Abrams/Jackson talk FRINGE and (unfortunately) more of the same with Entourage
September 5th, 2008
One of the more high profile new dramas of the new season is Fox’s “Fringe,” which premieres next Tuesday. “Fringe” focuses on a trio that gets pulled into the world of fringe science, which deals with sciences outside the norm. It’s not long before our characters uncover that corporate culture has a bigger hand in science than anyone could have imagined. One of the reasons “Fringe” has created such buzz amidst the many other new series debuting in the coming weeks is that it is created by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and busy TV producer J.J. Abrams, who has created such TV fan favorites as “Lost,” “Alias” and “Felicity.” Abrams and “Fringe” star Joshua Jackson (”Dawson’s Creek”) took time out from shooting an upcoming episode to talk with me about this new series. (Photo: Jackson, John Noble, Anna Torv)
Abrams first drew parallels between the lurking evil that will be a part of “Fringe” as much as it is on “Lost.” “The truth is that when we did the pilot for ‘Lost’,” Abrams explained, “we had the monster appear at the end of the first act and we did that very consciously because we wanted to say to the audience we’re jumping the shark now. We’re doing crazy shit from the beginning…On ‘Fringe’, we very consciously did what is, in many ways, a preposterous, out-there, far fetched scientific story point in order to say to the audience this is what you’re going to be getting on the show. Now, it may be more extreme in some cases, less so in others.” Abrams is quick to point out, however, that even if there is a slower build in “Fringe,” it definitely doesn’t mean they’re going to be playing it safe. “Some shows as we’re writing scripts will deal with science very much as it exists but I think for the most part, the fun about - for me - movies and TV especially in the genre of either horror and sci-fi is pushing the envelope and going further than you might otherwise. And so I think the show will definitely be pushing the edge of the envelope but I don’t think it’s going to be about that. I don’t think we’re going to try to top ourselves every week because then we’ll just be in a race against ourselves and there’s no way to win that one. So I feel like the key is to tell stories that are as compelling, as emotional, as funny and certainly as weird and out there as possible but not to try to have it be exploiting that aspect of the show. I would rather be delving into who these people are and what makes them tick than doing something for shock value.”
Speaking of character, it’s been five years since “Dawson’s Creek” ended and Joshua Jackson (who will probably always have to live with being called Pacey, his character on the teen soap) returns as Peter Bishop, who reluctantly gets pulled into the action on the series. Jackson explained that, “It was this project specifically that drew me back to TV. Frankly, first it was the quality of the script, which is now our pilot. The density of it and the fact that even while it was a fully satisfying story unto itself you could see that there was laid in there potential for a whole world, a whole universe of other stories.” Jackson also admitted that working with Abrams was another draw thanks to Abrams’s “ability with the group of people that he keeps around him to tell these stories well over a long period of time. That was my hope if I ever came back to television was to be a part of a group of people who had a track record of being able to keep shows at a high level of quality over a long period of time and I think [JJ] is the best on TV at that right now.”
Like his other talent finds (Keri Russell, Jennifer Garner and Evangeline Lily from “Lost”) Abrams’s keen eye has
picked another potential star in Aussie Anna Torv (right w/Jackson), who leads the series as FBI agent Olivia Dunham. When asked how he found Torv, Abrams revealed, “we were trying to see as many people as we could and I saw this [video] audition and it was just that feeling that you have where you just immediately know that’s the person.” However, Abrams points out that he doesn’t have casting down to a science. “I wish there was some really cool, clever technique that we use to do this but the truth is whether its Keri Russell walking through the door or Jennifer Garner, who I’d gotten to work with on Felicity and who my wife was insistent was going to be a star or Evangeline Lily’s video of her audition or now Anna it’s simply the fact that when you see the right person the first thing you’re concerned about is oh my god can we actually get her? Is she really available? It’s no longer about giving her the part its just we have to make this work. When I saw Anna I just knew that she had a quality that was very unique and smart and she was beautiful but not in a way that felt like she was phony and she seemed tough and sophisticated and I just felt like she was the right one.
Pairing Torv with Jackson of course brought questions about their characters getting involved with each other in a more personal way. There’s no romance between the two characters in the pilot for specific reason, which made Josh laugh and share, “What I said at the premiere was that it would be inappropriate in the pilot…it’s awkward hitting on someone when her boyfriend is dying in front of her eyes.” But, for future development, Abrams promises, “there is no doubt going to be a slow burn relationship that develops between [Olivia and Peter]. I don’t think it will happen exactly as you might think but there obviously will be a dynamic that we’ll play up but like Josh said it has to be earned and it needs to be done right. There’s a lot going on in their lives on the show - more urgent issues - but there’s definitely going to be over time a relationship between the Peter and Olivia characters.
