Fans of Hawaii 5-0 know that Chin Ho Kelly is brought to life by Daniel Dae Kim, an actor who used to be a part of the cult series Lost. When Jorge Garcia, another Lost alum, stops by the set for a guest role, you can bet Lost fans will be cheering about the mini-reunion.
The CBS series Hawaii 5-0 is the latest TV property to enlist a visit from Jorge Garcia. The actor was Hugo “Hurley” Reyes on Lost and that fact makes him pretty recognizable when he has a guest role these day. Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams chose Garcia for a principal role on Alcatraz as Dr. Diego Soto. That series fizzled, but Garcia went on to grace the Once Upon a Time set as Anton, the Giant.
Lost kept over 10 million fans guessing for 6 seasons on ABC. Actors like Evangeline Lilly, Once Upon a Time‘s Emilie de Ravin,...
The CBS series Hawaii 5-0 is the latest TV property to enlist a visit from Jorge Garcia. The actor was Hugo “Hurley” Reyes on Lost and that fact makes him pretty recognizable when he has a guest role these day. Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams chose Garcia for a principal role on Alcatraz as Dr. Diego Soto. That series fizzled, but Garcia went on to grace the Once Upon a Time set as Anton, the Giant.
Lost kept over 10 million fans guessing for 6 seasons on ABC. Actors like Evangeline Lilly, Once Upon a Time‘s Emilie de Ravin,...
- 6/17/2013
- by Sasha Nova
- Boomtron
1963, Alcatraz. Two guards land on the island and enter the notorious high security prison. They find it completely deserted, no inmates, no guards, nothing. 2012, San Francisco. Somewhat shady FBI (or so he says) agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) recruits young police officer Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) to a special task force. The inmates that disappeared in 1963 are starting to turn up, they are committing crimes and seem to be following orders from someone else. Oh yes, and they haven’t aged a day since they disappeared 50 years earlier…….
*****
As with a lot of recent high-concept Us television programming, this has a great idea at its core. What if they didn’t really shut down Alcatraz and move its inmates to other prisons. What if they all disappeared and it has been covered up? Where did they go? Who did it? Why? How come they haven’t aged? What was going...
*****
As with a lot of recent high-concept Us television programming, this has a great idea at its core. What if they didn’t really shut down Alcatraz and move its inmates to other prisons. What if they all disappeared and it has been covered up? Where did they go? Who did it? Why? How come they haven’t aged? What was going...
- 10/12/2012
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Fox has thrown away the key on Alcatraz. The J.J. Abrams thriller has been cancelled after one season and 13 episodes.
Alcatraz follows the investigations of police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia). They work to uncover how 340 inmates and guards disappeared from the infamous prison in 1963 and why they're now reappearing looking just the same. The show also features the talents of Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
Fueled by a lot of promotion, the TV series was launched in January and drew good reviews and strong numbers. The two-hour premiere attracted a 3.3 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic with 10.05 million total viewers. Opposite some tough competition from CBS, Alcatraz was in second place in its timeslots.
In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still...
Alcatraz follows the investigations of police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia). They work to uncover how 340 inmates and guards disappeared from the infamous prison in 1963 and why they're now reappearing looking just the same. The show also features the talents of Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
Fueled by a lot of promotion, the TV series was launched in January and drew good reviews and strong numbers. The two-hour premiere attracted a 3.3 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic with 10.05 million total viewers. Opposite some tough competition from CBS, Alcatraz was in second place in its timeslots.
In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still...
- 5/10/2012
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Alcatraz 1.13 "Tommy Madsen" Recap - The End of the Line
-Fox
Alcatraz concludes its first season with tonight’s thirteenth episode season finale “Tommy Madsen,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find Rebecca's grandfather and former inmate (David Hoflin) who desperately tries to track down the mysterious key that opens the door beneath Alcatraz.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Tommy Madsen”!
We open on an overturned car, with Madsen lying bleeding in the street, and flash to 36 hours earlier, where Madsen and her chief discuss what might have led Tommy Madsen to kill her partner. It turns out her partner will was under Internal Affairs investigation, from the very company they've been investigating, Broadway Mutual. Across town, the “Ghost” man we saw...
-Fox
Alcatraz concludes its first season with tonight’s thirteenth episode season finale “Tommy Madsen,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find Rebecca's grandfather and former inmate (David Hoflin) who desperately tries to track down the mysterious key that opens the door beneath Alcatraz.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Tommy Madsen”!
We open on an overturned car, with Madsen lying bleeding in the street, and flash to 36 hours earlier, where Madsen and her chief discuss what might have led Tommy Madsen to kill her partner. It turns out her partner will was under Internal Affairs investigation, from the very company they've been investigating, Broadway Mutual. Across town, the “Ghost” man we saw...
- 3/27/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.12 "Garrett Stillman" Recap - A Game of Vans
-Fox
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s twelfth episode “Garrett Stillman,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Greg Ellis) whose heists unfold as intricate games of strategy and planning, while Lucy (Parminder Nagra) awakes from her coma.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Garrett Stillman”!
The still recuperating Lucy observes interviews of the captures ‘63s, particularly Ernest Cobb, when Hauser chides her for being too involved. She reasons that its time to tell Soto and Doc about her past as a 63, while Dr. Beauregard feels hesitant about releasing Lucy without knowing any of the side effects of the silver in her blood. Meanwhile, a few robbers manage to...
-Fox
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s twelfth episode “Garrett Stillman,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Greg Ellis) whose heists unfold as intricate games of strategy and planning, while Lucy (Parminder Nagra) awakes from her coma.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Garrett Stillman”!
The still recuperating Lucy observes interviews of the captures ‘63s, particularly Ernest Cobb, when Hauser chides her for being too involved. She reasons that its time to tell Soto and Doc about her past as a 63, while Dr. Beauregard feels hesitant about releasing Lucy without knowing any of the side effects of the silver in her blood. Meanwhile, a few robbers manage to...
- 3/27/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
When Alcatraz debuted, it looked like the show had a very good chance at being renewed for a second season. But how do things look now? Will the TV series be cancelled after all?
Alcatraz follows police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) as they try to solve the mystery of how 340 prison inmates and guards disappeared in 1963 and are now reappearing in modern day. The cast also includes Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
The TV show debuted with a solid 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.05 million total viewers. In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still respectable 3.0 rating with 9.03 million. New shows typically fall 15-20% in their second week so this was a good sign. Week three dropped another 7%. That wasn't positive but not...
Alcatraz follows police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) as they try to solve the mystery of how 340 prison inmates and guards disappeared in 1963 and are now reappearing in modern day. The cast also includes Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
The TV show debuted with a solid 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.05 million total viewers. In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still respectable 3.0 rating with 9.03 million. New shows typically fall 15-20% in their second week so this was a good sign. Week three dropped another 7%. That wasn't positive but not...
- 3/27/2012
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
'It's a cool thing to be the voice of what people are seeing,' says the former standup who's back in Jj Abrams's Alcatraz
After 23 minutes and 58 seconds of series one, episode one of Jj Abrams's latest TV show, Alcatraz, Dr Diego Soto (Aka Jorge Garcia, Aka Hurley from Lost) has a revelation. "That guy looks exactly the same," he says of a prisoner transferred from the infamous San Francisco jail in 1963 but now back on the scene in 2012, "which – if you're keeping score at home – is impossible." He's right, and on his way to a further observation, at 41 minutes and 18 seconds, that something fishy happened in Alcatraz 50 years ago: namely that the prisoners weren't transferred; they all mysteriously disappeared into the ether. Dr Soto ponders further: "Is anyone's head exploding right now?"
Those who remember Hugo "Hurley" Reyes from Lost and his near-narration to camera every time...
