TRANSPARENT TERRORS! STEPHEN KING's 'UNDER THE DOME'

Together but separated: the nightmare of virtual separation begins in the latest Stephen King TV translation: UNDER THE DOME. Images: AMBLIN.

It doesn't pay to be a character living in small town, especially one located in New England, when you exist within the incomparable mind set imagination of a Stephen King novel. Such types have encountered and fought vampires, voodoo, and all manner of alien invasions. And now comes UNDER THE DOME, the new US series about to make a big impact thud on the UK's CHANNEL 5 starting on Monday, as the small town inhabitants of Chester's Mill wake up one bright morning to discover their entire community mysteriously, inexplicably sealed within a transparent dome, totally isolating them from the outside world, and all they've ever known and loved. As tensions build and their soon rudimentary existences are threatened, the secret underpinnings and inter-relationships of this diverse mix of characters soon become apparent, with greed, paranoia, revenge, murder and dark tragedy thrown into the mix, of which things will never be the same again. Whilst the ultimate background and disturbing revelations of their surrounding bubble await discovery...

The mysterious dome surrounding Chester's Mill.

▶ Under the Dome - Trailer - YouTube

Trials and tribulations ahead for the Chester's Mill residents.

Making critical, sometimes controversial changes to the original 2009 book (in order to transform it to a possible long-term weekly series), UNDER THE DOME, starring Mike Vogel, Natalie Martinez, Jeff Fahey and Samantha Mathis, is claustrophobically adapted for the screen by a production team used to building tension and mystery within a large group of characters: LOST veterans Brian K. Vaughan and talented visualist Jack Bender. Made for Steven Spielberg's AMBLIN, it all looks set to be another intriguing addition to the world of Stephen King making the transfer from page-turning literature to hopefully, equally addictive reality...

SELECTED TARGETS! 'PERSON OF INTEREST' RETURNS TO UK TV!

A worthy mission statement for shadows John Reese (Jim Caviezel), Detective Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson) and tech legend Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), with the return of PERSON OF INTEREST. Image: CBS.

Ten great episodes in to their best new US TV purchase in quite a while, FIVE unceremoniously and unexpectedly pulled a mid-season plug on Jonathan Nolan’s excellent, high quality techno vigilante action thriller, and then said it would be back sometime in the new year! Thankfully, it recommences from this Sunday 27th January, and, I have to say that, in retrospect, it was a fine cliff-hanger point to end it, what with the mysterious ex-CIA agent “John Reese” (Jim Caviezel, certainly proving himself worthy of being the next James Bond-if only he wasn’t American!) being critically wounded by an assassin’s bullet shot and rescued in the nick of time by the always excellent Michael Emerson, bringing a mysterious and tightly controlled aura to his performance as Reese’s underground paymaster and master of the worlds surveillance technologies, Finch.

Season 1 recap - The story so far | Person of Interest | Channel 5

Back in action for the next episode, Reese and Finch have new potential victims of the future predicting system to either save or stop (including DEXTER’s David Zayas, ALPHAS Malik Yoba, DOLLHOUSE’s Amy Acker and 24’s Sarah Wynter), whilst the secrets of the duo’s slowly flashback emerging past continue to resonate and have consequences for them and all whose paths are interconnected, including pursuant lady cop Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson), who seems to be more aligned with their cause with each passing episode investigation.

Season One preview: PERSON OF INTEREST Preview Trailer - YouTube

Expect PERSON OF INTEREST to continue cementing its reputation as one of the best new glossy action adventure series in a while, bringing technological sophistication (both format and visualisation), big-budget looking action and old style heroics.

Check out our previous article for more on the series: FUTURE CRIME! WATCHING OUT FOR THAT "PERSON OF INTEREST"...

LIQUID GOLD! 'DALLAS' SEASON TWO ON UK TV

An oil state for the cast of DALLAS. Image: TNT.

