Everything You Need To Know About Halo TV Series

We're here to help (just like Master Chief)!

Posted on Feb 28, 2025 | 01:00pm

In the sci-fi drama Halo, all episodes now streaming on Paramount+, supersoldiers battle to protect humanity from an alien alliance set on destroying it. We, too, are ready for battle – ready to battle for your right to Halo knowledge, that is. We’ve got a whole arsenal of info to get you prepped, and pumped to binge-watch this action-packed sci-fi drama. Ready? And maybe loosen that helmet of yours. Your brain is about to get a whole lot bigger.
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**What is Halo about?**

Based on the iconic Xbox franchise, the Paramount+ original series Halo is about an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien alliance called the Covenant. The first season introduces us to the supersoldier Master Chief John-117 (Pablo Schreiber), as well as the brilliant and conflicted creator of the supersoldier program, Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone). And, yes, the iconic Halo figure Cortana (Jen Taylor) is on hand, too. Cortana is the single most advanced AI system in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race. Together, all these components of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) strive to keep the alien threat at bay.

In Season 2, we're introduced to a major new player: James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan), the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) operative brought in to oversee the SPARTAN-II program. Elsewhere, Master Chief continues to lead his team of elite Spartans against the threat of the Covenant. In the wake of a shocking event on a desolate planet, Master Chief risks everything to prove what no one else will believe: the Covenant is preparing to attack humanity’s greatest stronghold. With the galaxy on the brink, Master Chief embarks on a journey to find the Halo. Will it be the key to humankind’s salvation … or its extinction?

**How many episodes are in Halo Season 1?**

The first season of Halo consists of nine episodes: "Contact," "Unbound," "Emergence," "Homecoming," "Reckoning," "Solace," "Inheritance," "Allegiance," and Transcendance." All Season 1 episodes are streaming now on Paramount+.

**How many episodes are in Halo Season 2?**

Season 2 of Halo has eight episodes: "Sanctuary," "Sword," "Visegrad," "Reach," "Aleria," "Onyx," "Thermopylae," and, "Halo." All Season 2 episodes are streaming now on Paramount+.

**When was the Halo TV series released?**

Halo premiered on Paramount+ on March 23, 2022. The second season of Halo launched on Paramount+ on Feb. 8, 2024.

STREAM NOW: Watch Halo on Paramount+

**Who’s in the cast of the Halo TV series?**

Here's a rundown of the Halo Season 1 cast – and the characters they play:

Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, John-117
Natascha McElhone as Dr. Catherine Halsey
Jen Taylor as Cortana
Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066
Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky
Natasha Culzac as Riz-028
Olive Gray as Dr. Miranda Keyes
Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha
Bentley Kalu as Vannak-134
Kate Kennedy as Kai-125
Charlie Murphy as Makee
Danny Sapani as Captain Jacob Keyes
Ryan McParland as Dr. Adun Saly

And here’s the Season 2 cast – and the characters they play:

Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, John-117
Natascha McElhone as Dr. Catherine Halsey
Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066
Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky
Natasha Culzac as Riz-028
Olive Gray as Dr. Miranda Keyes
Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha
Bentley Kalu as Vannak-134
Kate Kennedy as Kai-125
Charlie Murphy as Makee
Danny Sapani as Captain Jacob Keyes
Joseph Morgan as James Ackerson
Cristina Rodlo as Talia Perez
Christina Bennington as Cortana
Fiona O’Shaughnessy as Laera
Viktor Åkerblom as Var 'Gatanai
Tylan Bailey as Kessler

What are the Spartans in Halo?

In the Halo TV series, the Spartans are elite supersoldiers created with the mental and physical superiority necessary to combat enemy forces like the Covenant. To protect humanity from those hell-bent on destroying it, these fighters were commissioned by a military agency known as United Nations Space Command (UNSC), and can be customized and controlled for ultimate effectiveness.

The hero of Halo is one such genetically engineered soldier: our old friend Master Chief, also referred to as John-117. Trained for battle since he was small, he enters every mission determined to preserve as many human lives as possible. The Covenant will not make his job easy …

**How many Arbiters are there in Halo?**

There is one Arbiter in the Halo TV series. Arbiter is a title – the highest possible distinction for the Sangheili species, one of the alien groups within the Covenant alliance. An Arbiter functions as the head of the Covenant military. Spoiler-alert warning: If you don't want to know a key detail about the Arbiter on the Halo TV series, please skip the next paragraph.

Spoiler alert: In Season 2, we discover the identity of the Arbiter: It is Var 'Gatanai (Viktor Åkerblom), the Sangheili swordsman determined to atoning for failures in his past.

**What are other sci-fi shows like Halo?**

Enjoy drama that's out of this world? If you're looking for sci-fi shows like Halo, explore the Star Trek collection on Paramount+. Included in this compendium are Star Trek series both new (like, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) and classic (like, Star Trek: The Original Series).

And if you gravitate toward heroes like Master Chief, you may also enjoy the adventures of lone-wolf survivalist Colter Shaw in the CBS Original drama series Tracker, dig the high-stakes missions of the Navy SEALs in the Paramount+ original series SEAL Team, or find yourself invested in the brave CIA operatives of the Taylor Sheridan-created espionage thriller Lioness.

**What are sci-fi movies like Halo?**

To satisfy your sci-fi obsession, Halo fan, check out all the stellar flicks in the Star Trek collection, including the all-new, Paramount+ original movie Star Trek: Section 31, starring Academy Award® winner Michelle Yeoh. Then, take a look at the many Transformers movies in the Paramount+ library, like Transformers: The Last Knight, Bumblebee, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. After all, unearthly creatures come in all kinds of shapes and sizes …

How do I sign up for Paramount+?

You can sign up for Paramount+ online at ParamountPlus.com, and on mobile devices via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android. (CC required. T&Cs apply.) Choose your streaming device from the list below, and read the instructions on how to get started:

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