After 23 minutes and 58 seconds of series one, episode one of Jj Abrams's latest TV show, Alcatraz, Dr Diego Soto (Aka Jorge Garcia, Aka Hurley from Lost) has a revelation. "That guy looks exactly the same," he says of a prisoner transferred from the infamous San Francisco jail in 1963 but now back on the scene in 2012, "which – if you're keeping score at home – is impossible." He's right, and on his way to a further observation, at 41 minutes and 18 seconds, that something fishy happened in Alcatraz 50 years ago: namely that the prisoners weren't transferred; they all mysteriously disappeared into the ether. Dr Soto ponders further: "Is anyone's head exploding right now?"
Those who remember Hugo "Hurley" Reyes from Lost and his near-narration to camera every time...
- 3/24/2012
- by Rich Pelley
- The Guardian - Film News
Alcatraz 1.11 "Webb Porter" Recap - The Music Man
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s eleventh episode “Webb Porter,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Rami Malek) whose kidnapping crimes have to do with his obsession with playing the violin.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Webb Porter”!
Doc follows Hauser as the mysterious agent spends some time at an Eastern medicine practice, downing a handful of pills while noting that he “wasn’t always like this,” as we flash back to 1960 in his recitation of philosophy to Dr. Sangupta (Parminder Nagra). They part ways as Sangupta travels to the island, and Warden James gives her her next assignment to find a way to introduce inmate Webb Porter into the general population.
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s eleventh episode “Webb Porter,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Rami Malek) whose kidnapping crimes have to do with his obsession with playing the violin.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Webb Porter”!
Doc follows Hauser as the mysterious agent spends some time at an Eastern medicine practice, downing a handful of pills while noting that he “wasn’t always like this,” as we flash back to 1960 in his recitation of philosophy to Dr. Sangupta (Parminder Nagra). They part ways as Sangupta travels to the island, and Warden James gives her her next assignment to find a way to introduce inmate Webb Porter into the general population.
- 3/20/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Jorge Garcia prefers wearing 'more clothes' in 'Alcatraz' than he was able to in 'Lost'. The 38-year-old actor is currently portraying comic book store owner and writer Dr. Diego Soto in the Fox prison drama, and he is enjoying playing a character who is 'smarter' than his 'Lost' alter-ego Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes. He said: 'It was nice to do something different after 'Lost' for so long. It's kind of nice having a character who wears more clothes and is smarter. It's been a lot of fun finding new things to do with my character, that it great for an actor.' Jorge is pleased to be able to explore a different alter-ego after starring in 'Lost' for six years,...
- 3/17/2012
- Monsters and Critics
Alcatraz 1.08 "Clarence Montgomery" Recap - A History of Non-Violence
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s eighth episode “Clarence Montgomery,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a wrongfully-accused former inmate who resurfaces and begins committing violent crimes.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Clarence Montgomery”!
Clarence Montgomery (Mahershala Ali) casually sips a drink at a country club’s silent auction, before catching the eye of a lovely brunette woman. They flirt and take a golf cart for a midnight joyride onto the course, where the mood grows romantic, and all of a sudden Clarence flashes on some brutal murders. When he comes to, he’s carrying the girl’s lifeless body, wondering who did this to her, and arranging her body...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s eighth episode “Clarence Montgomery,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a wrongfully-accused former inmate who resurfaces and begins committing violent crimes.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Clarence Montgomery”!
Clarence Montgomery (Mahershala Ali) casually sips a drink at a country club’s silent auction, before catching the eye of a lovely brunette woman. They flirt and take a golf cart for a midnight joyride onto the course, where the mood grows romantic, and all of a sudden Clarence flashes on some brutal murders. When he comes to, he’s carrying the girl’s lifeless body, wondering who did this to her, and arranging her body...
- 3/13/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.10 "Sonny Burnett" Recap - Sonny's Anarchy
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s tenth episode “Sonny Burnett,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Sons of Anarchy's Theo Rossi) whose kidnapping crimes have become increasingly violent since re-surfacing in 2012.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Sonny Burnett”!
On a rainy San Francisco night Hauser visits with Ray Archer in his bar, where Archer demands that Rebecca be kept out of the Alcatraz cases from now on. Hauser however sees through the demand, realizing that Archer has encountered Tommy Madsen recently. Meanwhile, Rebecca continues dreaming of the death of her partner, while Tommy Madsen watches her sleep from inside her apartment! By the time she wakes however, she’s gone.
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s tenth episode “Sonny Burnett,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former inmate (Sons of Anarchy's Theo Rossi) whose kidnapping crimes have become increasingly violent since re-surfacing in 2012.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Sonny Burnett”!
On a rainy San Francisco night Hauser visits with Ray Archer in his bar, where Archer demands that Rebecca be kept out of the Alcatraz cases from now on. Hauser however sees through the demand, realizing that Archer has encountered Tommy Madsen recently. Meanwhile, Rebecca continues dreaming of the death of her partner, while Tommy Madsen watches her sleep from inside her apartment! By the time she wakes however, she’s gone.
- 3/6/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.09 "The Ames Brothers" Recap - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s ninth episode “The Ames Brothers,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find two former Alcatraz inmates looking to infiltrate the prison and recover a legendary cache of gold.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "The Ames Brothers”!
When a modern Alcatraz tour gets cut short by an approaching thunderstorm, one man stays behind transfixed, that of Pinky Ames. He flashes back to his time in Alcatraz where he and his brother Herman regularly bullied inmates, and the two corroborate their upcoming plans for a heist that will make them rich.
The present storm also has the effect of playing hell with all the tech used by Doc,...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s ninth episode “The Ames Brothers,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find two former Alcatraz inmates looking to infiltrate the prison and recover a legendary cache of gold.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "The Ames Brothers”!
When a modern Alcatraz tour gets cut short by an approaching thunderstorm, one man stays behind transfixed, that of Pinky Ames. He flashes back to his time in Alcatraz where he and his brother Herman regularly bullied inmates, and the two corroborate their upcoming plans for a heist that will make them rich.
The present storm also has the effect of playing hell with all the tech used by Doc,...
- 3/6/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.07 "Johnny McKee" Recap - The Poison Back in Town
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s seventh episode “Johnny McKee,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prisoner (Adam Rothenberg) known for poisoning his victims with deadly chemical weapons.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Johnny McKee”!
Hauser and Dr. Beauregard overlook the comatose Lucy (Parminder Nagra) in her new accommodations at “New Alcatraz,” where Beauregard remarks that the treatment methods aren’t improving her condition. He suggests that as long as Lucy remains dreaming, Hauser should read to her as a means of drawing her mind back to reality. Hauser scoffs, and says to call him when he has a better idea.
At a hopping nightclub, a...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s seventh episode “Johnny McKee,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prisoner (Adam Rothenberg) known for poisoning his victims with deadly chemical weapons.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Johnny McKee”!
Hauser and Dr. Beauregard overlook the comatose Lucy (Parminder Nagra) in her new accommodations at “New Alcatraz,” where Beauregard remarks that the treatment methods aren’t improving her condition. He suggests that as long as Lucy remains dreaming, Hauser should read to her as a means of drawing her mind back to reality. Hauser scoffs, and says to call him when he has a better idea.
At a hopping nightclub, a...
- 2/21/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
On Fox’s Monday night hit “Alcatraz,” Sarah Jones and Jorge Garcia star as Detective Rebecca Madsen and Dr. Diego Soto, who become enveloped in the mystery when inmates from the notorious prison begin turning up on the streets of San Francisco, unchanged since they supposedly were transferred off the island in 1963.
Prior to joining the Alcatraz task force, Madsen was a fast-rising star for the Sfpd, while Soto was the world’s foremost expert on “The Rock.”
But once they were recruited for the task force by Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), their lives, as they knew them, changed for good.
Of course, there’s the obvious: They’re now an integral part of solving a huge, dangerous mystery, trying to re-apprehend these notorious criminals, all while making sure the public never knows who they truly are.
