EP/Showrunner Bryan Fuller talks with VOICES FROM KRYPTON on what is coming on the new season of NBC’s HANNIBAL and why the show continues to provide some interesting challenges.
Catch the new season of HANNIBAL starting Thursday on NBC.
You have to credit director Wes Anderson with having a unique vision, one that is slightly off kilter compared with most of his fellow filmmakers. As a result, his films tend to visually interesting and highly stylized, getting notably quirky performances out of his cast. Moonrise Kingdom, his oddly sweet summer confection, is the latest such offering. He revels in dysfunctional groupings, in this case a family and local community, set in 1965, on the cusp of dramatic changes to society as a whole. This tale features two twelve year olds who run away as a storm looms over New Penzance, an isolated island off the coast of northern New England and has a kid’s book feel to it. In many ways, it reminded me of having fairy tale similarities to the hyper-realized rainbow bright Pushing Daisies.
You laugh at the oddball characters, marvel at the mannered performances from a stellar cast, and find your expectations upended time and again. You root for the kids, Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), to find happiness. To them, it’s a love story. He abandons his scout troop and she runs away from home, and you would too given her dazed dad Walt (Bill Murray) and adulterous mother Laura (Frances McDormand).
Sam is an orphan and his foster family doesn’t want him back so it falls to the local sheriff (Bruce Willis) and the scout master (Edward Norton) to mount the hunt. With the storm approaching, things are ratcheted high enough to snag the attention of Scout commander Pierce (Harvey Keitel) and Khaki Scout chaplain Cousin Ben (Jason Schwartzman) along with Social Services (Tilda Swinton); and yeah, that’s the character’s name.
While the storm and the missing children are whipping the adults up into a stylized frenzy, the two kids are innocent, unaware, and wholly devoted to one another. While every adult is flawed and mostly unlikable, the kids are fresh-faced and worthy of rooting for. What’s interesting is watching the effect their unseen devotion to one another is having on the adults as the film progresses. One by one, love transforms (or at least softens) the adults, the authority figures who are thinking of punishment and retribution.
The story is charming and riveting in its simplicity, a testament to Anderson’s skill as a storyteller. The movie is lovingly transferred to Blu-ray so the soft colors, a palette that works so well as an element, are well captured. The audio is also superb.
Amazingly, there are but three three-minute featurettes included on the disc: A Look Inside Moonrise Kingdom, Welcome to the Island of New Penzance, and Set Tour with Bill Murray.
Disney XD will launch Marvel Universe, a dedicated Marvel programming block, with the new series Ultimate Spider-Man as its centerpiece, on SUNDAY, APRIL 1, it was announced today by Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, California. Marvel Universe on Disney XD will be the ultimate place for fans to find exclusive Marvel content, including new animated short-form series, live-action interstitials and the series return of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The block will be home to Marvel’s biggest superstars, such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and many more to introduce dynamic stories of action, adventure and heroism to a whole new generation.
Marsh said, “Iconic Marvel heroes and villains and stories with core values of accomplishment, discovery and growth make Marvel Universe a perfect complement to Disney XD and a destination for parents and kids to experience together.” (more…)
Kenneth Johnson set out to produce a television miniseries with allegorical elements to the way humanity surrendered to the forceful appeal of the Third Reich – except for an underground resistance that proved to save the world for freedom. His initial[[[V]]] miniseries on NBC was filled with memorable characters, some spooky reveals and was quite effective. The sequel mini wasn’t bad but then Johnson was gone but NBC wanted a weekly series and that was a train wreck. Since then, Johnson and the networks have danced around reviving the story of humanity’s struggle to control its destiny in the face of overwhelming alien forces. When it was clear the creator wasn’t going to see things his way, he turned his premise into a turgid and frankly, not very good novel while Warner Bros. moved ahead without him and that may have been for the best.
Seeking other nifty genre properties to capitalize on the success of[[[Lost]]], ABC commissioned some fanciful stuff the audiences weren’t ready for ([[[Pushing Daisies]]],[[[ Eli Stone]]]) and then tried closer copies ([[[The Nine]]]) and finally turned to fiction (FlashForward). All along, it toyed with V; developing it slowly until finally committing to a half-season’s worth of episodes to see what might work. Last fall, we got the first four episodes, got hooked, and then had to wait until the spring for the rest. By then, we got restless and decided what we got may not have been worth waiting for. Still, when it was time to commit for the current season, ABC chose V, which seemed to hold more promise, than [[[FlashForward]]] which never should have been an open-ended series to begin with.
