terra Nova - Trailer

Cast

Christine Adams

Landon Liboiron

Related Shows To

Terra Nova

Reviews for

Terra Nova

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 23 April 2026 at 8:47 AM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 7/10
THE SUMMARY
Welcome to the Cretaceous Period, where the rent is cheap but the neighbors will literally eat you. *Terra Nova* (2011) is a high-concept sci-fi epic produced by Steven Spielberg. In the year 2149, Earth is a dying, polluted mess, so humanity sends “pilgrims” through a time rift to a parallel past to start over. We follow the Shannon family as they join the colony, led by the rugged Commander Taylor (Stephen Lang). It’s a one-season wonder that feels like *Avatar* meets *Jurassic Park* on a network TV budget. By April 2026, it remains one of the most expensive “what-ifs” in the 900+ archive, especially since the fans are still yelling for a reboot this week on Reddit.
THE PROS
The production value is a total win; they actually built a massive, full-scale colony set in Australia, which gives the show a sincere, lived-in feel that CGI can’t match. Stephen Lang is a masterclass as Commander Taylor—he’s the ultimate “jungle dad” with a knife and a mystery. The show’s biggest win is the creature design; the fictional dinosaurs like the “Acceraptor” (or Slashers) are genuinely terrifying and unique to the 900+ vault. When the show stops being a family drama and leans into the “Sixer” conspiracy and the mystery of the 18th-century boat in the desert, it’s absolute gold.
THE CONS
It is a 7/10 because the “family drama” can feel like total garbage compared to the cool dinosaur stuff. We came for the T-Rexes, but we often got subplots about Josh Shannon’s teenage rebellion and Maddy’s awkward dating life, which felt like a Languid Burn in the worst way. It misses the 8/10 mark because it was cancelled on a massive cliffhanger that saw the colony cut off from the future and a mysterious portal discovered in the “Badlands.” By April 2026, it’s a total head-scratcher why no streamer has touched this for a reboot, given that CGI is about 80% cheaper now than it was in 2011.
THE VERDICT
A 7/10. It is a genuine, ambitious, and visually stunning adventure that was just too expensive for its time (costing about $4 million per episode in 2011). I was slightly gutted to see the “Marvel’s Nova” news trending this April and realize it wasn’t a *Terra Nova* revival—a common mistake for hopeful fans this week. It is total garbage that we never got to see the “War of the Worlds” style fallout they teased for Season 2. If you want a show that makes you want to live in a jungle and fight a Carnotaurus with a sonic cannon, this belongs in your vault.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
* The $14 Million Pilot: The two-hour series premiere cost a staggering $14 million, making it one of the most expensive pilots in TV history at the time.
* Jurassic Connection: To ensure the dinosaurs looked “real,” the production team consulted with paleontologist Jack Horner, who also worked on the *Jurassic Park* films.
* Abandoned Sets: The actual “Terra Nova” set in Bonogin, Australia, was left to rot for years after cancellation. By 2026, all that remains are a few concrete slabs and overgrown streets—a literal ghost town of a dead show.
* 2026 Connection: On April 16, 2026, a “How did Terra Nova not get a reboot yet?” thread went viral on Reddit, with fans pointing out that *Avatar: The Way of Water*’s success proves there is still a massive market for “jungle-planet family epics.”
THE VIBE
Like a camping trip in your backyard, except your backyard is 85 million years ago. It is adventurous, sunny, and slightly paranoid. It makes you want to wear cargo pants, plant a garden, and keep a very close eye on the tree line for anything with too many teeth.

Leave a Review Cancel reply