But each of them has also seen their personal reality altered: Madsen found...
Prior to joining the Alcatraz task force, Madsen was a fast-rising star for the Sfpd, while Soto was the world’s foremost expert on “The Rock.”
But once they were recruited for the task force by Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), their lives, as they knew them, changed for good.
Of course, there’s the obvious: They’re now an integral part of solving a huge, dangerous mystery, trying to re-apprehend these notorious criminals, all while making sure the public never knows who they truly are.
But each of them has also seen their personal reality altered: Madsen found...
- 2/20/2012
- by foxallaccess
- Fox All Access
Only a month in to its freshman season and Alcatraz has already raised many mysteries. We've been dissecting them each week in hopes of figuring out the answers.
To recap: San Francisco detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz expert Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) were enlisted by federal agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) to track down a group of Alcatraz prisoners and guards who mysteriously vanished into thin air in 1963. Dubbed the '63s, the men are returning to present day with missions to track down keys that apparently unlock a secret "downstairs" door at the prison where... well, we don't know that yet, but we do know the prison doctors were taking the prisoners' blood, and Tommy Madsen (David Hoflin) was begrudgingly at the center of it.
Dissecting Alcatraz's Mysteries: Who are the '63s?
TVGuide.com turned to executive producers Jennifer Johnson and Dan Pyne to answer...
To recap: San Francisco detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz expert Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) were enlisted by federal agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) to track down a group of Alcatraz prisoners and guards who mysteriously vanished into thin air in 1963. Dubbed the '63s, the men are returning to present day with missions to track down keys that apparently unlock a secret "downstairs" door at the prison where... well, we don't know that yet, but we do know the prison doctors were taking the prisoners' blood, and Tommy Madsen (David Hoflin) was begrudgingly at the center of it.
Dissecting Alcatraz's Mysteries: Who are the '63s?
TVGuide.com turned to executive producers Jennifer Johnson and Dan Pyne to answer...
- 2/20/2012
- by Natalie Abrams
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Alcatraz 1.06 "Paxton Petty" Recap - Mine Crafting
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s sixth episode “Paxton Petty,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prisoner (James Pizzinato) known for placing land mines in populated areas in San Francisco
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Paxton Petty”!
In 1960, a young Emerson Hauser vomits over the side of a boat in the Alcatraz dock, as Dr. Sangupta (Parminder Nagra) and Warden James arrive to receive a new prisoner Paxton Petty (James Pizzinato), notorious for planting mines in populated areas in San Francisco. Warden James assures Paxton that they’ll find his remaining mines by any means necessary, but before they head into the prison Hauser nervously asks if Dr. Sangupta...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s sixth episode “Paxton Petty,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prisoner (James Pizzinato) known for placing land mines in populated areas in San Francisco
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Paxton Petty”!
In 1960, a young Emerson Hauser vomits over the side of a boat in the Alcatraz dock, as Dr. Sangupta (Parminder Nagra) and Warden James arrive to receive a new prisoner Paxton Petty (James Pizzinato), notorious for planting mines in populated areas in San Francisco. Warden James assures Paxton that they’ll find his remaining mines by any means necessary, but before they head into the prison Hauser nervously asks if Dr. Sangupta...
- 2/14/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.05 "Guy Hastings" Recap - A Guarded Matter
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s fifth episode “Guy Hastings,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prison guard (True Blood's Jim Parrack) with ties to Rebecca's grandfather and her still-living foster father Ray Archer (Robert Forster).
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Guy Hastings”!
In 2012 Alcatraz, Guy Hastings overlooks the dilapidated state of his former apartment, ripping off a hidden panel to find photos of his family from the past. When a current Alcatraz guard finds him trespassing, Guy knocks him unconscious, takes a gun from the same compartment, and stops to observe his daughter’s height markings etched into the wall. Flashing back to the 60’s, he watches...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s fifth episode “Guy Hastings,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to find a former Alcatraz prison guard (True Blood's Jim Parrack) with ties to Rebecca's grandfather and her still-living foster father Ray Archer (Robert Forster).
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Guy Hastings”!
In 2012 Alcatraz, Guy Hastings overlooks the dilapidated state of his former apartment, ripping off a hidden panel to find photos of his family from the past. When a current Alcatraz guard finds him trespassing, Guy knocks him unconscious, takes a gun from the same compartment, and stops to observe his daughter’s height markings etched into the wall. Flashing back to the 60’s, he watches...
- 2/7/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz 1.04 "Cal Sweeney" Recap - Just A Little Off The Top
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s fourth episode “Cal Sweeney,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to stop another former Alcatraz inmate known for robbing banks of their safety deposit boxes, rather than vaults.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Cal Sweeney”!
In present-day San Francisco, a sharply-dressed, if anachronistic man walks into a bank, and inquires about visiting his safety deposit box. Flirtatiously, the teller leads him to the vault, where the two get down to dirty business, before the man pulls out a syringe and drugs the woman unconscious. He opens his briefcase and assembles a captive bolt pistol, which he uses to unlock a number of safety deposit boxes,...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s fourth episode “Cal Sweeney,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to stop another former Alcatraz inmate known for robbing banks of their safety deposit boxes, rather than vaults.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Cal Sweeney”!
In present-day San Francisco, a sharply-dressed, if anachronistic man walks into a bank, and inquires about visiting his safety deposit box. Flirtatiously, the teller leads him to the vault, where the two get down to dirty business, before the man pulls out a syringe and drugs the woman unconscious. He opens his briefcase and assembles a captive bolt pistol, which he uses to unlock a number of safety deposit boxes,...
- 1/31/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
I know I've already mentioned one of my biggest fears about Alcatraz and its potential use of random bad guys all for the sake of fueling that larger mystery of "why are they back."
And don't get me wrong, I'm just as eager to know that enigma as much as the next viewer, but "Cal Sweeney" lacked a certain tenacity or suspense when it came to the past or the present before simply throwing in a clever cliffhanger that was there to keep you coming back for more.
But if that's the case, then really, tuning in to the last 5 minutes was about all you needed to watch for the episode.
Sure, there was an interesting comment from Dr. Lucy Banerjee, known as Dr. Gupta in the past, about rewiring inmates and erasing their memories. The concept at least is a potential tie in to the particular returnee inmates and their reasons for running around,...
And don't get me wrong, I'm just as eager to know that enigma as much as the next viewer, but "Cal Sweeney" lacked a certain tenacity or suspense when it came to the past or the present before simply throwing in a clever cliffhanger that was there to keep you coming back for more.
But if that's the case, then really, tuning in to the last 5 minutes was about all you needed to watch for the episode.
Sure, there was an interesting comment from Dr. Lucy Banerjee, known as Dr. Gupta in the past, about rewiring inmates and erasing their memories. The concept at least is a potential tie in to the particular returnee inmates and their reasons for running around,...
- 1/31/2012
- by smckenna412@gmail.com (Sean McKenna)
- TVfanatic
The weekly wrap:
First, there are two things to check out on TV tonight.
Richard Harmon is in The Pregnancy Project, which airs at 8/7c on Lifetime. NiceGirlsTV.com has a preview.
And Winston Rekert, Maya Massar and Hrothgar Mathews (Obal in "Unvanquished," Helen the widow in "Retribution" and Dave in "Apotheosis") appear in Goodnight for Justice, a western starring Luke Perry, which also airs at 8 pm, on Hallmark. Synopsis and preview at Daemon's TV.
Some great news on other fronts:
Esai Morales will guest star in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in episode "Home Invasions," which airs on February 15. Synopsis from NBC:
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
"Home Invasions"
02/15/2012 (10:00Pm - 11:00Pm) (Wednesday) : When A Family Is Massacred In Their Home, The Investigation Into Their Lives Forces Detective Rollins (Kelli Giddish) To Reveal A Career-threatening Secret. Jake T. Austin And Esai Morales Guest Star.
