In “The Culling,” a young and idealistic news presenter reports as thousands of humans float up into space, every couple weeks. When scientists learn that alien ships are arriving on the same schedule, she reports on how her fellow humans are reacting with a mix of fear, anger, and resignation.  Can she and her colleagues stay professional for their audience?  Will humankind learn why we are being taken?  

SYNOPSIS:

With humans randomly being culled all across the world; members of the media are figuring out how to report incomprehensible news; scientists are analyzing what is happening to our bodies and how, and to where, we are traveling; families are deciding what to tell their children; religious and political leaders are debating why this is happening; and support communities are growing in response to the terror caused as thousands exit the earth at each full and new moon. When non-Earth objects are identified, some of us choose to fight against this phenomenon while others find ways to adapt to this new reality and even thrive.

“The Culling” is an hour-long science fiction, alternate history, mystery/drama series. Our main character will be Bethany Mitnick, a Cincinnati television news presenter who is responsible for describing the ongoing disappearance of human bodies. Bethany becomes increasingly anxious and unsure in her reporting, and struggles to maintain professionalism on-air, as Culling events continue (and affect her team). Other recurring characters include …

• Richard Farnsworth, a scientist leading the team of researchers at California Institute of Technology trying to understand what is occurring and, eventually, identifying alien craft arriving just prior to The Culling events.
• Diane Fisher, a mother of two who is conspiring with her church and PTA to prevent their community’s children from learning about The Culling, until her husband is taken and she must come to grips with the reality of the situation.
• Aiden Murphy, the President of Ireland who is working with other political leaders to understand what is occurring and how to calm their citizens, and who must deal with the nuclear fallout caused by failed attacks against the alien ships.
• Lucy Lawson, a lawyer who loses her daughter and founds “Avenge the Victims,” a group aggressively advocating for a violent response to the aliens and the loss of humans they are causing.
• Thomas Ortega, a psychologist who founds “Supporting the Culling,” a group highlighting how imminent death is motivating humans to live life more fully, to seek stronger connections with each other, and to be more intentional in our daily choices.

As viewers meet the portrayed characters experiencing these traumatic events, they might see more clearly what is truly important to them individually, and to humans collectively. Viewers might then decide to live their lives more mindfully, more intentionally … as if they could be gone by next week.