The family fortunes of the Ewing oil empire explode into crisis and feuding once again for the upcoming second season of TNT’s hit re-imagining of the classic eighties series, DALLAS, coming to the UK’s FIVE channel from 29^th January. And the legacy of that crafty and beloved JR Ewing, as played by the irreplaceable and sadly departed Larry Hagman, will be celebrated, remembered and mined for emotional drama in the process. Hagman was on fine form during the previous premiere year, despite the cancer which saw him depart for a couple of episodes. Indeed, before his passing, he even managed to film around six episodes of Season Two as the family’s greatest, and brightest, manipulating, oil baron, dutifully and greedily out to reclaim his papa’s birthright, and in constant opposition against his loving and always faithful brother, Bobby (Patrick Duffy). The iconic character of JR will apparently be killed off, with an episode (eight) that concentrates on the characters funeral, a time that will surely be genuinely emotional for the cast and audiences, as well as giving the behind the scenes writers the intriguing opportunity to introduce a new plot-line linked to his on-screen departure. There are further developments for the rest of the Ewing family, too, as Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) and Elena (Jordana Brewster) finally make wedding plans, John Ross (Josh Henderson) gets a fiery new lady into his bed (possibly 24’s lovely heroine Annie Wersching?), whilst Bobby’s faithful Ann (Brenda Strong) will be left bed-ridden and ill due to a mysterious set of circumstances that her husband must unravel…

Trailer: Dallas Season 2 Trailer # 2 - YouTube
Dallas "New Episodes This January" Teaser (HD) - YouTube

As an additional bonus, keeping links to the classic series, there’s also the return of old-time series veterans Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark for a few episodes (presumably linked to J.R.’s funeral), who previously went on to headline their own DALLAS spin-off of the time, the very popular KNOTS LANDING. Whilst Ken Kercheval, still shining as the wily entrepreneur Cliff Barnes, obsessed with getting one up on the Ewing clan, will hopefully get more prominence as the series antagonist alongside his now outed daughter, Pamela Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo).

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Larry Hagman seen in final scenes as Dallas legend JR Ewing before his tragic death | Mail Online

KOOL TV BABE OF THE WEEK: 'DALLAS' STAR LEONOR VARELA

Bedroom eyes! The enchanting actress/model Leonor Varela. Image: via www.leonor-varela.com

Her run as Bipolar bunny boiler-to-be manipulator Marta Del Sol may have come to a sudden end in Wednesday's seventh episode screening of the re-imagined/next generation DALLAS series (on the UK's FIVE channel), literally thrown out of a hotel window to her death by the Goon Squad of oil king wannabe Carlos Bernard, but the lovely Chilean born actress/model Leonor Varela has lots more interesting acting work on the horizon beyond the cattle ranches and oil drums of SouthFork, including a film starring role in a promising new mystery from writer/director Stephen Sommers (best known for his work in resurrecting THE MUMMY and VAN HELSING for Universal Studios), ODD THOMAS, based on the Dean Koontz novel, co-starring Willem DaFoe and STAR TREK's Anton Yelchin.

The Queen of the Nile. In the starring role of CLEOPATRA. Image: ABC TV/HALLMARK.

In deep mire with Wesley Snipes in BLADE II. Image: NEW LINE.

In action with Mark Valley (centre) in HUMAN TARGET. Image: FOX.

Rising to fame in the 1999 ABC TV mini-series of Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor's legendary sixties portrayal would prove a hard act to follow, but Varela's exotic beauty and mystery helped her along just fine, with great co-star support from ex-James Bond Timothy Dalton. She also proved a worthy female foil/love interest, and kick-ass sword wielding heroine, to Wesley Snipes in Guillermo Del Toro's gorefest BLADE II, and to chiselled hero Christopher Chance in two memorable episodes of Mark Valley's much-missed HUMAN TARGET series. Other noteworthy appearances well worth checking out include the Pierce Brosnan adaptation of John Le Carre's THE TAILOR OF PANAMA, a critically acclaimed performance in Lawrence Bender's drama INNOCENT VOICES-about a brave mother caught in the Salavadoran civil war, and the popular sci-fi series STARGATE: ATLANTIS.

Continuing her career as a model, a humanist and animal rights supporter, check out her official website here: Leonor Varela ~ Official Website

IT'S IN THE GENES... 'ALPHAS' SEASON TWO

A brave new world continues for the ALPHAS. Images: SY FY CHANNEL.

