What’s Next — 20 January 2017
My love of television is really just part of a much larger passion for visual storytelling. I love TV, just as I am really passionate about film and comic books. Video game storytelling narratives have become increasingly sophisticated, which is very exciting to see. But what has me incredibly enthused right now is some of the new storytelling possibilities made available through new emerging technologies.
This weekend in the US, a new Woody Harrelson film is being broadcast into cinemas. Yes, broadcast. Live. The former Cheers bartender is filming a movie in London in real time, live broadcasting it to cinemas as it happens. It’s incredibly ambitious. Is it a movie? Is it live theatre? In a sense it is both, but the broadcasting element also makes it seem TV-like to a degree. Regardless, it’s a bold and thoroughly exciting project. That the film, Lost in London, isn’t being screened in Australia disappoints me greatly.
Also, there’s the narrative storytelling movements happening in the VR-space right now. I’ve been thinking for a while that the future of large tentpole cinema lies in VR rather than the big screen and it is noteworthy to see that Fox is exploring that idea. Timed with the release of the next Planet of The Apes movie will be two VR projects. One is set for distribution via the Within platform, which suggests to me that it’ll be a 360 video, while the other is a more fully realised VR production that will echo what Fox did with The Martian last year.
And then there is the hologram Jon Hamm who will be meeting people at Sundance.
Ignore Saturday’s inauguration — 2017 is going to yield some really exciting things too.
Dan Barrett — editor guy
dan@televisedrevolution.com
hunters
SIX — History (US)
In 2014, the mission of Navy Seal Team Six to kill a Taliban leader unravels when they discover one of their own is working with the terrorists.
Stars: Walton Goggins, Barry Sloane, Kyle Schmid, Juan Pablo Raba
LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (US)
After the loss of their parents in a mysterious fire, the three Baudelaire children face trials and tribulations attempting to uncover dark family secrets.
Stars: Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Malina Weissman
SNEAKY PETE — Amazon (US)
After leaving prison Marius takes cover from his past by assuming the identity of his cellmate Pete. He moves in with Pete’s long-estranged unsuspecting family and is roped into the family’s bail bond business. He’s a criminal taking down other criminals and| in the process he’ll discover the family life he’s never had.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae
gatherers
ATLANTA — FX (US)
Community star Donald Glover created and stars in this show about a directionless young man who tries to find stability and take life seriously by working as his rapper cousins manager.
SEARCH PARTY — TBS (US)
A dark comedy about four self-absorbed twenty-somethings who become entangled in an ominous mystery when a former college acquaintance suddenly disappears.
interesting
One of the great character actors, Miguel Ferrer has passed away | Variety
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is leaving Crackle and moving to Netflix as part of a deal with Jerry Seinfeld possibly worth $100+ million | Deadline
Why a Freaks & Geeks reunion will never happen | Deadline
BBC iPlayer plans to take on Netflix | Wired
