Nov 4, 2009

Tradecraft: Spooky Spooks Spark Fox

Variety reports that Fox is developing a new hourlong spy drama series with a twist. "The untitled spy thriller centers on a division of the CIA that specializes in 'remote viewing' -- the ability to gather information using paranormal means." Sounds like S.H.I.E.L.D.'s E.S.P. Division! (I know, I know, the CIA really does study remote viewing and other paranormal methods of intelligence gathering, and I think that's fascinating.) Former Fox exec Peter Chernin (who's also developing the Queen & Country movie) is producing; Live Free or Die Hard director Len Wiseman will helm the script by Harris Wilkinson, whose credits prior to creating this series include a TV movie sequel called Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming. The article doesn't give any indication of the tone of the show, so it could be anything from a full-on science fiction show (like The X-Files in the CIA instead of the FBI) to a fairly realistic examination of a division experimenting in outre research (I'm sure the politics involved would be captivating, with senators wanting to slash the budget for such weird-sounding programs every time they discover them) to a comedic take along the lines of the approach taken to similar government programs in The Men Who Stare At Goats. Any one of those possibilities could be interesting...

No comments: