[raigraphixs]

Deadline reports that JJ Abrams and Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff are working on drama series set on another island - Alcatraz, the infamous jailhouse ‘rock’, a place i've visited years ago.

The prison was closed down in the 1960s and housed some of the most famous gangsters and killers known in history: Al ‘Scarface’ Capone, The Birdman of Alcatraz and Machine Gun Kelly.

I hear Abrams and his Warner Bros. TV-based Bad Robot are about to take out to the networks Alcatraz, a drama spec script written by Sarnoff. Like all things Bad Robot, the project is shrouded in secrecy but it is about the San Francisco Bay island that once housed some of the country's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. (UPDATE: The script which will be shopped was written by Sarnoff. Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt had sold an early version of the project to Bad Robot.) WBTV, which co-produces with Bad Robot, declined comment.

Sarnoff joined ABC's Lost, co-created and executive produced by Abrams, in the second season as a writer-producer and rose through the ranks to executive producer in the sixth and final season of the sci-fi/adventure series. She wrote or co-wrote 19 episodes, including the series penultimate episode. Abrams tends to develop with writers he has worked with before and seems to prefer spec scripts over pitches. Bad Robot's two series on the air, Fox's Fringe and the upcoming NBC spy drama Undercovers, originated as spec scripts Abrams co-penned with Alias alums Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and former Felicity and What About Brian writer-producer Josh Reims, respectively. Speaking of Fringe, a trivia tidbit: a minor character on the show's first season was named Elizabeth Sarnoff. Before Lost, Sarnoff worked on Deadwood and Crossing Jordan.

[raigraphixs]

Fox has given a pilot commitment to Abrams' 'Alcatraz', script by Lost writer Elizabeth Sarnoff.

[kBm]

Sounds very interesting, but what can you actually do that will make it an original prison show?

Prisoner Cell Block H had all bases covered...

[raigraphixs]

Lost's Hurley, played by Jorge Garcia has been cast in J.J. Abrams' pilot 'Alcatraz'. Garcia will play the hippy geek Dr. Diego Soto, the world's foremost expert on Alcatraz.

[raigraphixs]

Former Sons of Anarchy hottie Polly Zobelle played by Sarah Jones has landed the lead role in the time-travel mystery series as Rebecca Madsen.

This is the first we have heard this show is to have a sci-fi slant!

The show centers on a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. It chronicles the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance thirty years prior. Jones will play Rebecca Madsen, a smart, thoughtful and a little obsessive police officer.

[raigraphixs]

Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) - cast in one of the lead roles.
He’ll play Emerson Hauser, “the head of a government agency who radiates authority and piercing intelligence.”

[raigraphixs]

Good that FOX has picked this for series, with a sci fi slant it needs to be very good to stay alive

[Mindcrime]

Are you sure the TBA in the title thread doesn't mean To Be Axed? ;-)

[raigraphixs]

Originally Posted by Mindcrime

Are you sure the TBA in the title thread doesn't mean To Be Axed? ;-)

could be

[raigraphixs]

[raigraphixs]

May want to skip some bits, do show quite a bit


Promo

YouTube - ALCATRAZ - First Look Trailer

[muffins]

I have it set on my Sky never miss. Let's hope it makes it here before t gets cancelled.

[Azzin]

Is this not out until next year then?

Originally Posted by IMDB

Jj Abrams, the creator of "Lost," is developing a new TV series called "Alcatraz," which is set to air on Fox next year and stars Sam Neill, Jorge Garcia, Sarah Jones, Parminder Nagra, Robert Forster, Santiago Cabrera and Jonny Coyne.

Trailer: Jj Abrams' Alcatraz TV Series

[Edit] - TVRage says 2011:http://www.tvrage.com/Alcatraz

[Bizness]

It's all about Hurley... looks like it could be a winner.

[jonneymendoza]

when does this start?

[Azzin]

Originally Posted by jonneymendoza

when does this start?

