Things may not have worked out for the TNT pilot in which Summer Glau was set to star, but if there's a silver lining to the cable channel's decision to pass on the project, it's that it likely freed up Summer Glau's schedule enough to allow her to be available to return to Syfy's Alphas in Season 2. The former Firefly star isn't the only great guest star set to appear in Alphas in its upcoming second season. Syfy announced a list of guest stars and offered some information on who's playing who.
Alphas stars David Strathairn as Dr. Lee Rosen, the leader of a group of people with extraordinary abilities who take on cases that the CIA and other government agencies can't or won't handle. In Season 1, Summer Glau guest starred as Skylar Adams, an electronics mastermind with a sizable IQ. She isn't the only guest star show will return in Season 2. John Pyper-Ferguson will also return for his recurring role as Stanton Parish (a.k.a. the "Perfect Alpha") and Kathleen Munroe will return to play Dr. Rosen's empath daughter Dani.
Here's the full list Syfy released for their new and returning guest stars in Season 2.
Sean Astin plays Roland, an Alpha who has a bizarrely absorptive brain, which allows him to assume the memories of anyone close to him and then replay them like a tape recorder.C. Thomas Howell portrays Eli Aquino, an intense Alpha with super-speed who is bent on revenge.Lauren Holly guests as Senator Charlotte Burton, a government official with mysterious ties to a member of the Alphas team.Summer Glau reprises her season one role as Skylar Adams, an Alpha who possesses a 200+ IQ and is an electronics mastermind.Steve Byers plays John Bennett, a new member of the tactical team from the U.S. Department of Defense assigned to the Alphas team.Kandyse McClure guests as Agnes, an attractive but distant Alpha with the ability to see into people’s minds merely by touching them.John Pyper-Ferguson reprises his recurring role of Stanton Parish, the “Perfect Alpha.”Kathleen Munroe returns as Dr. Rosen’s daughter, Dani, an empath Alpha who can transfer emotions from herself to others and is secretly a follower of Stanton Parish.Mahershala Ali reprises his role as Nathan Clay the head of a tactical unit within the U.S. Department of Defense tasked with dealing with rogue Alphas.Noah Reid portrays Adam Gordon a young man grief-stricken by the death of his young sister, Maggie. However, he becomes convinced she is alive and in need of his help.
It's not only great news to see Sean Astin on the list of guest stars, but it also seems fitting, as the Lord of the Ring star was recently seen in an episode of Hollywood Treasures, Syfy's movie memorabilia-focused unscripted series. So he's no stranger to the network. His ability in Alphas, which allows him to absorb people's memories and play them back like a tape recorder, sounds really cool.
Also no stranger to Syfy is Kandyse McClure, who played Dualla on Battlestar Galactica. Just the other day, we shared the news that McClure's been cast in Netflix's upcoming series Hemlock Grove. Her Alphas ability sounds about as invasive as Astin's, as she can read people's minds by touching them.
Alphas Season 2 premieres on Syfy Monday, July 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