A gunman storms a family’s home,...
First, there are two things to check out on TV tonight.
Richard Harmon is in The Pregnancy Project, which airs at 8/7c on Lifetime. NiceGirlsTV.com has a preview.
And Winston Rekert, Maya Massar and Hrothgar Mathews (Obal in "Unvanquished," Helen the widow in "Retribution" and Dave in "Apotheosis") appear in Goodnight for Justice, a western starring Luke Perry, which also airs at 8 pm, on Hallmark. Synopsis and preview at Daemon's TV.
Some great news on other fronts:
Esai Morales will guest star in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in episode "Home Invasions," which airs on February 15. Synopsis from NBC:
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
"Home Invasions"
02/15/2012 (10:00Pm - 11:00Pm) (Wednesday) : When A Family Is Massacred In Their Home, The Investigation Into Their Lives Forces Detective Rollins (Kelli Giddish) To Reveal A Career-threatening Secret. Jake T. Austin And Esai Morales Guest Star.
A gunman storms a family’s home,...
- 1/29/2012
- by fanshawe
- CapricaTV
Fox's new drama "Alcatraz" may need to add a, "Don't try this at home" warning.
According to TMZ, some fans of the new TV sci-fi series are trying to stray from their guided tours of the former federal prison to find a secret room that only exists on the series.
National Parks Service rep Alexandra Picavet told TMZ that tourists are trying to sneak into "closed areas" and have confessed that they're looking for the "bat cave underneath Alcatraz," as the show's Diego Soto (played by "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia) refers to it.
Picavet added that they've now posted the following sign on the Rock: "The TV show 'Alcatraz' is fictional, many areas it depicts are not real. Closed areas protect you, historic structures and nesting birds."
"Alcatraz," executive produced by J.J. Abrams, has only been on for two weeks and though ratings haven't been stellar, they have...
According to TMZ, some fans of the new TV sci-fi series are trying to stray from their guided tours of the former federal prison to find a secret room that only exists on the series.
National Parks Service rep Alexandra Picavet told TMZ that tourists are trying to sneak into "closed areas" and have confessed that they're looking for the "bat cave underneath Alcatraz," as the show's Diego Soto (played by "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia) refers to it.
Picavet added that they've now posted the following sign on the Rock: "The TV show 'Alcatraz' is fictional, many areas it depicts are not real. Closed areas protect you, historic structures and nesting birds."
"Alcatraz," executive produced by J.J. Abrams, has only been on for two weeks and though ratings haven't been stellar, they have...
- 1/26/2012
- by Jaimie Etkin
- Huffington Post
Fox's new drama "Alcatraz" may need to add a, "Don't try this at home" warning.
According to TMZ, some fans of the new TV sci-fi series are trying to stray from their guided tours of the former federal prison to find a secret room that only exists on the series.
National Parks Service rep Alexandra Picavet told TMZ that tourists are trying to sneak into "closed areas" and have confessed that they're looking for the "bat cave underneath Alcatraz," as the show's Diego Soto (played by "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia) refers to it.
Picavet added that they've now posted the following sign on the Rock: "The TV show 'Alcatraz' is fictional, many areas it depicts are not real. Closed areas protect you, historic structures and nesting birds."
"Alcatraz," executive produced by J.J. Abrams, has only been on for two weeks and though ratings haven't been stellar, they have...
According to TMZ, some fans of the new TV sci-fi series are trying to stray from their guided tours of the former federal prison to find a secret room that only exists on the series.
National Parks Service rep Alexandra Picavet told TMZ that tourists are trying to sneak into "closed areas" and have confessed that they're looking for the "bat cave underneath Alcatraz," as the show's Diego Soto (played by "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia) refers to it.
Picavet added that they've now posted the following sign on the Rock: "The TV show 'Alcatraz' is fictional, many areas it depicts are not real. Closed areas protect you, historic structures and nesting birds."
"Alcatraz," executive produced by J.J. Abrams, has only been on for two weeks and though ratings haven't been stellar, they have...
- 1/26/2012
- by Jaimie Etkin
- Aol TV.
Kit Nelson is one creepy, messed-up-in-the-head bad guy.
From the moment he grabbed the boy, covered his mouth and sneered at him to keep quiet, to right before he was shot by Emerson, Kit oozed an odd demeanor and was clearly haunted by his own psychological derangements. He was an intensely menacing villain with really no redeeming qualities about him.
There was just no feeling sorry for this child murderer.
And in the respect of the good guys hunting down the bad, it was a pretty clear cut line. I truly feared that the boy might die and wanted Diego and Rebecca to save the day. It's just hard to imagine why someone would want to kill children, and the episode was filled with a tension of waiting for Kit to make his move.
But my big question is this: Since Kit has returned, why would he jump right back into his killing pattern?...
From the moment he grabbed the boy, covered his mouth and sneered at him to keep quiet, to right before he was shot by Emerson, Kit oozed an odd demeanor and was clearly haunted by his own psychological derangements. He was an intensely menacing villain with really no redeeming qualities about him.
There was just no feeling sorry for this child murderer.
And in the respect of the good guys hunting down the bad, it was a pretty clear cut line. I truly feared that the boy might die and wanted Diego and Rebecca to save the day. It's just hard to imagine why someone would want to kill children, and the episode was filled with a tension of waiting for Kit to make his move.
But my big question is this: Since Kit has returned, why would he jump right back into his killing pattern?...
- 1/24/2012
- by smckenna412@gmail.com (Sean McKenna)
- TVfanatic
Alcatraz 1.03 "Kit Nelson" Recap - Sweet Cherry Pie
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s third episode “Kit Nelson,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to stop another former Alcatraz inmate known for kidnapping children, and returning them to their homes after their murder.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Kit Nelsen”!
In present day Walnut Creek, CA, a man casually opens the gate and enters (with keys) a home while clutching a large white chrysanthemum. He heads up to the bedroom of several young sleeping boys, casually observing them before clamping down over the elder boy's mouth, and assuring him that if the boy screams, he’ll kill his brother. Flashing back to Alcatraz 1960, we see the same man chastised as a “child-killer” out in the yard,...
Alcatraz continues its first season with tonight’s third episode “Kit Nelson,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) race against time to stop another former Alcatraz inmate known for kidnapping children, and returning them to their homes after their murder.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Kit Nelsen”!
In present day Walnut Creek, CA, a man casually opens the gate and enters (with keys) a home while clutching a large white chrysanthemum. He heads up to the bedroom of several young sleeping boys, casually observing them before clamping down over the elder boy's mouth, and assuring him that if the boy screams, he’ll kill his brother. Flashing back to Alcatraz 1960, we see the same man chastised as a “child-killer” out in the yard,...
- 1/24/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Tonight on Alcatraz: A Child Killer Returns from the Past (Sneak Peek)
Alcatraz unlocks its third episode "Kit Nelson" tonight after debuting last week with both the pilot episode and follow-up "Ernest Cobb," as this week the Alcatraz task force races against time to stop a kidnapper from the past (Michael Ecklund) with a nasty habit of returning his victims home after he's killed them.
Finding the target before it's too late becomes something of a personal quest for Alcatraz expert Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia), so will Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) be able to track down Kit Nelson before it's too late? Just what interest has Dr. Soto taken in their latest recovered Alcatraz inmate? Does Emerson Hauser know more than he's letting on? And what was up with Emerson's assistant Lucy (Parminder Nagara) showing up in the past? Be sure to...
Alcatraz unlocks its third episode "Kit Nelson" tonight after debuting last week with both the pilot episode and follow-up "Ernest Cobb," as this week the Alcatraz task force races against time to stop a kidnapper from the past (Michael Ecklund) with a nasty habit of returning his victims home after he's killed them.