The second season was to begin this month, hence the current release of the first season from Warner Home Video. Instead, the alphabet network delayed the show until January 4. So, we have all holiday season to renew our acquaintances with the current Visitors and get ready for what is being promised as higher stakes and a faster pace.
The show is a delight to look at, with that high sheen and gloss you expect from prime time. The alien ships are vast, spacious, and gleaming with chrome and polish. The lizard-like humanoids are disguised as uniformly attractive humans, making them appealing to a world that cautiously seems to welcome them.
They’re here for a reason and we don’t know it. But whatever they want, they want it badly given the size and scope of the forces brought from their homeworld to Earth. And, unlike the original incarnation, they’ve been infiltrating humanity for years. This is perhaps the best alteration to the original followed by shifting the fascist themes to more contemporary concerns, although it doesn’t strike me as mirroring the Obama administration as Slate has suggested. Largely because humanity doesn’t have an Obama-like figure to rally around. Instead, the scrappy resistance is led by the wonderful Elizabeth Mitchell as an FBI agent and mother, whose teen son can’t seem to think straight (and who can blame him with the seductive Laura Vandervoort revving up his hormones?).
Since we don’t fully understand their level of technology or their need for Earth, the story feels murky and the pacing doesn’t service the growing ensemble all that well, which may also be attributable to the behind-the-scenes politics which saw showrunners come and go. The core cast grows a bit when Anna’s mother arrives this season in the form of Jane Badler, a holdover from the original and a nice way to acknowledge the first series. And where Mitchell is passionate and tenacity, Morena Baccarin’s Anna is cool, calculating and quite deadly.
The box set contains the entire 12 episode first season along with commentary on episode eleven from executive producers Steve Pearlman and Scott Rosenbaum. There are also 17 minutes’ worth of deleted scenes, none of which are sorely missed but all welcome as they fill in some gaps. You get another 17 minutes with The Actor’s Journey from Human to V as the cast discuss the original series and compare it with the version they’re working on. Better, and again at 17 minutes, is Breaking Story: The World of V, where Rosenbaum and some of the production crew discuss how they craft the episodes, a nice glimpse into the writers’ room. An Alien in Human Skin: The Makeup FX of V, a mere 12 minutes, looks at the current state of television makeup effects while The Visual Effects of V is an engaging 16 minute piece on the associated visuals.
If you like the premise or the cast or missed the show and want to see for yourself, this is a handsome, solid package.
When Pushing Daisies
on my blog the show “is a delight. With its oversaturated color palette and
Jim Dale narration, this is a fairy tale with a set of off-kilter characters
that you immediately warm to. The leads and supporting cast are equally strong
so it’s up to the writers to make the most of them. I can see why ABC pushed
this so hard; it’s the most original series of the season.”
Somewhat retooled during the writers’ strike, ABC brought it
back this past fall and by Christmas it was gone with three episodes unaired.
Those finally got seen in June and now the entire second season is available as
a four disc box set, being released Tuesday from Warner Home Video.
The second season continued to have the feeling of a fairy
tale and maintained the basic tenants of the series from Jim Dale’s delightful
narration to the everything is slightly over-the-top but you buy it visuals.
Still, the cast probably had a few regulars and recurring
players too many and the storylines reflected that. We have Olive hiding as a nun, taking away
from the core cast and concocting stories to bring the cast to her. Ned’s daddy
issues continued to flare up along with the improbable introduction of half-brothers
that only bloated the stories for a while. No sooner were they dispatched than
we turned to Chuck’s daddy issues complete with Daddy’s resurrection. The best
part of that was how he reacted and took advantage of the situation, causing fresh
problems for Ned and Chuck. Coupled with Chuck’s story was her aunts and the
arrival of Dwight, a recurring antagonist who got caught up with Vivian.