Breaking down Peter even more, Jackson talked about his experience with this new character. “There’s a lot of stuff going on with Peter Bishop but I’m finding is a lot of the fun of playing him is…the relationship - which boils down to sometimes being a translator more often than not - between [Peter’s father] Walter, who is brilliant but sort of half-cracked and then Olivia, who is an intensely no-nonsense type person. She’s not the type of character that you would sit down and have a lyrical philosophical conversation with. She’s very much a just-the-facts-ma’am type of person.” The dynamics of the mixing up of these characters find a surprising place that most viewers probably have some experience with. Jackson explains, “You bring this other character - this Peter character into that world who has to try to be a go-between - and initially the very reluctant go-between whose really only brought in by happenstance and then can’t get himself out. And that’s an interesting dynamic because ultimately what that boils down to in my mind is a very typical dysfunctional family and you put that dynamic, something that’s relatable and understandable to everybody and you put it in this outrageous, fantastically outrageous world of fringe and it makes for an interesting day’s work.
As far as how Jackson came to land the role on the highly anticipated drama, Abrams offered that he fit the mold of a lot of the other actors he’s worked with. “I’ve known Josh…for a long time back in the days of the “Dawson’s Creek” when I was doing “Felicity” so we were in the same universe. I’ve always been a fan and loved his sense of humor and also the gravity that I thought that he could bring to something even as something as soap operatic as the stuff we were doing on the WB and I felt the same way when I worked with Keri Russell. You find there are actors you go okay, they are really good. They elevate the material, they make it better. And as a director/writer/producer all you ever want is to work with actors who make you look better. Who make the work you do seem as good as it can be and even better than it is and I always thought that Josh had that ability. I’m thrilled that we finally have the chance to work together.
Getting back to the storyline of “Fringe,” Abrams talked more about the storyline threads that will be woven throughout this first season. “The show doesn’t quite hit on the sort of corporate conspiracy as the pilot might suggest but there definitely is an ambiguous role that is played by Blair Brown. It’s much more important the relationship between her boss, who we have yet to meet, and Walter, John Noble’s character. Their back story-how they ended up where they are. These are things that are much more about the characters than are about the clichéd cynical look at corporate culture. Having said, I don’t trust corporate culture at all.” The obvious question is who will play the big corporate boss who obviously will play a big part in the action. Abrams said, “I can’t tell you that yet but I can tell you that you will definitely meet him. He’ll definitely be a featured part of the show and we want to make sure that when we meet him it’s something you’re hungry for as opposed to something you’re just experiencing. So the way it’s going to happen, which will happen over time but by the end of the first season you will meet William Bell.”
Finally, when a show gets a healthy amount of heat before it premieres, does it create a large dose of expectations? Abrams humbly says, “My expectations are sort of irrelevant because I never really know what to expect and you can never guess or assume what anyone is going to think. I can say that its one of those shows that if I had nothing to do with it and saw it coming out I’d want to kill myself. I’d be so miserable because it is so the show that I’d want to watch. That doesn’t mean that anyone else will. It doesn’t mean that it’s good or bad. It just means that it’s so the show that I am excited to see.”
But, with obvious comparisons to his previous hit series, Abrams offers his thoughts. “I don’t like to compare them because ‘Fringe’ is a very different show but I would say that one of the experiments that we’re doing on ‘Fringe’ is writing the show so that it’s not as overtly serialized as certainly ‘Alias’ and ‘Lost’ are…or were. How that translates I don’t know. What it will mean I’m not sure but because I’m so drawn to over-arcing into long term stories there will still be the mythology, the evolution of character, the revelation of their story and what the pattern means and what they’re doing and how they connect to that. So there’s all this stuff that’s happening but we’re doing it in a way that is much less sort of week-to-week installments of that story which then requires you to reset things every time you do an episode that is a mythology episode which makes it, I hope, something you can watch and without feeling like you’re not in the club if you miss an episode.”
Check back to “Progressive Television” on Tuesday for my review of “Fringe.” I’ve already seen the pilot and I definitely have a lot to say about it. “Fringe” premieres on Tuesday with a special 2-hour episode at 8pm EST.