Finding the target before it's too late becomes something of a personal quest for Alcatraz expert Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia), so will Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) be able to track down Kit Nelson before it's too late? Just what interest has Dr. Soto taken in their latest recovered Alcatraz inmate? Does Emerson Hauser know more than he's letting on? And what was up with Emerson's assistant Lucy (Parminder Nagara) showing up in the past? Be sure to...
- 1/23/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz
2012, USA, imdb
Created by Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt and Elizabeth Sarnoff
Episode 1.01 “Pilot”
Directed by Danny Cannon
Written by Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt and Elizabeth Sarnoff
Episode 1.02 “Ernest Cobb”
Directed by Jack Bender
Written by Alison Balian
*****
Alcatraz is a procedural built on the unstable grounds of a conspiracy. The show boasts an interesting premise, and an engaging cast. It also hints at the possibility of good writing, but the show is shrouded in so much mystery it is hard to tell if the show will properly pay-off what it seems to be setting up. In many ways, reviewing Alcatraz is like judging how sea-worthy a ship anchored in San Francisco harbour is, while the ship is obscured by a bank of fog.
The premise of Alcatraz is that the official history of the prison is a lie. The official history says that the then Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy...
2012, USA, imdb
Created by Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt and Elizabeth Sarnoff
Episode 1.01 “Pilot”
Directed by Danny Cannon
Written by Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt and Elizabeth Sarnoff
Episode 1.02 “Ernest Cobb”
Directed by Jack Bender
Written by Alison Balian
*****
Alcatraz is a procedural built on the unstable grounds of a conspiracy. The show boasts an interesting premise, and an engaging cast. It also hints at the possibility of good writing, but the show is shrouded in so much mystery it is hard to tell if the show will properly pay-off what it seems to be setting up. In many ways, reviewing Alcatraz is like judging how sea-worthy a ship anchored in San Francisco harbour is, while the ship is obscured by a bank of fog.
The premise of Alcatraz is that the official history of the prison is a lie. The official history says that the then Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy...
- 1/19/2012
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
With its new mystery entry, Fox is hoping that fans of another island mystery series will want to get "Lost" in "Alcatraz" (Mon., 8 p.m. Est on Fox). But while that series introduced a massive cast of characters in its pilot, "Alcatraz" focused primarily on four. It also quickly established it's case-of-the-week format with two distinct capture stories.
The premise is that 256 inmates and 46 guards vanished from Alcatraz in 1963, though the public was led to believe the island was closed and the prisoners transferred to the public. Now, nearly 50 years later, they've started to return. They haven't aged a day, and they're as dangerous now as they were when they went to prison.
As the premiere progressed, the team came together that's going to capture them. Sam Neill is FBI agent Emerson Hauser. It's revealed that he knows a lot more than he's letting on, and that he's built a...
The premise is that 256 inmates and 46 guards vanished from Alcatraz in 1963, though the public was led to believe the island was closed and the prisoners transferred to the public. Now, nearly 50 years later, they've started to return. They haven't aged a day, and they're as dangerous now as they were when they went to prison.
As the premiere progressed, the team came together that's going to capture them. Sam Neill is FBI agent Emerson Hauser. It's revealed that he knows a lot more than he's letting on, and that he's built a...
- 1/17/2012
- by Jason Hughes
- Huffington Post
With its new mystery entry, Fox is hoping that fans of another island mystery series will want to get "Lost" in "Alcatraz" (Mon., 8 p.m. Est on Fox). But while that series introduced a massive cast of characters in its pilot, "Alcatraz" focused primarily on four. It also quickly established its case-of-the-week format with two distinct capture stories.
The premise is, that 256 inmates and 46 guards vanished from Alcatraz in 1963, though the public was led to believe the island was closed and the prisoners transferred to the mainland. Now, nearly 50 years later, they've started to return. They haven't aged a day, and they're as dangerous now as they were when they went to prison.
As the premiere progressed, the team that's going to capture them came together. Sam Neill plays FBI agent Emerson Hauser. It's revealed that he knows a lot more than he's letting on, and that he's built a...
The premise is, that 256 inmates and 46 guards vanished from Alcatraz in 1963, though the public was led to believe the island was closed and the prisoners transferred to the mainland. Now, nearly 50 years later, they've started to return. They haven't aged a day, and they're as dangerous now as they were when they went to prison.
As the premiere progressed, the team that's going to capture them came together. Sam Neill plays FBI agent Emerson Hauser. It's revealed that he knows a lot more than he's letting on, and that he's built a...
- 1/17/2012
- by Jason Hughes
- Aol TV.
"Alcatraz" is one of the most highly anticipated series of the season -- and with good reason, particularly given the pedigree of producer J.J. Abrams and "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia. The show's two-hour Monday debut set up an intriguing blend of a procedural mystery-of-the-week premise and an overarching mystery.
The show revolves around the idea that when Alcatraz shut down in 1963, its inmates and guards weren't transferred -- they disappeared. Sam Neill plays Emerson Hauser, a fed who was once a guard. He missed the big disappearance and has been looking for answers ever since. As the inmates begin to reappear in 2012, he's joined by San Francisco Det. Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), and graphic novel writer and Alcatraz expert Diego Soto (Garcia).
At his side is also Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra). Banerjee, who is shot by a former inmate and enters a coma, is revealed to have a deeper connection to Alcatraz than we thought.
The show revolves around the idea that when Alcatraz shut down in 1963, its inmates and guards weren't transferred -- they disappeared. Sam Neill plays Emerson Hauser, a fed who was once a guard. He missed the big disappearance and has been looking for answers ever since. As the inmates begin to reappear in 2012, he's joined by San Francisco Det. Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), and graphic novel writer and Alcatraz expert Diego Soto (Garcia).
At his side is also Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra). Banerjee, who is shot by a former inmate and enters a coma, is revealed to have a deeper connection to Alcatraz than we thought.
- 1/17/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Alcatraz 1.02 "Ernest Cobb" Recap - Sniper Hunt
Alcatraz continues its two-part series premiere with tonight’s second episode “Ernest Cobb,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) settle into their new roles investigating the re-appearing Alcatraz inmates, and a brutal sniper attack points them and Hauser (Sam Neill) toward an eccentric inmate (Joe Egender) known for sniping victims in threes.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Ernest Cobb”!
In Alcatraz 1960, Tiller leads prisoner Ernest Cobb through the pirson to meet Warden James, who questions Cobb about his sniper shooting crimes while popping off his own rounds at a makeshift targeting range. Cobb declines to explain what motivated his original crimes, but does explain that he shot a prison guard to request a transfer to Alcatraz for a private room.
Later, presumably in the present,...
Alcatraz continues its two-part series premiere with tonight’s second episode “Ernest Cobb,” as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) settle into their new roles investigating the re-appearing Alcatraz inmates, and a brutal sniper attack points them and Hauser (Sam Neill) toward an eccentric inmate (Joe Egender) known for sniping victims in threes.
If you didn't get a chance to check it out for yourself, read on for our Alcatraz recap of "Ernest Cobb”!
In Alcatraz 1960, Tiller leads prisoner Ernest Cobb through the pirson to meet Warden James, who questions Cobb about his sniper shooting crimes while popping off his own rounds at a makeshift targeting range. Cobb declines to explain what motivated his original crimes, but does explain that he shot a prison guard to request a transfer to Alcatraz for a private room.
Later, presumably in the present,...
- 1/17/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Alcatraz is sure to be a hit.
First, there's the general story of the prison inmates mysteriously disappearing and then reappearing in present day. Why? For what reason? Who's the person responsible?
Of course, gigantic questions like that aren't going to be answered right away, but the two-hour premiere offers plenty of exciting revelations and twists that are sure to keep you interested for the long haul. There's enough teasing of the grand mystery that has you hungry for more.
Yet, even with a larger mythology already set in place, it is the characters who are deeply involved that bring the show to life.