It felt messy and overdone, and for those trying to sample
the show, it was probably dense and off-putting. For those of us who watched it
regularly, we delighted in the bizarre cases, highlights including the
honey-based cosmetics murder, the death of Colonel Likkin and the case of the dead
window dresser.
Clearly, the writing was on the wall, allowing Bryan Fuller
to try and tidy things up in the final three episodes. The penultimate story,
which possibly had the best script of the season, allowed some closure to
Emerson Cod’s search for his daughter, allowing the finale to wrap up Chuck’s
issues with her Aunts, one of whom turned out to be her natural mother.
The core cast was nothing but superb from beginning to end. They
played everything straight in a wacky world and each appeared as fully-fleshed
out people with surprising quirks and hobbies (Emerson’s knitting for example).
The chemistry between Lee Pace and Anna Friel helped the romantic fairy tale
feel and they were more than ably supported by Kristen Chenoweth and Chi
McBride. The guest cast was a nice blend
of the familiar and the less familiar but everyone played their parts larger
than life, adding to the unreal feel of the series.
The 13 episodes are complemented by four short featurettes:
The Master Pie Maker which was heavy on clips and not enough interview material
with the cast about the show overall; From Over to Table, which focused on
bringing the scripts to life that could have benefitted with a little more on
the props and set design; Secret Sweet Ingredients, a strong piece on the
wonderful music from composer Jim Dooley; and, Add a Little Magic, which was a
brief look at the visual effects. They, like the pie Ned served, were sweet
morsels leaving you wanting more.
Much like the series, this may be gone from television but
will live on as a maxiseries from WildStorm. For now, though, the second season
comes recommended.
As anticipated, Bryan Fuller is heading back to Heroes as part of a two-year deal with Universal Media Studios. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fuller would return to Heroes’ writers room in time for episode 20. That means most of the creative work on volume four, kicking off February 2, will be done before he can provide input.
The series has suffered creative drift and audience frustration. Dwindling ratings and lack of buzz alarmed NBC which pushed series creator Tim Kring to make substantive changes. As a result, executive producers Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb were dismissed last month.
Fuller had been a strong creative contributor until ABC purchased his whimsical Pushing Daisies. Despite strong reviews, the ratings have never been strong and the series will complete its network run in December after 13 second season installments. The writer/producer is known for his strong emphasis on character and taking fresh approaches to normal situations as seen in his Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me.
It remains unclear if Fuller will remain with Heroes for its anticipated fourth season or be assigned to something else at Universal. Fuller has indicated a desire to wrap Daisies’ storylines in comic books although no deal has been announced.
Kristin Chenoweth, now out of work with the cancellation of Pushing Daisies, was asked if she’d be reprising the role of Galinda in the inevitable feature film version of Wicked. She told Moviehole, ”Well, will it ever be made? Yes, I do think it will be made. I think — you know, there’s some sort of thing going on right now where everyone’s hearing that there’s going to be a movie. You know, there will be a movie. But I believe — and I could be wrong, but I believe it will be years before we see it as a movie, because — you know, Universal will really want to make sure that they suck it dry, so to speak in all the theaters. And if you look at movies like Chicago and Phantom of the Opera those were 20, 25 years after the fact. And I could see, definitely, me playing Madame Morrible at that point. But I hope they really do it soon, so that I’m young enough to play Galinda.”
The musical is based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire which takes a revisionist look at the witches living in L. Frank Baum’s Oz. The best-seller was turned into a musical songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman and it debuted to acclaim in 2003, making stars of Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.
Wanted’s Marc Platt was signed to a long term deal at Universal this past July according to Variety and Wicked was included in the projects he will produce for them. Holzman is said to be at work on a screenplay with David Stone on board to co-produce.
2007 was a pretty big year for television, bringing us great shows such as [[[Pushing Daisies]]], [[[Californication]]], and [[[Chuck]]], and some duds like [[[Cavemen]]], [[[Bionic Woman]]], and [[[Aliens in America]]]. One gem that seemed to slip through the cracks you can now catch on DVD, in the ABC Studios and The CW’s [[[Reaper]]].