The cat was spectacularly out of the bag in the closing moments of the premiere season finale of the popular SYFY channel's original superhuman/human drama series, ALPHAS, as our small band of diverse and complicated characters watched in shock and awe as their non-powered leader, Doctor Lee Rosen (the kindly looking character actor David Strathairn), revealed the once secret existence of the next stage of biological development to a surprised world of homo sapiens in a bid to try and stop a long gestating, quickly escalating war against humanity by their sworn ideologically opposite enemies, Red Flag, led by the mysterious long-lived Stanton Parish (John Pyper-Ferguson), of which a prior opening salvo between man and super-man had led to tragic consequences...

Dr. Rosen (David Strathairn), Bill (Malik Yorba) and Gary (Ryan Cartwright) are hostages in the opening episode Wake Up Call.

Now, as the 13 episode Season Two continues its run in the US (though no UK airdate yet-presumably September 2012 on the 5* channel), its a time of dangerous instability for our separated and fragile, emotionally pulled back team (comprising strength enhanced FBI agent Bill (Malik Yorba), voice controlling "pusher" Nina (Laura Mennell), agile hyperkenetic Cameron (Warren Christie), super senses linguist Rachel (Azita Ghanizada) and young autistic telecommunications tracker/transductor Gary (Ryan Cartwright), who quickly reform when two of their own are captured in the opening episode, and continue their on/off pursuit of Red Flag, along the way helping save the lives of innocent and incredibly powered Alphans whose latent talents are only just emerging, and whom soon prove themselves vulnerable to manipulation or exposure without their help. Upcoming episodes include the team discovering a FIGHT-CLUB like environment for young Alphans, an individual possessing incredible super-speed, and another capable of causing hallucinations. There's the discovery of an intriguing device capable of enhancing Alphan powers ever further, whilst, on a personal level, Rosen's complex relationship with his wayward but gifted, empathic daughter, Dani (Kathleen Munroe), takes a turn for the worse when she dates Cameron, whilst her allegiance to the new "vision" of Red Flag under the Svengali-like Stanton Parish grows. Meanwhile, Gary tries to shake the pain of guilt and loss felt by his friend Anna's death-and their once shared bond in unique power- from the end of Season One, in a mourning process ultimately leading him into discovering a new part of his humanity and individualism...

Season Two trailer: Alphas - Season 2 Trailer - YouTube

Spunky new heroine Kat (Erin Way).

A welcome addition to the group and the series comes in the fast and loose young form of partial amnesiac Kat, as played by Erin Way: a soon kick-ass and vital recruit possessing the ability to absorb any skills she can see or read, whilst other great guest stars for this season include THE LORD OF THE RINGS Sean Astin as an Alpha with incredible brain power, SOUTHLAND's C. Thomas Howell, and NCIS's Lauren Holly as a shady politician with ties to our heroes. Season One guest star, and cult TV and film favourite, pixie-like Summer Glau, also returns for three episodes as the quirky Alphan scientist/tech wizard on the run, Skylar Adams. In the critical behind the scenes area of the show, previous season producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe returns, working with new producer Ben Miller, to keep the series travelling the right road, along with co-creator Michael Kernow; the trio deepening the character relationships, spicing up the action and delivering an all-round better produced new run that forges its identity away from early Stateside criticisms that the show was just another version of HEROES.

Long may the super powered TV adventures continue for these particularly intriguing and likably developing heroes...

THE NEXT "GOOD GUYS"! 'PERSON OF INTEREST'

Men of Numbers. The intriguing crime-fghting duo of Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson in PERSON OF INTEREST. Images: CBS.

Finally arriving on UK TV screens tonight via those US friendly show buyers at CHANNEL 5 (perhaps someone out there in the world of commercial entertainment suits-dom has finally been reading the KOOL TV site?) is the stylish cyber vigilante crime drama series PERSON OF INTEREST, produced and created by wunderkids of film and TV, LOST and FRINGE's J.J. Abrams and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Jonathan Nolan (brother of director Christopher)-as if you didn't know who they were?!

