TVSquad

I'm all for more Westerns on television. It's a genre that lends itself well to the ongoing storytelling format that a regular TV series allows. So when I saw an article that FX was gearing up Reconstruction, a series set in the post-Civil War era of American history, I was pretty excited.

Creators Joshua Brand and Peter Horton thought it would make a good allegory for today's world, dealing with the economic crisis and even the ongoing war. "How does one heal after (a war)? How do you find your humanity again?" asked Horton. These are things the show hopes to deal with.

It centers around Jason, an East Coaster who comes back from the war changed. He finds refuge in a small town in Missour, where the saga will unfold. All of this was great, until I got to one line in the Reuters story: "Brand, the co-creator of St. Elsewhere, is writing the script for the project, which will include magical elements, with thirtysomething actor-turned-director Horton attached to take the helm." Magical elements? What?! Why?

When I first heard that FX had greenlit a new series starring Timothy Olyphant as a marshal, I thought that it was going to be a classic western, set in the 1880s and featuring cowboys and saloons and street gunfights. Well, the preview is below, and while Olyphant still plays a marshal, Lawman is a contemporary drama. Looks good, though.

I know what you're thinking. Joss Whedon already did that with Firefly. But you see, Firefly was quite different than the western Chuck producer Scott Rosenbaum is developing. See, Firefly was a space-based science fiction with western elements. This project is a western with sci-fi elements.

I know what you're thinking. Michael Garrison already did that with The Wild Wild West. But you see-- I'm not going to do all that again. Actually, the description leaves things a little vague, so I've taken the liberty of filling in the blanks with only my sleep-deprived mind and a healthy dosage of Diet Dr. Pepper to guide me.

Rosenbaum's official descriptions include "a gunslinger caught between worlds" and a nod to Planet of the Apes. Post-apocalyptic? They're adapting Stephen Kings' The Dark Tower?! Hardly. I do suspect a future time when we've reverted back to the trappings of the Old West. Either that, or a parallel world. I don't really care, I've been itching for a good western since Deadwood had to go.

I'm almost to the end of Firefly, my Jane After Dark readers' choice for this week. I really love this series, from the quirky characters to the general theme of a band of renegades burgling their way through the universe.

But even though it's set 500 years in the future, Firefly isn't your typical sci-fi space series that includes all manner of aliens and weird creatures. They're on a spaceship, and yet they rob trains. How cool is that?! It's like Alias Smith and Jones meets Babylon 5.

As with the other Whedon shows I've watched – Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel – the stories are fun and deep and fanciful (yes, I said fanciful), but it's the characters and their interactions that make the shows.

While Kevin Costner is executive producing a new A&E Western mini-series event, he's not as sure if he'll be directing any of it or even if he'll be appearing in it. It all depends on the script. So he's not sure if it'll be good enough to bother with beyond his current EP duties?

Come on, Kevin. This is A&E. Remember their first, and only so far, mini-series The Andromeda Strain? Yeah, I actually watched it and it was horrible! Which means this one simply has to be better. Right? It can't be much worse. Truly. It can't.

Jonathan told you earlier this summer that there would be a Deadwood DVD set coming at the end of the year. I bet you didn't know it was going to be 19 discs.

The Deadwood complete series set will house all three seasons on those 19 discs, and it will come with a rather large booklet guide to the show as well. But that isn't the big news. The big news is that the set will include among its two hours of extras a feature titled "The Meaning of Endings," which will be a detailed explanation of what would have happened to the characters had HBO not canceled the show.

You know, it's been so long since I've seen the last episode of Deadwood that I'll have to go back and watch it again to prepare for the two movies that will end the western saga. I think the last scene showed Gerald McRaney on his way out of town, probably heading to Jericho, Kansas.

But there's no rush. According to this story at the Chicago Tribune, not only are the two movies not going to air until 2008 at the earliest, but (according to cast member W. Earl Brown), the stars of the show haven't even signed contracts to appear in the TV flicks. But creator David Milch said a couple of months that he is "committed" to finishing the movies.

The CMT documentary about the country group the Highwaymen titled American Revolutions: The Highwaymen will be out on DVD on September 26. The group consisted of country music legends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. Their last recording was made in 1994, and this documentary, shot by producer Don Was, chronicles that time with an inside look at the recording process. The documentary will also be rebroadcast on CMT on September 25 at 10 pm. Normally I never watch CMT, but I have a penchant for old time country music, so I'll probably be checking this one out.

(S01E14) If you can believe it, this particular episode is perhaps the strangest of the entire series. It arguably is one of the most famous as well, because it is so different from the rest.

When watching it, you might be interested to know that CBS did not air it originally back in the late sixties, apparently due to some anti-war sentiment expressed by the episode. Whether this is actually true or not is open to debate, but just the same, it makes for interesting viewing.

If, in the future, we ever do a 'The Five' post on television shows that should have never been made into theatrical films, I have a feeling that the one I am about to mention will be at the top of that list. Ready? Rapper Eminem has signed on to return to the big screen in a modernized version of the 1960's western Have Gun, Will Travel. See what I mean?

Paramount Pictures has agreed to extend the option on this property 18 more months so the Detroit rapper can develop it as a vehicle. Eminem, also known to his mom as Marshall Mathers III, says that he's excited about this opportunity and will most likely be involved with the movie's soundtrack.

Have Gun, Will Travel premiered on CBS in 1957 and ran until 1963. It starred Richard Boone as Paladin, a West Point graduate who became a hired gun in the Wild West. The movie will be updated to contemporary times and star Eminem as a bounty hunter. Boone, who died in 1981, was reportedly rolling in his grave and attempting to haunt Eminem to stop production.

 

First it looked like there wasn't going to be a fourth season of Deadwood at all. Then David Milch said he was trying to raise the $60 million himself for another season. Now comes official word that Milch and HBO have reached a deal. After this third season, the show will wrapup with two two-hour movies.

Interestingly, HBO did offer Milch a fourth season. But it was for only 6 episodes, and Milch didn't want to do that. So they're going with the movies instead.

In news that might be kind of a shock for fans, it looks like the upcoming third season of Deadwood might be the last.

HBO is letting the cast "explore their options," which bascially means that they are free to consider other options.  In fact, creator/writer David Milch is exploring his own option, concentrating on a new surfer drama for HBO titled John From Cincinnati.

More on this as it develops ...

(thanks to Dave for the heads up)

I think I'm going to cry.

One of my favorite TV shows, The Adventures of Brisco Country, Jr., is finally coming to DVD! And this isn't some quickly put together first season, with little or no extras, this is a release of the entire series on one day! With tons of extras, including commentaries from Bruce Campbell and Carlton Cuse, documentaries, featurettes, a writers reunion, and special interactive features hosted by Campbell himself.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go put away $100.00.