POWER AND PRINCIPALITY: "CAMELOT"

High stakes for Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Morgan (Eva Green) in the new interpretation of CAMELOT. Image: STARZ

Just in time to cash in on the heavy dollops of sex and swordplay on offer in the hugely successful GAME OF THRONES HBO adaptation comes the US STARZ channel's ambitious new series CAMELOT to CHANNEL 4 this Saturday evening, based on, you guessed it, the birth and evolution of the Arthur legend (isn't it great that the UK has produced so many iconic characters and legendary heroes ripe for continual re-imagining? If there had been a publicist like Max Clifford back in the day when all these heroes, villains and myths were being formulated and perpetuated-passed through the generations- the film and TV purchasing rights would have been enormous!). It all looks glossy and enjoyable in its own way, with the fresh acting blood of Jamie Campbell Bower in the title role of the young man who will be king, and, as its produced by the people behind THE TUDORS, its more than likely to contradict, for its own story needs, everything that's ever been iconized about the character/saviour of the Dark Ages -if such a man could ever have existed- and his noble part in Ye Olde England's history. Whether such dramatic license will prove to be a good thing, and whether it can even top the likes of such quality works on the subject as John Boorman's superb and enchanting movie, EXCALIBUR, remains to be seen. I think we'll probably end up with a version of the tale one step up from Richard Gere and Sean Connery's 1995 attempt, KING ARTHUR, but with a bit more gritty realism, lots of gore and violence and the aforementioned bed hopping...

Watch your back, Arthur: that Morgan's a deadly lady!

There's definitely one major difference, however, between this and any other prior versions of the Arthur and Merlin legend: namely that it's got the rather lovely Eva Green in it, surely one of the most popular of James Bond girls in recent years after her performance as 007's doomed love Vesper Lynd in the hit Daniel Craig premiere CASINO ROYALE, and she's an actress with the kind of hypnotic and sexually beguiling, dangerous look in her eyes that's absolutely perfect for this kind of storytelling. She plays the important role of Morgan, the series principal antagonist, ambitious to claim the rightful throne that once belonged to her late father, King Uther. No doubt, as the series goes on, she'll make Helen Mirren's sultry and vindictive version of the role in EXCALIBUR look like a convent girl!

Joseph Fiennes as a slightly revised version of Merlin.

Arthur puts his point across to the masses...

The kind of all-star cast needed to propel this series into the public eye, described in the press publicity as being heavy on drama, politics and idealism, continues with the addition of FLASH FORWARD's Joseph Fiennes as a younger and more action heroic version of Merlin than we've been previously accustomed to, Claire Forlani as Arthur's mother Igraine, ROME's James Purefoy, lovely Tamsin Egerton as Arthur's tragic love Guinevere, Sean Pertwee and the always dependable action-hero Vincent Regan, so I'm sure they'll be enough eye candy to be enjoyed by both girls and boys as the story unfolds amongst the no doubt beautiful location backdrops of Ireland and Canada.

Trailer: YouTube - "Camelot" - NEW, long trailer STARZ

Fire and blood make their bedfellows with Arthur as he becomes King of England.

However many seasons it ultimately goes to, will CAMELOT make the kind of long term phenomenal impact that GAME OF THRONES has so quickly reached? Unlikely, I think (and English scripter Chris Chibnall, whose previous credits include LAW AND ORDER UK, DOCTOR WHO and TORCHWOOD, has hardly proved himself as one of the all-time great TV writers yet), but I certainly reckon it will have a good innings existence for the next few years at least across the world's digital TV platforms, their channels always desperate to have well made series in their schedules so as to bolster out their portfolios and viewing figures.

King Arthur remains an immortally interesting and enduring character across the world, and I have no doubts that this won't be the last time we'll see another romanticised series bearing either his name or legacy...

FIGHTING THE ALIENS! "THRESHOLD"

 

The enemy within! Combating a new alien threat to Humanity: the THRESHOLD team. L- R: Lucas Pegg (Rob  Benedict), J.T. Baylock (Charles S. Dutton), Dr. Molly Caffrey (Carla Gugino), Sean Cavennaugh (Brian Van Holt), Dr. Nigel Fenway (Brent Spiner) and Arthur Ramsey (Peter Dinklage). Images: CBS PARAMOUNT.

