The River (U.S. TV series)
Encyclopedia
The River is an upcoming American paranormal/adventure/horror series that will debut during the 2011–12 television season on ABC
as a midseason replacement
. Eight episodes will be produced for the first season. The series will premiere February 7, 2012.
) went looking for magic deep in the uncharted Amazon and never returned. The shocking truth about his disappearance is out there, somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. To the millions of kids who grew up watching his nature show, Dr. Cole was a hero. To his own son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson
), he was more of an enigma. Now, six months after he vanished, Lincoln is finally ready to bury the past when Dr. Cole's emergency beacon suddenly goes off. At the urging of his mother, Tess (Leslie Hope
), Lincoln reluctantly joins her on a search for his father. To fund the rescue, they agree to let Dr. Cole's cagey ex-producer, Clark (Paul Blackthorne
), film the mission documentary-style. The mixed crew of old friends and new acquaintances includes the sexy and resourceful Lena (Eloise Mumford), loyal mechanic Emilio (Daniel Zacapa
) and lethal bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann
).
, along with writer Michael R. Perry
, came up with a concept for a television series about a documentary crew searching the Amazon
for a beloved nature-explorer and television host.
The project went on to be heavily sought after, and caused a bidding war between NBC
and ABC
in September 2010, with ABC eventually out-bidding.
In February 2011, ABC ordered the script to pilot, after an extensive re-write by veteran comic book
writer Michael Green
. On May 13, 2011, ABC ordered the project to series. On May 17, 2011, ABC announced that the show would premiere in the 2011–12 mid-season. The pilot episode was filmed in Puerto Rico
, but the rest of the series will be produced in Hawaii
.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as a midseason replacement
Midseason replacement
In American and Canadian television, a midseason replacement is a television series that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between January and May...
. Eight episodes will be produced for the first season. The series will premiere February 7, 2012.
Synopsis
Famed explorer Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce GreenwoodBruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
) went looking for magic deep in the uncharted Amazon and never returned. The shocking truth about his disappearance is out there, somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. To the millions of kids who grew up watching his nature show, Dr. Cole was a hero. To his own son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson
Joe Anderson
Joe Anderson is an English film actor, probably best known for his performances in Across the Universe, Becoming Jane, Control, The Ruins and The Crazies.-Personal Life:...
), he was more of an enigma. Now, six months after he vanished, Lincoln is finally ready to bury the past when Dr. Cole's emergency beacon suddenly goes off. At the urging of his mother, Tess (Leslie Hope
Leslie Hope
Leslie Ann Hope is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as Teri Bauer in the Fox show 24 where she played the wife of the main character Jack Bauer.-Life and career:...
), Lincoln reluctantly joins her on a search for his father. To fund the rescue, they agree to let Dr. Cole's cagey ex-producer, Clark (Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
), film the mission documentary-style. The mixed crew of old friends and new acquaintances includes the sexy and resourceful Lena (Eloise Mumford), loyal mechanic Emilio (Daniel Zacapa
Daniel Zacapa
Daniel Zacapa is an American trilingual actor, community activist, and ex-class A San Francisco Giants baseball player. He played the role of Detective Taylor in the 1995 David Fincher film, Seven...
) and lethal bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann
Thomas Kretschmann
Thomas Kretschmann is a German actor best known for playing Leutnant Hans Von Witzland in the 1993 film Stalingrad, Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in The Pianist, Hermann Fegelein in Der Untergang, and Captain Englehorn in the 2005 remake of King Kong.-Early life:Kretschmann was born in Dessau, former...
).
Production
Writer-director Oren PeliOren Peli
Oren Peli is an Israeli-born American film director, producer and screenwriter, best known as the director/creator of Paranormal Activity. He is also a video game programmer.-Biography:...
, along with writer Michael R. Perry
Michael R. Perry
Michael R. Perry is an American television producer, television writer and screenwriter.His television credits include Eerie, Indiana, New York Undercover, American Gothic, The Practice, Millennium, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, FreakyLinks, The Guardian, The Dead Zone, House M.D., Persons...
, came up with a concept for a television series about a documentary crew searching the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
for a beloved nature-explorer and television host.
The project went on to be heavily sought after, and caused a bidding war between NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in September 2010, with ABC eventually out-bidding.
In February 2011, ABC ordered the script to pilot, after an extensive re-write by veteran comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer Michael Green
Michael Green (writer)
Michael Green is an American television and film writer, as well as a comic book scripter. He grew up in Mamaroneck, New York.-Comic Books:Green has been a contributor for Superman/Batman. He also co-wrote the Green Lantern movie with Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, which was released in 2011...
. On May 13, 2011, ABC ordered the project to series. On May 17, 2011, ABC announced that the show would premiere in the 2011–12 mid-season. The pilot episode was filmed in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, but the rest of the series will be produced in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Cast
- Bruce GreenwoodBruce GreenwoodBruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
as Dr. Emmet Cole, a famed explorer and TV personality - Joe AndersonJoe AndersonJoe Anderson is an English film actor, probably best known for his performances in Across the Universe, Becoming Jane, Control, The Ruins and The Crazies.-Personal Life:...
as Lincoln Cole, Dr. Cole's son - Paul BlackthornePaul BlackthornePaul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
as Clark, Dr. Cole's cagey ex-producer - Paulina GaitanPaulina GaitánPaulina Gaitán Ruíz is a Mexican actress.-Biography:Gaitán started acting at age 9 and at the age of 12 had an important role in Mexican director Luis Mandoki's Innocent Voices, a tale about the civil war in El Salvador...
as Jahel - Leslie HopeLeslie HopeLeslie Ann Hope is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as Teri Bauer in the Fox show 24 where she played the wife of the main character Jack Bauer.-Life and career:...
as Tess Cole, Dr. Cole's wife and Lincoln's mother - Eloise MumfordEloise MumfordEloise Mumford is an American actress. She currently stars as Lena Landry on the ABC paranormal series The River.- Filmography :-External links:...
as Lena - Shaun ParkesShaun ParkesShaun Parkes is an English actor currently appearing in the ITV drama Identity.-Biography:At 16 he enrolled at Seltec College to study drama, two years later he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.-Career:...
as Adjay - Thomas KretschmannThomas KretschmannThomas Kretschmann is a German actor best known for playing Leutnant Hans Von Witzland in the 1993 film Stalingrad, Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in The Pianist, Hermann Fegelein in Der Untergang, and Captain Englehorn in the 2005 remake of King Kong.-Early life:Kretschmann was born in Dessau, former...
as Captain Kurt Brynildson, a bodyguard - Daniel ZacapaDaniel ZacapaDaniel Zacapa is an American trilingual actor, community activist, and ex-class A San Francisco Giants baseball player. He played the role of Detective Taylor in the 1995 David Fincher film, Seven...
as Emilio, a mechanic - Scott Michael FosterScott Michael FosterScott Michael Foster is an American actor. He is best known for his role of "Cappie" on the ABC Family series Greek.-Biography:...
as Jed Boggs - Katie FeatherstonKatie Featherston-Life and career:Featherston was born in Texas. She attended James Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas and participated in numerous drama activities. She attended college at the Southern Methodist University where she studied acting...
as TBA - Jeff Galfer as Sammy Kirsch