I enjoyed Sarah Jones as Detective Rebecca Madsen. Not only does she hold a particular chip on her shoulder from her partner's death but she illustrates a drive and determination with each case, perfect for finding out the mystery of Alcatraz. And at the same time she's playful and lively,...
First, there's the general story of the prison inmates mysteriously disappearing and then reappearing in present day. Why? For what reason? Who's the person responsible?
Of course, gigantic questions like that aren't going to be answered right away, but the two-hour premiere offers plenty of exciting revelations and twists that are sure to keep you interested for the long haul. There's enough teasing of the grand mystery that has you hungry for more.
Yet, even with a larger mythology already set in place, it is the characters who are deeply involved that bring the show to life.
I enjoyed Sarah Jones as Detective Rebecca Madsen. Not only does she hold a particular chip on her shoulder from her partner's death but she illustrates a drive and determination with each case, perfect for finding out the mystery of Alcatraz. And at the same time she's playful and lively,...
- 1/17/2012
- by smckenna412@gmail.com (Sean McKenna)
- TVfanatic
From the purveyor of mystery series that keep audiences scratching their heads — Alias and Rambaldi, Lost and the island, Felicity and her hair — J.J. Abrams has debuted another mystifying series, Alcatraz.
The new show focuses on the notorious San Francisco prison. It's 1963, and more than 300 guards and prisoners vanish into thin air. In each episode, one of these hardened criminals, called "the '63s," will reappear in 2012 without having aged. San Francisco cop Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Diego Soto (Lost alum Jorge Garcia) — an academic who's an expert on The Rock — federal Agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) and his mysterious associate Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) team up to find them before they can enact their anachronistic justice.
Alcatraz's J.J. Abrams: New Fox drama is on an island, but it's not Lost
Along the way, Alcatraz will raise questions. Namely, where did they disappear to, and who's pulling the strings behind their reappearance?...
The new show focuses on the notorious San Francisco prison. It's 1963, and more than 300 guards and prisoners vanish into thin air. In each episode, one of these hardened criminals, called "the '63s," will reappear in 2012 without having aged. San Francisco cop Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Diego Soto (Lost alum Jorge Garcia) — an academic who's an expert on The Rock — federal Agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) and his mysterious associate Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) team up to find them before they can enact their anachronistic justice.
Alcatraz's J.J. Abrams: New Fox drama is on an island, but it's not Lost
Along the way, Alcatraz will raise questions. Namely, where did they disappear to, and who's pulling the strings behind their reappearance?...
- 1/17/2012
- by Natalie Abrams
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Alcatraz 1.01 "Jack Sylvane" Series Premiere Review
Alcatraz unlocks its first episode series premiere event from the mind of J.J. Abrams with tonight's pilot "Jack Sylvane," as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) finds herself embroiled in a mind-boggling mystery of how 1960's Alcatraz inmates are re-surfacing in present day San Francisco with murderous intent. Alcatraz certainly holds promise going forward, but isn't quite the dramatic hook some of Abrams' past TV works have been.
I first saw Alcatraz when they screened the pilot episode at San Diego Comic-Con, though I confess to drifting in and out of attention, owing partly to other assignments of previous Ballroom 20 panels, a lack of anything particularly grabbing within the pilot itself, and just a brutal, brutal hangover from all the socializing the night before.
So while I could have done a better job on focusing on what does, and doesn’t work about Alcatraz the first time around,...
Alcatraz unlocks its first episode series premiere event from the mind of J.J. Abrams with tonight's pilot "Jack Sylvane," as Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) finds herself embroiled in a mind-boggling mystery of how 1960's Alcatraz inmates are re-surfacing in present day San Francisco with murderous intent. Alcatraz certainly holds promise going forward, but isn't quite the dramatic hook some of Abrams' past TV works have been.
I first saw Alcatraz when they screened the pilot episode at San Diego Comic-Con, though I confess to drifting in and out of attention, owing partly to other assignments of previous Ballroom 20 panels, a lack of anything particularly grabbing within the pilot itself, and just a brutal, brutal hangover from all the socializing the night before.
So while I could have done a better job on focusing on what does, and doesn’t work about Alcatraz the first time around,...
- 1/16/2012
- by Kevin Fitzpatrick
- TVovermind.com
Stop us if you've heard this before: "Alcatraz," the latest series from executive producer J.J. Abrams, has an overarching story to tell, but its week-to-week structure is more like a crime procedural, so viewers won't feel out of sorts if they miss an episode.
The easy comparison for "Alcatraz" is "Lost," because it involves Abrams, an island, time travel and Jorge Garcia. But the way Abrams and Co. are selling the series -- as a weekly procedural with some serialized elements -- sounds an afwul lot like the pitch for "Fringe" when it debuted in 2008.
Now, "Fringe" became a better (if less-watched) show when it leaned more into its serialized elements and moved case-of-the-week stories to the back burner. And there are several appealing elements to "Alcatraz" that make us think there's potential for growth. But the two episodes we've seen -- and which make up Monday's (Jan. 16) two-hour premiere...
The easy comparison for "Alcatraz" is "Lost," because it involves Abrams, an island, time travel and Jorge Garcia. But the way Abrams and Co. are selling the series -- as a weekly procedural with some serialized elements -- sounds an afwul lot like the pitch for "Fringe" when it debuted in 2008.
Now, "Fringe" became a better (if less-watched) show when it leaned more into its serialized elements and moved case-of-the-week stories to the back burner. And there are several appealing elements to "Alcatraz" that make us think there's potential for growth. But the two episodes we've seen -- and which make up Monday's (Jan. 16) two-hour premiere...
- 1/16/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
"Alcatraz" premieres on Fox tonight (Jan. 16th) and we were lucky enough to take a ferry to the famous prison with a group of press to chat with the cast ... in the shower room, no less. With the creaks and groans of metal in the background, we talked to stars Sam Neill, Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia and Parminder Nagra about the mystery of the missing inmates and guards.
After the chat, we ate dinner in the mess hall and screened the pilot in the famous cell block D, where prisoners were put into solitary confinement. We even chatted with an elderly former Alcatraz inmate who told us he'd spent 29 days in solitary and 5 days in the "hole" with no light and little food. When we asked him why, he told us, "I tried to break out of the prison and burn it down." Oh. Oh dear.
The show takes place in modern time,...
After the chat, we ate dinner in the mess hall and screened the pilot in the famous cell block D, where prisoners were put into solitary confinement. We even chatted with an elderly former Alcatraz inmate who told us he'd spent 29 days in solitary and 5 days in the "hole" with no light and little food. When we asked him why, he told us, "I tried to break out of the prison and burn it down." Oh. Oh dear.
The show takes place in modern time,...
- 1/16/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Every year, J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg put their names on a TV project or two. Is it time to start actively avoiding those shows?
On Monday, Jan. 16, Fox rolls out "Alcatraz" (8 p.m. Est), and the network has not wasted many opportunities to hype the participation of the "Lost" co-creator (Abrams is an executive producer on the time-travel drama, which was created by "Lost" writer Elizabeth Sarnoff -- who left the show last fall -- as well as Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt).
The problem with hyping Abrams and Spielberg's names is that doing so prompts pop culture fans to expect reasonably worthwhile examples of what those gentlemen do well. It gets our hopes up a little, despite the available evidence regarding what they're capable of when they're not on their A-game and/or phoning it in.
In the TV realm, I get the sense that phoning it in...
On Monday, Jan. 16, Fox rolls out "Alcatraz" (8 p.m. Est), and the network has not wasted many opportunities to hype the participation of the "Lost" co-creator (Abrams is an executive producer on the time-travel drama, which was created by "Lost" writer Elizabeth Sarnoff -- who left the show last fall -- as well as Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt).
