Television

Comic-Con TV 2011: Locke and Key Pilot

Locke and Key
was amongst the pilots not picked up to series during Network
Upfronts. But the adaption of the comic book series that
failed to find a home on FOX, received a special screening of the
pilot at this year’s Comic-Con. IDW -publisher of the comics-
received permission to air the single episode as a treat for its
fans.

On hand for the panel was writer and
producer of the pilot Josh Friedman. He offered up the screening as
way to enjoy what they had done, rather than think about what could
have been. Producer Robert Orci, and director Mark Romanek were also
in attendance, along with Joe Hill, writer of the comic series.
Almost all of the panel stressed that the pilot’s airing was not in a
bid to get the series picked up, but just to allow fans to see the
work that went into it.

Wilfred – Respect

With “Respect,” Wilfred came back from the mediocrity of the last few weeks to put up its funniest episode to date. With a heavy emphasis on well-written dialogue instead of physical gags and crass humor, the series proved it can do more than go after the lowest common denominator.

Michelle Krusiec Joins Fringe

Michelle Krusiec has apparently joined the cast of Fringe for a recurring role in the series fourth season. The actress announced it on July 11 via a tweet that has now been removed.

Earlier this month, the TV series was rumored to be looking for a “recurring Asian female character” for the first episode of the new season. Filming for the episode started on July 14 and should end by July 25. The actress’s twitter page has had no activity since the above (now removed) tweet which also mentioned leaving for Vancouver to start filming. She previously appeared in Dirty Sexy Money, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Community. The new cast member will join Seth Gabel (Agent Lincoln Lee) who was promoted to series regular for the upcoming season.

FX Announces New Drama Series

The network that has earned critical
acclaim for its dramas – and comedies – is adding another to its
lineup. Deadline reported that FX has picked up the series
American Horror Story and is planning for an October premier.
Touted as a psycho-sexual thriller, it has been signed for a thirteen-episode season.

American Horror Story‘s plot
will follow a cheating husband and his jilted wife as they try to
begin anew in a house that refuses to let them forget their past
indiscretions. The series will draw on the supernatural and
psychological horror aspects present in many films from the 1970s.
Cast as the husband, who works as a therapist, is Dylan McDermott
(The Practice). Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)
will be filling the role of his wife. Oscar winner, Jessica Lange,
will also have a major role in the series. In addition, Frances
Conroy (Six Feet Under),
Denis O’Hare (True Blood),
and Evan Peters (Kick-Ass)
will be co-starring.

Game of Thrones Casting News

The HBO adaption of George R.R.
Martin’s ongoing fantasy series has been bringing in new actors to
fill the roles of characters that will be introduced in the second
season. Several roles have been filled so far; a couple of them are
fan favorites, and at least one them will have a major impact on the
series. Though there are many well-known actors, Game of Thrones has
proven it can pull impressive performances from unexpected places.

Falling Skies – Sanctuary, Part 1

“Sanctuary,
Part 1,” like the series premiere, explored human frailty by pitting
survivors against each other. It also built on the current season
momentum and brought us more fighting sequences with the invaders.
However, unlike the pilot or the more recent “Silent Kill,” the episode
failed to make us care for most of the protagonists and delivered a very
predictable cliffhanger.

We have by now established that Falling Skies’
writers don’t take much care on their way to reaching some of their
goals. It is well known that human beings act irrationally all the time,
and we like it, if only for giving us wonderful TV plots. What is
annoying, however, is when a character’s irrational actions are
blatantly designed to create the backdrop for a storyline. It is
insulting to the character, and to some extent to the viewers who tend
to prefer when there is at least an effort to hide plot devices. The
attack on Dr. Glass was one such poorly concealed story elements. As it
often happens with the series, after the rocky introduction, the
development of the sub-plot itself was flawless. The attack led Anne to
reconsider her position toward guns and eventually welcome Margaret’s
help. Everything that passed between the good doctor and Margaret — who
is becoming one of my favorite characters — was pitch-perfect: It had
the right tone, was well-acted, and was extremely well-written
(Margaret: And if it conflicts with some Hippocratic oath, why don’t you stitch the bad guy up after you blast him?).

They Died So Young: Five Great Two Season Shows

Continuing
on from the last installment, I move on to shows that made it
as far as two seasons. Though this batch did develop further, with
one exception, they were all still canceled before their time. Some
of them brought in awards – or at least nominations –
while others
struggled to find any recognition outside of their cult followings.
Some were upbeat and hilarious, others put a unique touch on drama, but
they all left their fans bemoaning their early departures. So
let’s take a look back at five more brilliant short-lived series.