3rd Rock from the Sun: Story, Cast and Series Facts

3rd Rock from the Sun (1996): Comedy, Family, Science-Fiction. Series details, synopsis, cast and season dates from TVmaze.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team•Updated September 29, 2026•2 min read•✓ Fact-checked

Editorial graphic for: 3rd Rock from the Sun: Story, Cast and Series Facts — Editorial graphic by Pop Culture Files · not a photograph

Story and premise

Sent to Earth to investigate civilization, an alien high commander and his quirky crew -- military officer Sally, information expert Tommy and transmitter Harry -- assume human identities to blend in. Although they possess superior intelligence, their naïveté about the human condition turns everyday events into farcical fun.

Series details

Title: 3rd Rock from the Sun
Format: Scripted
Language: English
Genres: Comedy, Family, Science-Fiction
Premiere date: 1996-01-09
Final broadcast date listed: 2001-05-22
Status in TVmaze: Ended
Network listed by TVmaze: NBC
Network country: United States
Typical episode runtime: 30 minutes
TVmaze community rating: 7.9/10
TVMaze ID: 1053

Cast and credited roles

John Lithgow — Dick Solomon
Kristen Johnston — Sally Solomon
French Stewart — Harry Solomon
Jane Curtin — Dr. Mary Albright
Joseph Gordon-Levitt — Tommy Solomon
Simbi Khali — Nina Campbell
Elmarie Wendel — Mrs. Mamie Dubcek
Wayne Knight — Officer Don Orville
Shay Astar — August Leffler

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

Season 1: premiered 1996-01-09; final listed air date 1996-05-21; episode order: 20.
Season 2: premiered 1996-09-22; final listed air date 1997-05-18; episode order: 26.
Season 3: premiered 1997-09-24; final listed air date 1998-05-20; episode order: 27.
Season 4: premiered 1998-09-23; final listed air date 1999-05-25; episode order: 24.
Season 5: premiered 1999-09-21; final listed air date 2000-05-23; episode order: 22.
Season 6: premiered 2000-10-24; final listed air date 2001-05-22; episode order: 20.

Source and licence

Adapted from 3rd Rock from the Sun on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.