There's a clue in the thread title!

However...

Alcatraz is an upcoming American television series starring Sarah Jones and Jorge Garcia. Bad Robot Productions produced the pilot episode, which is based on a screenplay by Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt.[1] The series was officially picked up by Fox on May 10, 2011.[2]

It is currently planned as a midseason replacement to air on Mondays at 9 pm in 2012.[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_(TV_series)

Plus:

Shows A-Z - alcatraz on fox | TheFutonCritic.com

Alcatraz | Facebook

Twitter: @ALCATRAZonFOX

[Thornastor]

A uk channel has bought the rights to this but who knows what channel according to sky never miss and what is said at geektown

[Darrenraymond]

Originally Posted by raigraphixs

May want to skip some bits, do show quite a bit


Promo

YouTube - ALCATRAZ - First Look Trailer

Saw this last week on youtube and thought it looked really promising. As mentioned in the Terra Nova thread ive never really gotten into the big shows on Sky but i think i may with this if it comes our way. The trailor does give out alot of info but it'll be that long before its out im sure i'll forget.

[Citizen J]

The fifth picture down in post ten makes Jorge Garcia look like he has put on weight since his lost days or is it just me?

Seeing as "JJ Abrams and Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff" are involved in this project I wonder if it will have lots on unanswered questions and unresolved plots *rolleyes*

[raigraphixs]

Originally Posted by Citizen J

The fifth picture down in post ten makes Jorge Garcia look like he has put on weight since his lost days or is it just me?

Think he's smuggling his 2 brothers and 3 sisters across the border

He does look quite large

[raigraphixs]

Co-creator/executive producer/showrunner Elizabeth Sarnoff is leaving Alcatraz.

Sarnoff, who wrote the version of the script that was picked up, will be replaced by Jennifer Johnson and Daniel Pyne.

Chase creator/executive producer and LOST alumna Johnson joined Alcatraz after the pilot as a consulting producer and will now exec. produce and co-run the series with feature writer Pyne.

Sarnoff is stepping down over “creative differences”. It seems the behind-the-scenes showrunner changeover was a factor in WBTV and Bas Robot’s decision 2 weeks ago to put production on hold and do some reshoots on the seven completed episodes.

While some reshoots have completed, the show is not currently filming, with the writers working on scripts and producers and directors prepping for further reshoots and filming new episodes.

Sarnoff is still expected to receive an executive consultant title on the show going forward.

[raigraphixs]

January

Alcatraz (FOX) - "Welcome to Alcatraz" Promo [HD] - YouTube

[jonneymendoza]

starts january?

[raigraphixs]

Yes January, possibly the 16th (US)

[jonneymendoza]

Hope it's good

[raigraphixs]

Officially debuts in US, Monday, January 16th with a special two-hour premiere event, then every Monday.

[zamwessell]

It starts on Watch in March

[Batman2]

Well looks like there is a LOST feel to the show with the whole

 

mystery and flashbacks

. I found the way certain things were linked very lazy in the writing.

 

I mean the cop lady joined this super secret organisation very quick and then Hurly from Lost tagged along to become a regular

.

I do like this shows pilot a lot better than how Terra Nova started, I could only manage the first 2 episodes of the pilot of that and that felt like pulling nails.

So looks like every episode will be

 

one of the inmates from the jail and a little bit of the mystery revealed

.

Not sure if this was a coincidence, but I noticed

 

the name Kelvin twice now in each episode, the first was on the boat the prison guards used to get to the island. The second time was in episode 2 it was on a billboard when they were going after the sniper.

I will continue to watch the series for the time being.

Episode #3 trailer below, do not click if you have not seen episode 1 & 2 as it may spoil.

Alcatraz 1x03 - "Kit Nelson" Promo (HD) - YouTube

[jonneymendoza]

o its out now?

[Batman2]

Originally Posted by jonneymendoza

o its out now?

Episode 1 & 2 broadcast last night in the USA.