Alien invasions/attacks on the Earth have been ten a penny in the film and television medium of the last few years, either by humanoid types or nasty looking bug eyed monsters, and often wielding tremendous technology or firepower within huge spaceships towering above our cities, so it was a refreshing change of pace in 2005 when writer Bragi Schut joined forces with FLASH FORWARD creators to be David S. Goyer, modern STAR TREK's Brannon Braga and HARRY POTTER movies producer David Heyman, alongside CBS PARAMOUNT (in a co-production/finance deal with the UK's SKY TV) in developing an intriguing new variant on the sci-fi idea with the very enjoyable THRESHOLD, which starts a welcome repeat run from tonight, and every Sunday, into the small hours on the SKY ONE HD channel. The series intriguing, and at times unexpectedly disturbing, premise has an unknown alien invader penetrating our universe from another dimension and continually trying to set up a foothold in our dimension from which to grow and possess the Human Race, all the while adapting it to its own life cycle: think INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS meets the type of spacial anomalies you'll currently seeing in PRIMEVAL. With humanity mostly unaware of the alien incursion, which uses a deadly sound ability to alter DNA, its up to a small and highly unique, often eccentric, team of talented individuals to stop the deadly beachhead, headed up by the rather gorgeous film actress Carla Gugino, making a rare occasional dip into television work, as the often vulnerable and at first unsuspecting team leader, Dr. Molly Caffrey, soon thrust into the nightmare situation and the huge responsibility of protecting her world that it quickly entails, assisted by the neurotic but genius ex-NASA Doctor, Nigel Fenway (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION's all round talent, Brent Spiner), gifted but sometimes nervily off kilter aerospace engineer Lucas Pegg (played by Rob Benedict ), Commando Team Leader Sean Cavennaugh (played by Brian Van Holt), head of an elite unit that thrives on attacking the obsessed physical menace of the invaders, and GAME OF THRONES always excellent Peter Dinklage as the boozing, skirt chasing mathematics/ theorist with a heart, Arthur Ramsey. Rounding off the quirky, enjoyable rapport of the team is its Federal and political administrator, J.T. Baylock, played by ALIEN 3's noted character actor Charles S. Dutton, who brings bulky but humane authority to the part and acts as a good confidante to the sometimes struggling Molly.

Promo: YouTube - Threshold - Original Promo
Teaser: YouTube - Threshold season 1

Carla Gugino as the teams vulnerable but often ballsy leader, Dr. Molly Caffrey.

The performances of the main cast are consistently excellent, the sometimes complex scripts, with the occasional Braga penchant for techno babble, are for the most part tight and inventive, the alien invaders have lots of scary and slimy moments, and the action sequences are of the well staged 24-esque variety. Strong guest casts include Diane Venora (as Senator Andrea Hatten, a trusted friend and confidante to Molly and Red Team),  EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT's Kevin Kilner (playing the memorable and antagonistic Senator Tolman in the episode THE ORDER), THE TUDORS James Frain, LOST's William Mapother and Kevin Durand, SOUTH LAND's Kevin Alejandro and CSI: MIAMI's Elizabeth Berkley, as well as fine directors including David Goyer himself, feature film veteran Peter Hyams, THE WEST WING'S Tim Matheson and THE X-FILES Thomas J. Wright. So why it didn't find a following on US TV is amazing to me. As the stylish series was hitting its stride and becoming even more interesting, the rug was pulled from under its feet after thirteen adventures (primarily believed to be due to a bad network decision/change in weekday and time slot which saw ratings drop), but at least the producers, suspecting the inevitable, managed to end the one and only season with a generally satisfying wrap-up scene which revealed the THRESHOLD teams final fate against the invader. But its the feature-film'ish lost potential of a second series (part of its ambitiously planned three year story-arc) which still remains the most frustrating aspect of the show's culling, not only for this author but I'm sure the vast majority of its small but devoted worldwide fan base, too.....

The fighting six that are team THRESHOLD.

KOOL TV's favourite episodes include:


TREES MADE OF GLASS (two parter series opener). 


To her complete surprise, Dr. Molly Caffrey's worst case scenario in how to handle an alien invasion, Project THRESHOLD, is suddenly activated by the US Government, alongside her specialist Red Team, when an unusual extra terrestrial incursion attacks a naval ship, resulting in eight of its infected crew disappearing across the United States,  ready to wage unique havoc across the country and beyond. The aliens plan to terraform the planet, so as to make it their own, has begun...


A stylish and exciting opener directed with verve by Peter Hyams and David Goyer.


BLOOD OF THE CHILDREN (Episode Three)


The THRESHOLD team investigate an alien infiltration at a Military academy, where nothing is what it seems... 


THE ORDER (Episode Seven)


Molly and Cavennaugh travel to the small town of New Haven to investigate reports of a local Priest's visions of a crystalline world. Once there, the alien presence is confirmed with the reappearance of the missing/infected Sonntag (Kevin Durand). This episode has a shocking and memorable finale.


PROGENY (Episode Nine)


An investigation into three random and seemingly motiveless brutal attacks by three women from completely different lifestyles leads to an infertility clinic with a terrifying secret. Playing a ruthless baddie, guest star Elizabeth Berkley shines in one of the series best episodes, with Brian Van Holt getting some quality time in the episodes action finale...


THE CROSSING (Episode Ten)


When their alien possesses prisoners stage a break out, Molly realizes that Red Team's current confinement areas and procedures are too small, and begins plans to send them to a bigger and more secure facility. Unfortunately, the rest of the at-large infectees, led by Captain Manning (Scott MacDonald), are aware of this, too, soon springing a trap to rescue their brethren. And caught in the crossfire is Cavennaugh's  younger brother, soon to become a new member of the alien cause..


VIGILANTE (Episode Twelve)


When alien infectees are found slain, Molly and the team discover that a vigilante human possessed with heightened alien abilities is the culprit, played by BURN NOTICE's Jeffrey Donovan, and may prove to be an unlikely but powerful new ally in the fight against the enemy colonization plans...

ALIENVILLE (Episode Thirteen)


Searching for a missing Doctor who may be infected, Molly and Cavennaugh try to stop the dangerous inhabitants of the town of Alienville from sending a powerful signal to the alien colonization force. 




Check out the great WIKIPEDIA entry for the series, and what would have been in stre for the series had it continued, here: Threshold (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Annoyingly, the one and only season of THRESHOLD is only available as a pricey Region One DVD set from PARAMOUNT.