[Locke.]

"Alcatraz" comes from producer J.J. Abrams and writers Liz Sarnoff, Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt. The drama, with a time-travel edge, focuses on a crime investigation involving the family California prison. The ensemble cast features Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Jonny Coyne, Jason Butler, Sam Neill, Parminder Nagra, Santiago Cabrera and Robert Forster.

[Novo]

What Network?

[Iceman]

When does/will/did it air?

[Locke.]

Fox.

And not sure, it only got picked up today. So it will be around September-November I think

[Locke.]

Been missing your fix of a J.J. Abrams produced show, starring Jorge Garcia, that includes mysterious events involving an island? No worries, Alcatraz is coming! Multiple sources, including Deadline, are reporting that FOX has just picked up the first three new series for the 2011-2012 TV season, including Alcatraz, which involves a group of people who vanished from the famous San Francisco island prison who suddenly re-appear years later. The ensemble cast includes Garcia and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park). While Abrams is producing Alcatraz, the series is created by former Lost and Deadwood writer Liz Sarnoff. Abrams has one other pilot still waiting for its fate to be decided - Person of Interest at CBS, created by Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) and starring another Lost alum, Michel Emerson, and Jim Caviezel.

[Iceman]

LOST Part II: The Island's Revenge

[Novo]

Getting bored of all these crime investigation shows but the time travelling will be interesting, I'll probably watch the Pilot and the next few episodes after to see what it's like

[Locke.]

Mondays, 9PM, 2012.

[Locke.]

Youtube video

My Lost replacement has finally arrived

[Marsh.]

Meh. I'd have been excited if it had been any main Lost cast member besides the actors for Hurley and Kate. But, still should be a good show. Just hope it doesn't fizzle out after a couple of episodes.

[Locke.]

Jorge's a good actor, will be weird seeing him not play the fat clumsy guy though

[Locke.]

WHAT IS ALCATRAZ?

Originally picked up to pilot last September, Alcatraz has been described by Fox president Kevin Reilly as "a pulsing new crime thriller with a really original hook". While investing a grisly homicide, San Francisco cop Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) finds a fingerprint that leads her to an unlikely suspect, the long-dead Alcatraz inmate Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce). Madsen teams up with Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) - an expert on the iconic prison - in an attempt to learn more, but finds her investigation impeded by mysterious government agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill).

How has the apparently-dead Sylvane survived? Why hasn't he aged a day since his time at the prison? And will more criminals from Alcatraz return to plague the streets of San Francisco? Madsen is forced to delve deeper into her own family's past to solve the mystery she has stumbled upon, but will she like what she finds?

REASONS WE'RE EXCITED...

J.J. Abrams - Let's face it, J.J. Abrams rarely puts a foot wrong. OK, so there was Undercovers, but we're willing to cut him a bit of slack there. Abrams's name on a project is generally a good sign, particularly with regards to cult and sci-fi projects, so we're hoping that the man who brought us the likes of Lost, Fringe and the recent Star Trek film will be back on top form here. And the fact that he's pairing up again with Lost writer Elizabeth Sarnoff, who scripted the Alcatraz pilot, can only be a good thing.

The Cast - Upping the Lost vibe further is the casting of Hurley himself, Jorge Garcia, in the lead role of Dr. Soto. But the cool cult casting doesn't stop there, with Heroes and Merlin star Santiago Cabrera also on board as Jimmy Dickens, Rebecca Madsen's sweet-natured fiancé. And lest we forget, Jurassic Park legend Sam Neill is playing the shifty Emerson Hauser, in his first regular television role since 2010's Happy Town.

Playing the lead role of Madsen is Sons of Anarchy actress Sarah Jones, who Fox chief Kevin Reilly has referred to as "really special". Also along for the ride are former ER actress Parminder Nagra as Hauser's technician Lucy Banerjee, Brit actor Jonny Coyne as tough prison warden Edwin James, and Jason Butler Harner as his vicious fellow warden E.B. Tiller.


The Premise - During a recent conference call, Kevin Reilly claimed that Alcatraz was comprised of an "inventive blend" of procedural elements and "cool mythology". With the likes of V and The Event both getting the axe, things were looking a little bleak for sci-fi fans this season, so it's a relief that Fox has decided to stand by cult programming. With Alcatraz, Terra Nova and a fourth season of Fringe on the way, Fox is still flying the flags for geeks everywhere!

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING...
So how are the guys behind Alcatraz hyping the show? Fox chief Kevin Reilly recently told reporters that the show will "build on the mystery of that infamous prison."

"The name Alcatraz has such equity and mystery surround it," he said. "It's probably one of the most recognised names and icons in our country."

J.J. Abrams was reluctant to give too much away in a recent interview but did praise Elizabeth Sarnoff's pilot script.

"I don't want to give anything away because no-one wants to hear that," he said. "But I will say that it's a beautifully written and surprisingly emotional script. Although [that's] not surprising when you hear that Liz Sarnoff wrote it. She's amazing."

FINAL THOUGHTS...
Those guys sound confident, and we're certainly psyched - it's just a pity that we have to wait until the spring to find out if Alcatraz is the next Lost or a big disappointment! Will the public take it to their hearts, or do the cancellations of both FlashForward and The Event after just one season show that viewers have lost their taste for this kind of show? Be sure to let us know if you're looking forward to Alcatraz below!

[Jords]

Trailer looked good.

[Locke.]

Been picked up by Watch to show in the UK.

Starts in January in America, and March over here.

[Visage]

Really looking forward to this one. It's taking forever to start.

[Visage]

They've released a new (shorter) trailer, although it feels like I've already seen this one.


Link

[Visage]

Watched the first two episodes last night. A real treat it was, very well made and left you wanting more at the end of the episode.

Spoiler:

Fantastic twist at the end of episode 2, Lucy Banerjee was in 1963.

Looking forward to the next episode.

[arista]

On WatchHD
tonight 9PM
Pilot Episode

[Lee.]

Oh dear... is there a watch+1? Vampire diaries is on at the same time!

[arista]

Originally Posted by Lee.

Oh dear... is there a watch+1? Vampire diaries is on at the same time!

Yes there is

Ch155 on Sky.

[Lee.]

Got it thank you... I'm having to record it tomorrow night instead as I have something else recording at 10 too

[arista]

On Watch and Watch HD

Sky and Virgin

Now

[arista]

What a great new Series.

JJ is all over this, his style.



2nd showing 8PM tonight on Watch
via Sky or Virgin

[Lee.]

Just watched the first episode

Really enjoyed it... wonder if its going to be as big a head**** as Lost was.

[Locke.]

Won't get the chance to be it is probably gonna get cancelled.

Waiting to hear if it has or not before I start watching