Manifest (TV series)

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

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.

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.

Production

Development

On August 23, 2017, NBC gave the production a put pilot commitment. The pilot was written by Jeff Rake, who was also set to serve as executive producer alongside Robert Zemeckis and Jack Rapke. Jackie Levine was expected to serve as a co-executive producer. Production companies involved with the pilot were slated to consist of Compari Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. In January 2018, NBC gave the production a pilot order and that David Frankel would direct and executive produce the pilot. In May 2018, NBC gave the production a series order of thirteen episodes with a premiere in third quarter of 2018 and a Monday timeslot at 10 p.m. On June 19, 2018, the series premiere was set for September 24, 2018. On October 18, 2018, NBC ordered an additional three episodes of the series, bringing the total up to sixteen episodes.

On April 15, 2019, NBC renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on January 6, 2020. On June 15, 2020, NBC renewed the series for a third season which premiered on April 1, 2021.

Casting

Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh and Jeff Rake at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2018

In February 2018, Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh, and J. R. Ramirez joined the pilot's main cast. Athena Karkanis, Parveen Kaur, and Luna Blaise were cast in main roles the following month. In August 2019, Yasha Jackson, Garrett Wareing, Andrene Ward-Hammond, and Ellen Tamaki were cast in recurring roles for the second season. In October 2019, Leah Gibson and Carl Lundstedt had been cast in recurring capacities. On September 22, 2020, Holly Taylor was cast a new series regular for the third season. On October 22, 2020, Will Peltz was cast in a recurring role for the third season.

Accolades

Year	Association	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
2019	Saturn Awards	Best Science Fiction TV Series	Manifest	Nominated
2019	Imagen Awards	Best Primetime Program – Drama	Manifest	Nominated

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