WHO: Sonya Walger, Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Courtney B. Vance, Dominic Monaghan, and exec producers Jessika Borsiczky Goyer, David S. Goyer, and Marc Guggenheim.
PREMISE: The world’s population blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, during which they see a glimpse of their future on April 29, 2010. Compelling, suspenseful pilot with two fantastic leads in Walger and Fiennes. (Watch the trailer)
1:01 pm/PST: “By the end of the first season most of the questions in the pilot will be answered,” says e.p. David Goyer. The exception: The “overarching cause of why the blackout happened” won’t be revealed until the end of the series.
1:06 pm: David Goyer is an “enormous fan of Lost” and says the show “proved to me that there could be a place on network television for” dramas with large ensembles featuring different shades of morality. Damon Lindelof’s advice to him: “Tell your story. Stick to your guns.”
1:08 pm: The timeline of Season 1 will go beyond April 29, 2010 (a.k.a. D-day), but it won’t be the season finale. “The significance of that date is one of the mysteries of the show,” says e.p. Guggenheim. “And what’s going to happen after April 29 is another mystery of the show.”
1:09 pm: Monaghan, who says FF is “not as sophisticated” and mythology-rich as Lost, signed on without a script or a specific character description. “He took an enormous leap of faith,” says David Goyer. Monaghan’s only request: He wanted to play someone vastly different than Charlie. Producers remain mum on who exactly he will be playing.
1:10 pm: Stalker alert! Monaghan’s initial meeting with producers took place at Delancey on Sunset. Chances are, he’ll be back! (Directions)
1:13 pm: Casting notes: Seth MacFarlane (yes, that Seth MacFarlane) and Alex Kingston (or “the woman from ER,” as one reporter referred to her) will continue to recur. Gabrielle Union, meanwhile, kicks off her arc in episode 3.
1:14 pm: Lost has polar bears. FlashForward has a kangaroo.
1:30 pm: Walger says she has “absolutely no idea” if she’s returning to Lost as Penny.
Coming up next: ABC exec session!
PENNY <3
No idea if she’s coming back to play Penny? Well, that’s odd. Seems like everyone coming back already has an idea. Finger and toes crossed, man. Cannot have a final season without Des & Penny.
AWKWARD! Alex Kingston was married to Ralph Fiennes (Joseph’s brother) before he divorced her and left her for a woman 18 years his senior. It’s a small world.
omg, that’s right! But that WAS over ten years ago, so hopefully she’s over it. She’s had kids with someone else and everything.
Gotta love how the FF panel was invaded by LOST questions – When you’ve got the best show on TV, you’re gonna step on some toes.
I love how the FF panel was invaded by LOST questions. When you’ve got the best show on TV, you’re gonna step on some toes.
What kind of a final season of Lost would it be if Penny didn’t make an appearance? She’ll be there in some form.
Sonya Walger BETTER be returning as Penny.
I hope Alex Kingston recurs A LOT. That way she can’t play River Song any more. God, I hate that woman! (The character, not the actress!)
We better have Penny on Lost, or I’m gonna be very upset!
I’m with you about River Song. Unfortunately, it seems we are going to have to get used to her and the boy toy doctor.
Not as sophisticated as Lost? Oh no. Hope there’s not too much bashing on this show.
I saw the first episode online as part of a survey a few months back. It had some very unimpressive acting and the plot/”mystery” was not engaging at all. I definitely won’t be watching it.
I think the concept would work a lot better if it had been done as a 8-13 hour miniseries with a definite begining, middle and end.
Ausiello, if you’re going to get the scoop can you at LEAST get the important details? Like, how much Fiennes SHIRTLESSNESS can we expect?
FLASHFORWARD is the only new ABC show I’m looking forward to watching. I really like the cast they have assembled for it. I’m only bummed that it is stuck on Thursday night. I’ll join the chorus in saying that Walger better be returning as Penny for the last season of LOST. The lack of any news on Des and Penny for S6 has been disheartening. They are by far my favorite pairing on LOST.
I can’t wait for this show. It looks really good. I can’t wait for Dominic Monaghan. I loved him on Lost.
Anyone know anything about the kewl hip-hop song playing in the background of a couple of scenes in the pilot?
I’ve been lookin’ for the artist/ song online too, no luck so far.:(
Just found it….it’s Mos Def. The song’s called ‘Quiet Dog’