Manifest (TV series)

Manifest is an American supernatural drama television series created by Jeff Rake that premiered on September 24, 2018, on NBC. It centers on the passengers and crew of a commercial airliner who suddenly reappear after being presumed dead for five and a half years. It stars Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J. R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur, Matt Long, Holly Taylor, Daryl Edwards, and Ty Doran.

Manifest
Genre	Drama Supernatural
Created by	Jeff Rake
Starring	Melissa Roxburgh Josh Dallas Athena Karkanis J. R. Ramirez Luna Blaise Jack Messina Parveen Kaur Matt Long Holly Taylor Daryl Edwards Ty Doran
Composer	Danny Lux
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	52 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Robert Zemeckis Jack Rapke Jacqueline Levine Jeff Rake David Frankel (pilot) Joe Chappelle Len Goldstein Romeo Tirone
Producers	Cathy Frank Laura Putney Margaret Easley Harvey Waldman Marta Gené Camps
Cinematography	Tim Ives Tim Norman Joseph Bradley Smith Sarah Cawley John Inwood Andrew Priestley
Editors	Elena Maganini Nicholas Erasmus Scott Boyd Steven Lang Mark Conte Nina M. Gilberti Maura Corey Matt Coleshill
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	42–50 minutes
Production companies	Compari Entertainment Jeff Rake Productions Universal Television (2018–2021) Warner Bros. Television
Release
Original network	NBC (seasons 1–3) Netflix (season 4)
Original release	September 24, 2018 (2018-09-24) – present

In October 2018, NBC ordered further episodes for the first season and subsequently renewed the series for a second season that aired in 2020, and again for a third in 2021. In June 2021, the series was canceled by NBC after three seasons. The series was added to Netflix shortly before it was canceled and immediately topped the viewing charts, persuading Netflix to renew Manifest for a fourth and final season consisting of twenty episodes, with part one premiering on November 4, 2022, and part two set to premiere on June 2, 2023.

Plot

While traveling from Jamaica to New York City, Montego Air Flight 828 experiences a brief period of severe turbulence. When they land at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York, the plane's 191 passengers and crew learn from NSA deputy director Robert Vance that over five and a half years have passed while they were in the air, during which time they were presumed dead. As they rejoin society, the passengers begin to face the fact that their lives—and loved ones—are not the same as they were, while they also begin to experience guiding voices and visions representing events yet to occur, referred to as 'callings.'

Cast and characters

• Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela "Mick" Stone, a detective who works at the NYPD's 129th Precinct, and Ben's sister. She was a passenger on Flight 828. She later marries Zeke. Ariana Jalia portrays a younger Michaela.
• Josh Dallas as Ben Stone, a college associate professor in mathematics, Michaela's brother, and father to Olive, Cal and Eden. He was a passenger on Flight 828.
• Athena Karkanis as Grace Stone (seasons 1–3; guest season 4), Ben's wife, Michaela's sister-in-law, and mother to Olive, Cal and Eden. She runs a catering business.
• J. R. Ramirez as Jared Vasquez, a detective at the NYPD's 129th Precinct and Michaela's ex-fiancé; he married Michaela's best friend during the five-plus year absence of Flight 828, but they divorce after Michaela's return. Jared is later promoted to police lieutenant.
• Luna Blaise as Olive Stone, Ben and Grace's daughter, Michaela's niece, Cal's twin sister, and Eden's older sister. Jenna Kurmemaj portrays a young Olive.
• Jack Messina (seasons 1–3; guest season 4) and Ty Doran (season 4; guest season 3) as Cal Stone, Ben and Grace's son, Michaela's nephew, Eden's older brother, and Olive's twin brother, who is five and a half years younger than she after Flight 828 returns. Cal was a passenger on Flight 828. Jack Messina portrays a younger Cal while Ty Doran portrays a teenage Cal.
• Parveen Kaur as Saanvi Bahl, a doctor and medical researcher at Koch Hospital and passenger on Flight 828. She is later recruited to work for the NSA's Project Eureka task force that is investigating 828.
• Matt Long as Zeke Landon (seasons 2–4; recurring season 1), a hiker who got trapped in a cave during a blizzard and was presumed dead for a year. He returns to life in a situation similar to what happened to Flight 828 passengers. He later marries Michaela and becomes the first person to beat his death date after saving Cal's life. After beating his death date, Zeke develops empathic powers. At the end of the first part of season 4, Zeke sacrifices himself to save Cal by absorbing Cal's returned cancer. Colin Critchley portrays a younger Zeke.
• Holly Taylor as Angelina Meyer (seasons 3–4), a Flight 828 passenger who is held captive by her religiously fanatic parents in Costa Rica after her return. She is later rescued by Michaela and Zeke and taken in by the Stones to live with them.
• Daryl Edwards as Robert Vance (season 4; recurring seasons 1–3), the director of the NSA who leads the investigation of the re-emergence of Montego Air Flight 828. Despite apparently being killed in season 1 during the raid on a Singularity Project's base, he is revealed to still be alive in season 2. With only a few people aware he is alive, Vance begins working covertly to uncover the mysteries of Flight 828 and his government's sinister objectives. After his survival is revealed to the government in season 3, Vance resumes his old position and heads up a new taskforce known as Project Eureka, examining the rebuilt wreckage of the plane for clues.

