We’ve been talking about USA Network’s Mr. Robot frequently around these parts, and it’s for a good reason. The weighty and deep thriller pushes into places television doesn’t usually touch, and the results are gripping. In short, make time to catch up before the Season 1 finale airs on August 26. If you’re already a fan of Mr. Robot, you’ll likely be interested in grabbing the link to an evaluation of Elliot’s mental state in today’s TV-Cap. You can also see footage from Fear the Walking Dead, concept art from the Jurassic Park animated series that never happened, and more.
Setting the Stage. Look, people are impatient. I don’t judge when someone gets so excited about seeing a television series that they’ll watch every single tease and reveal of new footage. So, if you feel strongly about Fear the Walking Dead, be sure to watch the first three minutes of the pilot. You don’t have to wait long to see more since the spinoff will premiere on AMC this Sunday. [Nerdist]
Casting the Mystery. Netflix’s upcoming supernatural drama from the Duffer brothers has filled out its youthful cast. Stranger Things, the series formerly known as Montauk, is the one with Winona Ryder and David Harbour. It’s called a “period” drama, and I mean, it is set in the ’80s, but that makes me laugh. The show focuses on the events surrounding the sudden disappearance of a young boy. Anyway, the following folks have been cast: Finn Wolfhard, Millie Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton. You can get more details abut their roles at Deadline.
Causing Trouble. Danny Rayburn’s past is never going to rest, is it? The former lead of Netflix’s Bloodline has secrets upon secrets, and in Season 2, John Leguizamo will personify one of them. He’ll be joining the show as a series regular in the role of Ozzy Delvecchio. He’s described by TVLine as a “a charming, violent, opportunistic wild card from Danny’s past who, in the wake of Danny’s murder, arrives in the Florida Keys with mysterious motives and threatens to wreak havoc in the lives of the Rayburns.” Um, yes. I think Leguizamo will be awesome in this role. [TVLine]
Redefining Special Agent. CBS is developing a project with the MythBusters’s Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, and it’s probably not what you think. They’re working on a scripted drama–the network has committed to a script–about two special effects artists from Hollywood who end up being recruited by the CIA for covert ops missions using tools from their craft. So, you know, they’ll be saving the world with power tools and lube probably. Savage and Hyneman are set to executive produce. I’m intrigued. [Nerdist]
The Snazziest. The production, costume, and set design of Fox’s Empire has a very particular, somewhat opulent aesthetic. The surroundings make everyone look regal. That’s on full display in recently released photos from Season 2. Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson are pictured above and you can see more photos of the cast by Christopher Fragapane at Give Me My Remote.
Animated Dinosaurs. The Jurassic Park franchise is alive and booming thanks to the incredible success of Jurassic World, but the world of dinos never quite made it to television. Apparently at one point, there was a plan for an animated series in the “mature” primetime show category. Artist William Stout shared some of the concept art he created for the project, and after seeing it, I’m sad the series never came to be. A few of my favorite examples are above, but there are many more illustrations at his website. [/Film]
It’s All a Game. Temple Street Productions’s Killjoys has been airing on Syfy over the summer, and the series about a trio of intergalactic bounty hunters has inspired a mobile game called Killjoys: The Warrant Is All. The gameplay involves hunting down targets, but it’s made cuter with the use of the 8-bit format. To promote the new game, the cast takes the controls and tries it out. [Nerdist]
Pull Up a Chair. The most fascinating part of USA Network’s Mr. Robot is the tangled and twisted mind of Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek). He’s seemingly kind but also delusional and wildly unpredictable. Vulture spoke with psychiatrist Dr. Paul Puri about Elliot’s behavior, and the analysis is fascinating. [Vulture]
I know three minutes is barely a glimpse, but what do you think of Fear the Walking Dead so far? Sound off in the comments.