The problem with hyping Abrams and Spielberg's names is that doing so prompts pop culture fans to expect reasonably worthwhile examples of what those gentlemen do well. It gets our hopes up a little, despite the available evidence regarding what they're capable of when they're not on their A-game and/or phoning it in.
In the TV realm, I get the sense that phoning it in...
- 1/16/2012
- by Maureen Ryan
- Aol TV.
J.J. Abrams' latest effort for Fox is a supernatural drama that takes place at the infamous prison in San Francisco Bay. The executive producer (Lost) he uses Jorge Garcia once again plays eccentric historian Diego Soto (a specialist on the prison), who teams up with Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) to track down Alcatraz.s former prisoners. This chilling new drama follows a unique trio who investigate the shocking reappearance of Alcatraz.s most notorious prisoners 50 years after they vanished. These prisoners disappeared mysteriously in the 1960s and are now turning up, as if frozen in time, never aging. Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), is inttroduced as a government agent devoted to recapturing the hardened criminals. The series sees...
- 1/16/2012
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
When you think Alcatraz it brings to mind the infamous names of Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud “The Birdman of Alcatraz.” It is also a term synonymous with violence, mystery, and the “worst of the worst.” It gives the sense of being unattainable, yet still visible as a majestic island right inside the San Francisco Bay. The lore surrounding Alcatraz has reached such epic proportions, that it has achieved a notoriety of its own. In fact, it still stands today as a reminder that not even an island can truly incarcerate criminals intent on escape.
Building on the infamy and notoriety of the Prison that shares its name, the television series Alcatraz offers a riveting spin on what might have happened in 1963. Was the prison closed due budget cuts as propagandized by the government, or did something more sinister and mysterious happen there that required a cover-story...
Building on the infamy and notoriety of the Prison that shares its name, the television series Alcatraz offers a riveting spin on what might have happened in 1963. Was the prison closed due budget cuts as propagandized by the government, or did something more sinister and mysterious happen there that required a cover-story...
- 1/16/2012
- by Tiffany Vogt
- The TV Addict
Chicago – There’s “potential” all over Fox’s highly-anticipated “Alcatraz,” debuting tonight, January 16th, 2012 with two back-to-back episodes. A great cast, strong production pedigree, interesting concept — so why are both of the first two episodes so forgettable? Why is this show more “meh” than amazing?
Television Rating: 3.0/5.0
Compared to previous launches of J.J. Abrams’ programming, this is a miss. I can still vividly remember when I saw the first episode of “Lost.” It was amazing from scene one. “Alias” was up and down over the years but started off with incredible momentum. Even “Fringe,” a show that I’ve never fallen madly in love with and for which the first season was the rockiest, started with a bang. “Alcatraz” starts with a whimper. Sure, the concept is there and there is incredible room for growth but in today’s network TV market, when shows get canceled after just a few weeks of failure,...
Television Rating: 3.0/5.0
Compared to previous launches of J.J. Abrams’ programming, this is a miss. I can still vividly remember when I saw the first episode of “Lost.” It was amazing from scene one. “Alias” was up and down over the years but started off with incredible momentum. Even “Fringe,” a show that I’ve never fallen madly in love with and for which the first season was the rockiest, started with a bang. “Alcatraz” starts with a whimper. Sure, the concept is there and there is incredible room for growth but in today’s network TV market, when shows get canceled after just a few weeks of failure,...
- 1/16/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Genre: Action | Mystery | Thriller
Air Date/Time: January 16 at 8/7c
Network: Fox
Creators: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien & Bryan Wynbrandt
Director: “Pilot” - Danny Cannon, “Ernest Cobb” – Jack Bender
Writers: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien & Bryan Wynbrandt
“Detective Rebecca Madsen” (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz historian “Doctor Diego Soto” (Jorge Garcia) team up with a secret agency that is dedicated to finding and catching inmates from the infamous prison who went missing 50 years ago and are reappearing today. The special task force includes Sam Neill as “Emerson Hauser” and Parminder Nagra as “Doctor Lucy Banerjee.” Then, when a sniper begins targeting young victims, the team is forced to retrace the steps of the past in order to solve this modern day mystery on the special two-hour series premiere “Pilot/Ernest Cobb” episode of Alcatraz.
I first saw the pilot (hour 1) of Alcatraz at Comic Con last July. Given who was involved, and that...
Air Date/Time: January 16 at 8/7c
Network: Fox
Creators: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien & Bryan Wynbrandt
Director: “Pilot” - Danny Cannon, “Ernest Cobb” – Jack Bender
Writers: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien & Bryan Wynbrandt
“Detective Rebecca Madsen” (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz historian “Doctor Diego Soto” (Jorge Garcia) team up with a secret agency that is dedicated to finding and catching inmates from the infamous prison who went missing 50 years ago and are reappearing today. The special task force includes Sam Neill as “Emerson Hauser” and Parminder Nagra as “Doctor Lucy Banerjee.” Then, when a sniper begins targeting young victims, the team is forced to retrace the steps of the past in order to solve this modern day mystery on the special two-hour series premiere “Pilot/Ernest Cobb” episode of Alcatraz.
I first saw the pilot (hour 1) of Alcatraz at Comic Con last July. Given who was involved, and that...
- 1/16/2012
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
The red carpet is typically the focal point of any premiere. But at last night’s party for Alcatraz, the new J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi show on Fox, the infamous prison itself was the star. Creepy enough during the day, with rows of vacant cell blocks and park rangers telling stories of how prisoners stared longingly at the San Francisco skyline, last night the nearly full moon cast an even eerier chill over the Rock. (The show is now mostly shot in Vancouver, where they’ve re-created the prison.)
From interviews with the cast in the shower room (“It’s creepy!
From interviews with the cast in the shower room (“It’s creepy!
- 1/12/2012
- by Laura Hertzfeld
- EW - Inside TV
A quick round of updates.
Netflix has finally launched in UK and Ireland and both Caprica and Battlestar are available for streaming. If you know people there who haven't seen the shows, you can nag them to do it now, while Netflix is offering a free month of trials.
Blackstone, with Carmen Moore, returns with the season two opener, "Blood Is Thicker Than Water," tonight on Aptn in Canada. The episode should air at 9 pm Et on Aptn East, West, and HD, and at 8 pm Pt, but check your local listings to be sure.
Carmen Moore was also one of the people who made an appearance in Arctic Air yesterday. If you haven't seen the pilot, check it out. There are more BSG people in the first five minutes of that show than there were in the opening scenes of BSG. And they share scenes and everything.
The Vancouver Sun...
Netflix has finally launched in UK and Ireland and both Caprica and Battlestar are available for streaming. If you know people there who haven't seen the shows, you can nag them to do it now, while Netflix is offering a free month of trials.
Blackstone, with Carmen Moore, returns with the season two opener, "Blood Is Thicker Than Water," tonight on Aptn in Canada. The episode should air at 9 pm Et on Aptn East, West, and HD, and at 8 pm Pt, but check your local listings to be sure.
Carmen Moore was also one of the people who made an appearance in Arctic Air yesterday. If you haven't seen the pilot, check it out. There are more BSG people in the first five minutes of that show than there were in the opening scenes of BSG. And they share scenes and everything.
The Vancouver Sun...
- 1/12/2012
- by fanshawe
- CapricaTV
[1] /Film headquarters received a mysterious package today from Alcatraz -- the beginning of a viral marketing promotion for the Jj Abrams-produced tv series Alcatraz. Housed inside a worn metal lock box, are a bunch of different items including: A key to an Alcatraz prison cell, a flower, an Alcatraz tour book, a couple postcards (one with an inscription by a young girl named Susie to her "Nana"), a torn page from an "inmates of Alcatraz" guide book, a clipping from an old 1962 newspaper about "The Final Lockdown", and a page from a magazine which features a look at Dr. Diego Soto's (played by Jorge Garcia in the tv series) "Inmates of Alcatraz" book. Letters on the magazine page are circled, which together spell "Legends Of Alcatraz". LegendsOfAlcatraz.com redirects to the official Fox website for the show, but I'm sure that will eventually change. I'm set to head...
