Sole survivor

In ABC’s new weekly drama Emergence, shadowy villains want to get their hands on a little girl who seems to have survived a mysterious plane crash. As a police chief and her family shield the youngster from danger, they try to find out why she is so valuable to evil forces. ABC might have a hit on its hands with Emergence, but is it worthwhile viewing for Christians?

In the middle of the night, a plane crashes over Long Island Sound, and strange storms cause the electrical grid to malfunction. Chief Jo Evans (Allison Tolman) arrives at the scene of the wreckage to find a furtive survivor, a little girl named Piper (Alexa Swinton) who instantly bonds with the officer. Who is she, and how has she alone remained alive when the entire aircraft has been destroyed?

Piper has lost her memory and has no place to go. Chief Evans’ home becomes a place of safety, and Evans’ father and daughter accept Piper as one of their own. Even Evans’ ex-husband, despite misgivings, wants to keep Piper safe and camps out with the clan while they figure things out.

Evil forces want Piper, and they want to destroy any evidence of the plane crash. They bury the wreckage far out at sea and seek out anything associated with the accident. Young Piper seems to know more than she is letting on. Her memories resurface, despite her attempts to keep them at bay. She wants desperately to belong to a family, to stay in a safe haven far from a chaotic past she has escaped.

After only three episodes have aired, it’s difficult to make a recommendation about this series. The plot involves an intriguing mystery, but young viewers would find the scenes of gore disturbing, and the show contains occasionally salty language. Still, the characters are well developed and believable (so far), and the themes of love, loyalty, good vs. evil, and a family battling tyranny are timeless.