Michelle Ryan Returns to TV in BBC/NBC Merlin
You know, I think all of the Bionic Woman cast and crew are suffering from some sort of Stockholm Syndrome.
If I was any of them; David Eick (still with NBC-Uni), Ryan (co-starring in this co-production), Miguel Ferrer (who recently guested on Medium) ... after the experience they all had on Bionic Woman, which went from 60 mph to zero in seconds, thank you meddling network ... well, if it were me I wouldn't grace the Universal City parking structure with my presence, let alone a soundstage rented by them.
British actress Ryan, last seen in NBC's remake of "Bionic Woman," will play the sorceress Nimueh.
Created and produced by Elisabeth Murdoch's growing U.K. shingle Shine Television, "Merlin" will premiere in the U.K. in September on BBC1, before airing on NBC this winter in a Sunday evening slot.
NBC picked up the British drama from distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises this year in an unprecedented deal for a U.S. broadcast network. Fremantle has also pre-sold the series to CTV in Canada.
Elisabeth Murdoch, btw, is the daughter of that scumbo Rupert. Yeah, I said scumbo, what of it?
I don't get it, the TV world as a whole is moving to more sophisticated, intricate storytelling, and NBC, with it's Robinson Crusoe inspired show, Knight Rider and this are moving in the opposite direction.
Where is NBC's Whedon or Abrams? Is Tim Kring the best they can do?
(And man, is there ever pressure on Heroes to perform this season. All that money, all that cast, all that promotion, if it doesn't hit it'll just be embarrassing.)
Where's the innovation? Isn't that a hallmark of the parent company, General Electric?
Well, at least they're planning on giving us both an Amy Poehler series AND an Office spinoff, that's something, at least.