One long running series that returns for a new season this Sunday is HBO’s “Entourage.” Once a series gets to this point in its run, there’s usually either some kind of big storyline and new direction to shake things up or producers choose to stay the course and stick with what the show does best. After seeing the first two episodes of the new season, the latter option is obviously the one that “Entourage” is taking and, unfortunately, I suspect it’s the wrong choice. I’m not saying that the new season starts off as good or bad but “Entourage” is starting to feel like its treading familiar water. (Photo: Grenier, Lee, Ferrara, Connolly, Debi Mazar, Piven, Dillon)
When we last left the guys, Vince’s passion project “Medellin” was tanking at the Cannes Film Festival and doom was in the air. We’re now 6 months later and Vince (Adrian Grenier) has been hiding out in Mexico with Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) but it’s not long before Eric (Kevin Connolly) and agent Ari (Jeremy Piven) arrive along with Read the rest of this entry »
Like I said last week, the decision by the CW to not send out screeners to critics was a move filled with suspicion on my behalf. Sure, the hype was already there and the hopes were high that we’d all get a piece of nostalgia mixed with the “Gossip Girl” spices. Well, until the show proves me wrong, I dub it 9021-oh-where’s-the-remote. Storylines were unoriginal and failed to create any excitement or desire to keep watching this lame. The only actor I thought stood out was the always fabulous Jessica Walter doing what she does best-shoot out one-liners with cocktail in hand. Even the Jennie/Shannen scenes lacked any oomph. Having watched “Gossip Girl” (with Blake Lively and Chace Crawford, left) the night before, I couldn’t help but think that this is a show that has earned its audience and its reputation. In true soap fashion, it’s fun, bitchy, full of secrets and lies and everyone in the cast has his/her own distinct flair. Keep “Gossip Girl” and send “90210″ to the re-tooling house quick. Now that I have that off my chest…
In “True Blood,” HBO has a buzz-worthy show on its hand that ranks right up there with gone-but-not-forgotten HBO hits like “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City.” Created by Alan Ball, who also created one of the best family dramas of all time, “Six Feet Under,” his new series premieres this Sunday at 9pm EST and should make for a lot of water cooler talk come Monday morning.
Kwanten). Smith is one of those actors whose name may not be familiar but you will know her face immediately. As with the character of Jason, I suspect there is much more to this cheery, doting woman than meets the eye. Just watch the way her eyes light up in the pilot when Sookie tells her about meeting a real vampire during her shift at the restaurant. Priceless.
The FX press release tells us that, “FX’s new original drama series, ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ is an adrenalized drama with darkly comedic undertones that explores a notorious outlaw motorcycle club’s (MC) desire to protect its livelihood while ensuring that their simple, sheltered town of Charming, California remains exactly that: Charming. The MC must confront threats from drug dealers, corporate developers and overzealous law officers. Behind the MC’s familiar lifestyle and legally thriving automotive shop is a ruthless and illegally thriving arms business. The seduction of money, power and blood.”
Dickinson Modeling Agency” and Fox’s “Prison Break?” I started to imagine seeing “Prison Break” characters arguing with Janice Dickinson (left, with her male models), who wouldn’t put up with any of their tense dialogue and promising, “Don’t worry. Just trust us.” Janice would use the “F” word a few times (making even T-Bag squirm) and spin so fast on her stiletto heels that poor Wentworth Miller would soon realize this was a new kind of danger. As much as I’d love to throw certain shows together and experience the hybrid (can you imagine Michael from “The Office” suddenly swimming up on the shore at “Lost?” He’d make Jack jump off a cliff pulling out his hair in no time), my job is to watch what is out there, right?
screeching, dramatic reactions to the models and over-the-top confessional moments for so long. In fact, I’ve always thought the show might work better as a 30 minutes series but the ratings actually rose last season so I guess there are people out there who want a full hour. And, honestly, Janice does grow on you. Her self-deprecating manner makes you realize that this is a smart lady who knows what she’s doing, plays to her strengths and knows the more outrageous, the better. She doesn’t care if she pisses people off (like Tyra, who, according to Janice, looted her books on her experiences in the modeling world and created the challenges on “America’s Top Model” before booting Janice off the judge’s panel) and you can’t deny she’s passionate about what she does. After 32 years in the business (which I happen to know because she loooooves touting that fact to everyone and anyone), she’s still here.
