The Chronicle 

A young, highly qualified reporter can't find work with a major paper and signs on with a tabloid. There he learns that all the tabloid stories including aliens, big foot, and reincarnation are true.

Stars:

Chad Willett, Rena Sofer, Reno Wilson

2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Chad Willett	...	Tucker Burns 22 episodes, 2001-2002
Rena Sofer	...	Grace Hall 22 episodes, 2001-2002
Reno Wilson	...	Wes Freewald 22 episodes, 2001-2002
Jon Polito	...	Donald Stern 22 episodes, 2001-2002
Sharon Sachs	...	Vera 16 episodes, 2001-2002
Curtis Armstrong	...	'Pig Boy' / ... 14 episodes, 2001-2002

Storyline

Tucker Burns is a qualified reporter who can't get a job. He applies for a job at the World Chronicle, where they are delighted to have an over-qualified (by their standards!) reporter on staff. It turns out that all the stories the Chronicle reports are true, but written as tabloid articles so that the public can slowly get acclimated to such things. Aided by photographer Wes and alien abductee/reporter Grace, and backed by his mysterious boss Donald Stern, Tucker investigates, ghosts, aliens, and other supernatural phenomena.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | alien | supernatural | 2000s | paranormal | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

News from the Edge

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

48 min (22 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the 11th episode of the 1st season, "Touched by an Alien", a reporter at the staff meeting mentions a government-sponsored Invisible Man project. This is a reference to another SciFi Channel production, The Invisible Man (2000), which shared a building in the San Fernando Valley as well as many crew members and extras. The "invisible locusts ate my crops" tabloid in the final episode ("The New Stuff") of The Invisible Man was meant to be a copy of The Chronicle, but the Network never replied to writer 'Craig Silverstein''s suggestion.

User Reviews

The producers of "Six Feet Under" have done it again!

I'm sure that from the previews, a lot of people were ready to write this one off as a total rip-off of X-FILES, with echoes of KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER and even a tip of the hat to MEN IN BLACK. I know I was, but knowing how Greenblatt and Janollari have given Alan Ball free reign on 6FU, I decided to give the pilot a try and cut them some slack.

What a pleasant surprise! In less capable hands, the cliches would've dropped off the screen with thuds so loud, you could hear them all the way to Collinwood. Nice to see that Silvio Horta (of URBAN LEGENDS infamy) knows how to infuse the writing with the same kind of cheeky brashness that freshened up THE INVISIBLE MAN, and the dearly departed GOOD VS. EVIL.

The principal cast members may be young, (so young that they might not even remember MELROSE PLACE), but they deliver engaging performances and they seem to have a handle on the characters already, a plus when you consider that it almost always takes a half-dozen episodes of any new show, before all the character 'bugs' are worked out. Jon Polito is especially good, bringing his considerable experience to bear as the curmudgeonly editor who has a sweet spot for slime demons, illegal aliens (the galactic and paranormal kind) and the other assorted flora and fauna of worlds we've never considered existed alongside our own.

The peek at future episodes shown at the end of the two-hour special has me hoping that the writers can sustain the rapport that already exists between the characters, even if the plotlines start to run out of steam.

If sci-fi/fantasy is your cuppa, this show is definitely worth a look.