'Falling Skies' Premieres Tonight: Why We're Geeked Out About Spielberg's New Show (Plus: Watch a Sneak Peek)

We've been talking up the new TNT series "Falling Skies" for a couple months now, and the summer TV event is finally ready to premiere this Sunday. In case you haven't heard, the series is Executive Produced by Steven Spielberg, was written by Robert Rodat (the Oscar nominee who wrote "Saving Private Ryan") and stars Noah Wyle.

As if the bona fides of the folks behind it weren't reason enough to check it out, it's a big-budget, high-energy post-apocalyptic alien extravaganza to boot. Here's five reasons we'll be checking out "Falling Skies" when it premieres this Sunday.

1. Spielberg - Watching "Super 8" this week, I remembered once again what it is that makes Spielberg such a special guy in the first place. Sure, he can bust out a heavyweight drama like "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan," but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the dude who made "Amazing Stories," "The Goonies" and "Gremlins." Sure, Spielberg isn't afraid to trot out the shmaltz from time to time, but summertime is the ideal time to take in some easily digestible, highly entertaining escapist fantasy stories, and for that, Steven is the King. With a stellar writing team on board and the always earnest and likable Noah Wyle in the lead, expectations are high.

2. Post-apocalyptic dystopias kick ass - I'll admit it. If a film or show focuses on a rag-tag team of survivors fighting their way through a post-apocalyptic dystopia, I'm there. From "28 Days Later" to "The Road" to "Shaun of the Dead," it really doesn't matter. If I have ten bucks in my pocket I'll watch it. I even watched the truly atrocious "The Book of Eli" and enjoyed it. "I Am Legend" was heavy on the schlock, and Will Smith was way over the top with his acting, but I loved it anyway.

According to TNT: "'Falling Skies' opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the six months since the initial invasion, the few survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back. Each day is a test of survival as citizen soldiers work to protect the people in their care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign against the occupying alien force." "Chaotic aftermath"? "Test of survival"? "Occupying alien force?" Done, done and done.

3. I miss "The Walking Dead" - Thank the zombie gods, "The Walking Dead" is in production right now, filming a new 13-episode season in Atlanta. The show returns in October and cast members have been spreading rumors that Stephen King may be writing an episode. While I'm waiting for that to happen, I am in dire need of a well-written, high-action survival series with top-notch production value. With an Oscar-nominated writer at the helm, ridiculous budgets and bone-chilling fear of death at every corner, "Falling Skies" will make a suitable replacement for "The Walking Dead" until the dead come back to life this fall.

4. Web comics! Video games! - TNT is doing a top notch job of promoting "Falling Skies," including a 16-part web comic and an interactive video game called "Last Defense," a shooting game that's personizable based on your street address. While interactive and viral promos are almost expected these days out of a big budget promotional campaign, both the web comic and video game are really well worth checking out. "Last Defense" brought an alien to my actual street, which was just what a beautiful afternoon stuck inside writing required.

5. Paging Dr. Carter - Noah Wyle hasn't been up to much since leaving ER, but hopefully "Falling Skies" will change all that. From what I've seen from some of the smaller indie films he's acted in, Wyle's range extends far beyond the concerned and earnest expressions of an overworked surgeon, and we're looking forward to seeing him flex his acting muscles in "Falling Skies" (and beyond).

6. Yes! The aliens want our children! - Aliens always seem to be aiming for some sort of precious substance, fuel to get home to their planet, to make contact or just generally destroy the planet. The aliens ("skitters") in "Falling Skies" aim instead to enslave our children and turn them into menial labor. Haha! Suckers! See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya! I'm gonna go off and be 35 now - you get to work, son!

For more info on what "Falling Skies" is all about, check out our preview article from earlier this summer. Also, watch a sneak peek of the series below, and make sure and catch the 2-hour season premiere on TNT Sunday, June 19th at 9 p.m. EST.