Over at Fox, the intensity comes from “Prison Break” where the forever-on-the-run Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller, left with Sarah Wayne Callies) and his crew kick off its fourth season like an out-of-control rollercoaster. Changes this year include a few new cast members including Michael Rapaport (”My Name Is Earl,” “The War At Home”) who becomes the boss as the guys land in Los Angeles and attempt to finally take down “The Company” once and for all. Cress Williams (”Grey’s Anatomy”) also turns up as a deadly assassin with his own avenging to do with the Scofield brothers.
The new fall season is right around the corner and I’m ready! My favorites are all coming back and I’m starting to get screeners of the new fall shows so I can steer my faithful viewers to the good and at least warn them about the not-so-good. In an effort to thwart my good intentions, However, the CW network just announced yesterday that they will NOT be giving screeners to critics for their highly touted September 2nd return to “90210.” (pictured left, Anna Lynne McCord, Dustin Milligan, Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Jessica Stroup and Michael Steger) I’m more than curious about the reviving of this classic series since I was one of the writers during its original run so I want to know how the new version is going to fare. Now, when a movie or TV series is not made available for preview, the powers that be will swear it’s NOT because of poor quality but how often does it turn out to be exactly that? The CW says, “We’re not hiding anything…simply keeping a lid on 90210 until 9/02, riding the curiosity and anticipation into premiere night, and letting our constituents see it at the same time.” I think the news that original cast members are coming (or, in the supposed under-payment of Tori Spelling, going) is already brewing enough interest. What do you think? I definitely smell something fishy…or maybe that’s coming from TNT where Steven Bocho is returning to television with a new legal drama with a good cast. Should smell like success, right? Unfortunately, it actually smells more like recycled genre material. “Raising The Bar” (premiering September 1st) is TNT’s latest foray into dramatic series looks good on paper but you can’t help but feel as though you are watching actors play out a tired formula.Featuring both the lawyers in the public defender’s and district attorney’s office, “Raising The Bar” follows the lives of young lawyers as well as those who sit in judgment on their cases. Bocho, who shares story credit on the pilot with lawyer/writer David Feige, explained that the series “is not geared specifically toward the public defenders or the prosecutors. We try to give equal time to both points of view, with an eye toward revealing the extent to which the system doesn’t work very well. It certainly doesn’t have all that much to do with justice.” Sounds good on paper, right?
predictable jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces forced into place. First, Mark-Paul Gosselaar (right, “NYPD Blue” and forever Zack from “Saved By The Bell”) stars as idealistic public defender Jerry Kellerman, who, the press release says, “will stop at nothing to help those who cannot help themselves.” I guess from Gosselaar’s long, scraggly locks and soured expression that he’s supposed to be scrappy and rebellious, fighting for justice and, in doing so, never having time to get to the barber, though it does look like he’s doing just fine with moisturizer on his cute, young face. Gosselaar is a fine actor but even he couldn’t sell me on his grandstanding in defiance of the resident bullish judge, played by “Malcolm In The Middle” star Jane Kaczmarek. I suppose there’s supposed to be a fiery spark between these two as Gosselaar’s Jerry fights for justice against a tired system while Kaczmarek’s Judge Trudy Kesslar who aspires to run for the office of District Attorney. Instead, all I felt was contrived characters bumping heads in a failed attempt to create high, passionate drama. How about just writing good stories and creating something that feels fresh? For example, when Jerry talks to his imprisoned client about getting him out of jail, both men leak tears and vow to beat the system that imprisoned him. I guess, like his hair, Jerry’s tears are supposed to convince us of his commitment to his profession and those he is defending. How many times have I used the word contrived?
The Olympics: If there’s no reason to watch TV these days it’s to see the XXXIII Olympics in Beijing. Not only is NBC providing round the clock coverage on every one of their outlets, but the network is also providing coverage as heroes are born over and over. By the end of the Olympics, the amazing Michael Phelps (left) surely won’t be the only household name.
TNT and USA, to name a few, realize that they can have a piece of the pie by tweaking the genres by, in TNT’s case, focus on edgy women (”The Closer” and “Saving Grace”) or reworking a tried and true formula such as USA’s “Burn Notice,” which feels like a welcome return to “Magnum, PI” with Jeffrey Donovan (right, with costar Gabrielle Anwar) fitting into the Tom Selleck mold perfectly, sans moustache. The true lesson, though, is finding the limits of stretching the genre too far. There’s a reason people still bring up “Cop Rock.”