The show followed ne’er-do-well Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) on his 18th birthday when he is told by his parents that they sold his soul when he was born and now must suffer the wrath of The Devil (Ray Wise). Turns out that the Devil actually likes Sam and proposes that, rather than go to hell for eternity, he takes the role as the Reaper, a bounty hunter capturing escaped souls and returning them to hell. Sam reluctantly agrees, tries to fight it, but eventually comes to the realization that this may just be the first thing he’s actually good at. Alongside Sam are his faithful companions Sock (Tyler Labine) and Ben (Rick Gonzalez), his girlfriend Andi (Missy Peregrym) and along the way they come across a cavalcade of TV favorites, including names like Patton Oswalt, Michael Ian Black, and Angel‘s Mercedes McNab. The show may be about demons and the different levels of hell, but at it’s core; the show is about the birth of a hero, and what it takes to balance the live of fighting evil, with a part time job at a home improvement store.
The show was bounced around more than once on the schedule, finally finding a home right after [[[Smallville]]] on Thursdays. Once the writers’ strike hit, the show suffered like many others, and went into a several week hiatus, but returned strong and finished off season one with a bang. Finally, you can catch all of the laughs and thrills of the season at your leisure as Lionsgate Home Video released Reaper Season One on DVD.
Along with all 18 episodes on 5 discs, you get a great collections of extras including audio commentary on the pilot episode from series creators Tara Butter, Michele Fazekas, and Debra Spera. Also included is a gag reel that shows just how much laughs go into making us laugh (running at 4:30) and a collection of deleted and extended scenes from the past season, which runs at 7:22. The packaging of the box comes together pretty nicely, with a lenticular cover and a plastic slipcover, it would be a nice addition to your DVD collection.
Overall, Reaper is easily one of the better things produced on TV over the past 2 years, and with another 13 episodes picked up for 2009, you are going to want to be caught up on this Network TV Gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
Overall Rating: 8/10
TV Week is reporting what everyone has expected: ABC will not be ordering additional episodes of Pushing Daisies which looks to be buried after December. “Under one scenario making the rounds, ABC might find a way to extend the options on the Daisies cast and crew for several months so that the show could be revived next season. But such a plan would be costly,” the site wrote.
Production on the thirteenth and likely final episode for the second season wrapped Thursday. "If it’s our last episode," Fuller said, "it’s something we can all be proud of."
As a result, there will be just 22 episodes between the strike-shortened first season and the sophomore year.
Creator Bryan Fuller though, told the SRO crowd at the Paley Center for Media on Tuesday that he envisions continuing the story in comic books.
"The idea would be to finish out the season’s story arcs in comic books to satisfy the fans and ourselves, to finish up the stories we’d love to tell," he said. Given that the series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, WildStorm is the most likely home for the show.. The DC Comics imprint already has comics based on the CW’s Supernatural, NBC’s Chuck and Fox’s Fringe.
"That would clear the slate for a movie," Fuller also said. He added that a series soundtrack CD will be out on December 9. Kristin Chenoweth’s duet with Ellen Greene on "Birdhouse in Your Soul" is likely to be included.
Fuller has been heavily rumored as returning to the troubled Heroes should Daisies be trimmed. Nothing further has been announced.
Bryan Fuller has been making it clear he wants a crack at the 23rd Century. In several recent interviews, promoting his ABC series Pushing Daisies, he’s also expressed his desire to make a new Star Trek television series.
Most recently, he told MTV, “I would love to do another Star Trek series,” Fuller said. “One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original Star Trek, because somehow, it got cold over the years. I love Next Generation, but it’s a little cooler and calmer than the ones from the 60s, which were so dynamic and passionate.”
Fuller is no stranger to Gene Roddenberry’s creation, beginning his media career by writing for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. “Deep Space Nine was the best of the modern ones,” Fuller told the site, “because it was so emotionally complicated. Enterprise was the most sterile of all of them, when it should have been the most fun.”
His idea is to create a new crew for another starship set during Captain Kirk’s era, feeling the most familiar characters should remain in the films, starting again with J.J. Abram’s reimagined feature due out May 2.
“Star Trek has to recreate itself,” Fuller said. “Otherwise, all the characters start to feel the same. You always have a captain, a doctor, a security officer, and you have the same arguments based on those perspectives. It starts to feel too familiar. So all those paradigms where it takes place on a starship have to be shaken up.”
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