- 1/10/2012
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Premiering on Fox January 16th at 8:00pm Et, "Alcatraz" is the latest series from executive producers J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff ("Lost," "Deadwood") and, this morning, a mysterious package arrived at the offices of ComingSoon.net that contains a number of interesting clues as to the series' mythology. Most notable among the items is a review of a book, "Inmates of Alcatraz," by Dr. Diego Soto (played by Jorge Garcia). Certain letters on the page are marked, spelling out "Legends Of Alcatraz." At the moment www.legendsofalcatraz.com redirects to the official Fox site for the show, but that could change in the near future. As for what clues the other items contain, check out the images below and share your thoughts in the...
- 1/10/2012
- Comingsoon.net
J.J. Abrams Talks Alcatraz in New Video
Fans of J.J. Abrams should definitely check out Alcatraz, the new show from one of the sci-fi gods of today. Alcatraz premieres Monday, January 16, on Fox. Having seen the first episode, I can tell you that the pilot of this show is strikingly similar to the pilot of Fringe in terms of quality and tone. It is a little uneven, like Fringe's pilot was, but it's still got the potential to turn into a truly great sci-fi series.
J.J. Abrams, in this new video released by Fox, sits down to chat with Ari Margolis (the wizard behind Fringe's great online marketing). In the video, Abrams discusses his fascination with the titular island, and gives a bit of a rundown on what the series will comprise of from week to week. Each new episode will feature on another inmate who disappeared fifty...
Fans of J.J. Abrams should definitely check out Alcatraz, the new show from one of the sci-fi gods of today. Alcatraz premieres Monday, January 16, on Fox. Having seen the first episode, I can tell you that the pilot of this show is strikingly similar to the pilot of Fringe in terms of quality and tone. It is a little uneven, like Fringe's pilot was, but it's still got the potential to turn into a truly great sci-fi series.
J.J. Abrams, in this new video released by Fox, sits down to chat with Ari Margolis (the wizard behind Fringe's great online marketing). In the video, Abrams discusses his fascination with the titular island, and gives a bit of a rundown on what the series will comprise of from week to week. Each new episode will feature on another inmate who disappeared fifty...
- 1/7/2012
- by Sam McPherson
- TVovermind.com
Jorge Garcia has insisted that his new role on Alcatraz is nothing like his Lost character Hurley. The actor will play Dr. Diego Soto in the Fox sci-fi drama, from Lost co-creator Jj Abrams. Garcia told The Huffington Post: "It's fun finding a new guy. I'm digging what they've been writing for me." He added: "I did [Lost] for six years. Now let's explore somebody new and go see where I would go with it a different way." Garcia also suggested that Soto's own backstory will remain a mystery for the foreseeable future. "I've gotten used to working this way from having done a show with these people before," he said. "I enjoy having to fill in my own blanks at the beginning. (more)...
- 1/3/2012
- by By Morgan Jeffery
- Digital Spy
Alcatraz is a term deeply ingrained in our cultural consciousness as a source of mystery and curiosity, so it seems fitting that J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff, two of the genius minds behind the equally enigmatic "Lost," would choose to tackle the iconic island for another high-concept TV series. "Alcatraz" (premiering Mon., Jan. 16, 8 p.m. Est on Fox) might be lacking smoke monsters and polar bears, but there are still plenty of questions to be answered, as HuffPost TV discovered when we visited the Vancouver-based set in October.
The show's story begins in March 1963, when history tells us the prison was closed due to unmanageable operating costs and the erosion of buildings from years of salt water exposure. But in the world of "Alcatraz," the true reason for the closure is far more compelling: 302 prisoners and guards mysteriously vanish without a trace, only to reappear in our time without having aged.
The show's story begins in March 1963, when history tells us the prison was closed due to unmanageable operating costs and the erosion of buildings from years of salt water exposure. But in the world of "Alcatraz," the true reason for the closure is far more compelling: 302 prisoners and guards mysteriously vanish without a trace, only to reappear in our time without having aged.
- 1/2/2012
- by Laura Prudom
- Huffington Post
Alcatraz is a term deeply ingrained in our cultural consciousness as a source of mystery and curiosity, so it seems fitting that J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff, two of the genius minds behind the equally enigmatic "Lost," would choose to tackle the iconic island for another high-concept TV series. "Alcatraz" (premiering Mon., Jan. 16, 8 p.m. Est on Fox) might be lacking smoke monsters and polar bears, but there are still plenty of questions to be answered, as HuffPost TV discovered when we visited the Vancouver-based set in October.
The show's story begins in March 1963, when history tells us the prison was closed due to unmanageable operating costs and the erosion of buildings from years of salt water exposure. But in the world of "Alcatraz," the true reason for the closure is far more compelling: 302 prisoners and guards mysteriously vanish without a trace, only to reappear in our time without having aged.
The show's story begins in March 1963, when history tells us the prison was closed due to unmanageable operating costs and the erosion of buildings from years of salt water exposure. But in the world of "Alcatraz," the true reason for the closure is far more compelling: 302 prisoners and guards mysteriously vanish without a trace, only to reappear in our time without having aged.
- 1/2/2012
- by Laura Prudom
- Aol TV.
The broadcast and major cable networks have nearly two dozen brand-new shows (hopefully) heating up primetime this winter. To help you sort through it all, TVLine, as we did in the fall, is presenting a few First Impressions. Next on our list is.…
The Show | Fox’s Alcatraz (two-hour premiere airs Monday, Jan. 16 at 8/7c, before series settles into its Mondays-at-9 time slot)
The Competition | CBS’ sitcombo of Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly, the second hours of NBC’s The Voice and ABC’s The Bachelor, The CW’s Hart of Dixie.
The Cast | Sarah Jones (Sons of Anarchy...
The Show | Fox’s Alcatraz (two-hour premiere airs Monday, Jan. 16 at 8/7c, before series settles into its Mondays-at-9 time slot)
The Competition | CBS’ sitcombo of Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly, the second hours of NBC’s The Voice and ABC’s The Bachelor, The CW’s Hart of Dixie.
The Cast | Sarah Jones (Sons of Anarchy...
- 1/1/2012
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The view of Abrams’ Alcatraz
Take a good, hard look at this delightfully grim teaser art for J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz. It gives you a solid idea of how the show will feel when it finally airs Jan. 16. The gray color palette and the stone text are enough to put images of the once horrifying Alcatraz prison in your mind. Of course, not everything will be dark and sad like this poster; this is just to pique our interest. An unnecessary approach as my interest piqued at the mention of Abrams.
EW.com had first dibs on the poster for the series, which stars Sarah Jones, Sam Neill and Jorge Garcia, who has already appeared on many of Abrams shows, such as Lost and Fringe. Alcatraz will follow Rebecca Madsen (Jones) as she discovers an inmate of Alcatraz who died decades ago committed recent a homicide case. Enlisting the help of...
Take a good, hard look at this delightfully grim teaser art for J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz. It gives you a solid idea of how the show will feel when it finally airs Jan. 16. The gray color palette and the stone text are enough to put images of the once horrifying Alcatraz prison in your mind. Of course, not everything will be dark and sad like this poster; this is just to pique our interest. An unnecessary approach as my interest piqued at the mention of Abrams.
EW.com had first dibs on the poster for the series, which stars Sarah Jones, Sam Neill and Jorge Garcia, who has already appeared on many of Abrams shows, such as Lost and Fringe. Alcatraz will follow Rebecca Madsen (Jones) as she discovers an inmate of Alcatraz who died decades ago committed recent a homicide case. Enlisting the help of...
- 12/5/2011
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
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