Title sequence: Person Of Interest Main Title on Vimeo

Receiving critical acclaim for its often ingenious and almost believable blend of sci-fi technology and action drama format storytelling set in a post 9/11 uncomfortable America still slowly and subtly building up its Big Brother is watching you style of surveillance - a trend also pretty much followed by the UK and Europe these days- lead series stars Jim Caviezel and LOST's ex-baddie, the brilliant Michael Emerson (a kind of psychopathic looking, real-life version of big eyed Droopy and a grown up Stewie from FAMILY GUY!), have won plaudits for their on-screen charisma together: a fine duo of action and technology whose characters, soon fugitives themselves by pursuant government and varying law enforcers for their shady but necessary work, right wrongs and stop the innocent becoming victims to crime and violence beyond anything predicted by terrorism. Mixing an overall high concept idea with audience friendly plots- think a bigger and probably more stylish version of THE EQUALIZER, with a hint of INCEPTION and LOST thrown into the cooking pot for good measure- you'll get the picture of what this tantalising main course is all about...

Check out our earlier feature on the show here: FUTURE CRIME! WATCHING OUT FOR THAT "PERSON OF INTEREST"...

Here's the official page: Person of Interest on CBS.com
and FACEBOOK site: Person of Interest

FAMILIES OF BLOOD! 'HATFIELDS & McCOYS'

Family feuds! Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton ignite the screen in HATFIELDS & McCOYS. Images: THE HISTORY CHANNEL.

Making a welcome return to the genre he has loved so much and brought to the screen in classic starring and directed westerns like the phenomenally successful and enduring, Academy Award winning DANCES WITH WOLVES, as well as lavish biopic WYATT EARP and the subtly tragic and romantic OPEN RANGE, iconic star and film-maker Kevin Costner brings his range and diversity to the small screen as the grizzled lead of the acclaimed States-side epic six hour mini-series HATFIELDS & McCOYS, building on the fresh, if dark, spirit and gritty atmosphere that has come further to the fore recently by the likes of DEADWOOD (of which its producer Ted Mann contributes on this projects writing pool) and HELL ON WHEELS. Alongside Costner for the ride back into the frontier realms, and residing comfortably in the directorial saddle, is his long time friend and buddy Kevin Reynolds. (The pair having worked successfully, if stormily, together on past hits ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES and the controversial but under-rated sci-fi adventure/pirate movie WATERWORLD.)

Packing vengeance: Kevin Costner as "Devil" Anse Hatfield.

Blood begets blood. Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy.

Clutching his pipe and shotgun, Costner, now well and truly into the great and true experience of character acting, brings an older but certainly not wiser, meaner quality to his performance as "Devil' Anse Hatfield, caught in a years-spanning, revenge fuelled blood feud with American Civil War enemy and rival Randall McCoy (APOLLO 13 and TITANIC's Bill Paxton) during the fallout from a tense conflict initiated during the American Civil War. Soon both sides families are intrinsically and inescapably linked to their inner and outer conflicts in this epic and multi-layered story of tragedy, violence and hatred spanning 19th century West Virginia, within a period of history already burdened under the weight of so much hardship and crimson coloured wheat fields.

And you thought your family was bad? Trailer: Hatfields and McCoys Theatrical Trailer - History Channel - http://film-book.com - YouTube

Where would a good TV western be without Powers Boothe, eh?

Sarah Parish as Levicy Hatfield. 

Trouble at the town gathering? Andrew Howard as "Bad" Frank Philips. 

Hatfield and friends riding into more violence.

With a super supporting cast including UK star Sarah Parish (having caught American casting eyes with her evil and manipulative role in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH), Mare Winningham, Tom Berenger (back in the public eye after his appearance in Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION) and DEADWOOD's Powers Booth, HATFIELDS & McCOYS, originally made by the HISTORY CHANNEL in the US, based on a true story, this 3 part audience record breaker looks set to be an epic of fine but also highly brutal drama, evocative atmosphere and compelling acting to savour when it arrives on British shores on CHANNEL 5 next month. Hatred has never been so interesting...