Seeds of the Word

Many of the character names in this TV series are biblically inspired. Here are some notable examples:

1. Michaela Stone: The name "Michaela" is derived from the biblical name "Michael", which means "who is like God?". Michael is an archangel mentioned in the Bible. This archangel is a significant figure in various religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In these traditions, Michael is regarded as a powerful celestial being, often depicted as an archangel or a chief angel.
   • In Judaism, Michael is considered as one of the archangels and is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. The name "Michael" is derived from Hebrew and means "who is like God?" He is often associated with protection, righteousness, and the defender of the Jewish people.
   • In Christianity, Michael is also recognized as an archangel and is mentioned in the New Testament. He is depicted as a warrior and a guardian of God's people. In the Book of Revelation, Michael is described as leading the heavenly armies against the forces of evil.
   • In Islam, Michael, known as Mikail in Arabic, is considered one of the four archangels mentioned in the Quran. He is associated with acts of mercy and is believed to be responsible for the distribution of sustenance. Though the Quran does not explicitly mention the names of the four archangels, Islamic scholars have however identified, based on Hadith (sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad), four archangels who play significant roles in carrying out the commands of Allah (God). These archangels are: Jibril (Gabriel), Mikail (Michael), Israfil, and Azrael.
   Overall, Michael the archangel is a significant figure in religious mythology, often portrayed as a powerful and protective celestial being.
2. Ben Stone: The name "Ben" is a shortened form of "Benjamin", a biblical name that means "son of the right hand" or "son of the south." In the Bible, Benjamin was one of the twelve sons of Jacob.
3. Grace Stone: The name "Grace" carries religious connotations and refers to the unmerited favor or mercy of God.
4. Cal Stone: The name "Cal" is a shortened form of "Caleb", a biblical name that means "faithful" or "devoted to God". In the Bible, Caleb was one of the spies sent by Moses to explore the Promised Land.
5. Olive Stone: The name "Olive" does not have a direct biblical reference, but it symbolizes peace and is often associated with religious symbolism and the story of Noah's Ark. It can also be associated with the Garden of Gethsemane also known as the Garden of Olives, where Jesus prayed with his apostles after the Last Supper and where he was arrested by the soldiers of the sanhedrin before being brought to trial before Pontius Pilate and ultimately being crucified to then rise again on the third day.
6. Zeke Landon: The name "Zeke" is a variant of "Ezekiel," a biblical name that means "God strengthens." In the Bible, Ezekiel was a prophet. The surname "Landon" does not have a specific biblical reference.
7. Eden: The name "Eden" is commonly associated with the biblical Garden of Eden, which was depicted as a paradise where Adam and Eve lived before the Fall. The name might have been chosen to evoke a sense of innocence or a metaphorical connection to a place of beauty.
8. Angelina: The name "Angel" or "Angela" has connections to heavenly messengers in various religious traditions, including Christianity. In the context of the TV series, the name Angelina might have been chosen for its aesthetic appeal or to convey a sense of grace or beauty.

Divine Providence

The flight number for the mysterious reappearing aircraft is 828. This is a reference to Romans 8:28 and is the basis for many of the biblical references in this series:

Calling

I passeggeri stanno ricevendo "chiamate", ossia segni che fanno capire che devono perseguire una certa linea d'azione per aiutare qualcuno o prevenire un problema. Il pastore Adriano, rimasto solo, sta interpretando le sue "chiamate" in maniera negativa, come se dovrà versare sangue; Michaela lo scopre durante un "flashback" sull'aereo misterioso, trovandolo con le mani bagnate di sangue

See also

• Departure, a TV series about a crashed airliner investigation
• Lost, a TV series about a crashed airliner on a mysterious island
• 4400, a TV series about people from various different times in the past who come back to life
• Les Revenants ("The Returned"), a French TV series about people who mysteriously return years after their death without having aged and their attempts to reintegrate into their former lives
• The Returned, an American remake of the French TV series
• Glitch, an Australian TV series about people from various different times in the past who come back to life in a country town

External links

• Official website
• Manifest at IMDb