Crash (2008 TV series)

Crash is an American television drama series set in Los Angeles, California that starred Dennis Hopper and Eric Roberts. It is the first original series produced by the Starz network. The network ordered a 13 episode season which premiered on October 17, 2008. The series is based on the 2004 film of the same title. It was developed for television by Glen Mazzara. In Canada, Crash can be seen on Super Channel. Starz ordered a second season that premiered in September 2009 before concluding in December 2009.

Crash
Created byGlen Mazzara
StarringDennis Hopper
Arlene Tur
Ross McCall
Jocko Sims
Moran Atias
Tom Sizemore
Dana Ashbrook
Eric Roberts
Jake McLaughlin
Julie Warner
Keith Carradine
Linda Park
Tess Harper
Valerie Perrine
ComposerMark Isham
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producersGlen Mazzara
Paul Haggis
Robert Moresco
Bob Yari
Production locationsAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companiesStarz Inc.
Lionsgate Television
Yari Film Group
Release
Original networkStarz
Picture format1080i (HDTV)
Audio formatDolby Digital 5.1
Original releaseOctober 17, 2008 (2008-10-17) 
December 18, 2009 (2009-12-18)

Production

Conception

Starz began looking to develop original television series after the success of series developed by its rivals Showtime and HBO and advertised funding and creative freedom for original programming projects. Crash is the network's first foray into original scripted drama and is based on the Academy Award-winning 2004 film of the same name. The writers of the film, Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco, were interested in developing a series based on the property. Lionsgate and Starz collaborated on developing the series for television.

Television writer and producer Glen Mazzara was brought in as an executive producer for the series. Mazzara has worked extensively as a writer and producer on The Shield and had developed new projects for the other networks including Life and Standoff.[1]

Crew

Glen Mazzara served as the series executive producer and showrunner.[1] The film's writers Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco and producer Bob Yari joined Mazzara as executive producers.[2] Thomas Becker, Mark R. Harris, Tom Nunan, and Jorg Westerkamp all worked as producers or production executives on the original film project and are credited as co-executive producers on the series.[2] Movie actor Don Cheadle, who was a star and producer of the 2004 film, is also on board as a co-executive producer.[1]

Mazzara hired a writing staff that he felt was used to coping with edgier material. Co-executive producer and writer Frank Renzulli had previously worked on HBO drama The Sopranos. Co-executive producer and writer Ted Mann worked on HBO drama Deadwood. Producer and writer Stacy Rukeyser worked with Mazzara on Standoff. Executive story editor Chris Collins came from the recently completed HBO drama The Wire. Executive story editor Randy Huggins had previously worked with Mazzara on The Shield.[1]

The pilot episode was directed by Sanford Bookstaver.[2]

Cast

The first season starred:

In season 2 new cast members:

Battaglia is a security guard and then begins working for Blanchard and some of the cast members from season 1, Tur, Carey, Sweeney, Tee, Chavez, Tarabay and Sizemore do not return for season 2. Jenny Mollen plays Tess, the new girlfriend to Kenny Battaglia.

Episodes

Season 1 (2008–09)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Episode One"Sanford BookstaverGlen MazzaraOctober 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
2"The Doctor Is in"Robert MorescoFrank RenzulliOctober 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
3"Panic"Seith MannStacy RukeyserOctober 24, 2008 (2008-10-24)
4"Railroaded"Allison LiddiSang Kyu KimOctober 31, 2008 (2008-10-31)
5"Your Ass Belongs to the Gypsies"Sanford BookstaverTed MannNovember 7, 2008 (2008-11-07)
6"Clusterfuck"Guy FerlandRandy HugginsNovember 14, 2008 (2008-11-14)
7"Los Muertos"Robert MorescoChris CollinsNovember 21, 2008 (2008-11-21)
8"Three Men and a Bebe"Stefan SchwartzGlen MazzaraDecember 5, 2008 (2008-12-05)
9"Pissing in the Sandbox"Stefan SchwartzSang Kyu KimDecember 12, 2008 (2008-12-12)
10"The Future Is Free"David BarrettStacy RukeyserDecember 19, 2008 (2008-12-19)
11"F-36, Sprint Left, T-4"Phil AbrahamMichael ThomasDecember 26, 2008 (2008-12-26)
12"Ring Dings"Stefan SchwartzFrank RenzulliJanuary 2, 2009 (2009-01-02)
13"The Pain Won't Stop"Stefan SchwartzGlen MazzaraJanuary 9, 2009 (2009-01-09)

Season 2 (2009)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
14"You Set the Scene"Andrew BernsteinIra Steven BehrSeptember 18, 2009 (2009-09-18)
15"Always See Your Face"Andrew BernsteinJames DeMonacoSeptember 25, 2009 (2009-09-25)
16"The World's a Mess, It's in My Kiss"Stefan SchwartzTodd HarthanOctober 3, 2009 (2009-10-03)
17"Can't Explain"Stefan SchwartzDevon ShepardOctober 9, 2009 (2009-10-09)
18"You, I'll Be Following"Bill EaglesElizabeth BenjaminOctober 16, 2009 (2009-10-16)
19"No Matter What You Do"Vincent MisianoJennifer SchuurOctober 30, 2009 (2009-10-30)
20"Johnny Hit and Run Pauline"John BehringAdam LevyNovember 6, 2009 (2009-11-06)
21"Lovers in Captivity"Stefan SchwartzJames DeMonacoNovember 13, 2009 (2009-11-13)
22"Endangered Species"Colin BuckseyTodd HarthanNovember 20, 2009 (2009-11-20)
23"Master of Puppets"Peter MarkleElizabeth BenjaminNovember 27, 2009 (2009-11-27)
24"Calm Like a Bomb"Jerry LevineJennifer SchuurDecember 4, 2009 (2009-12-04)
25"Alone Again Or…"Bill EaglesIra Steven BehrDecember 11, 2009 (2009-12-11)
26"Los Angeles"Vincent MisianoIra Steven BehrDecember 18, 2009 (2009-12-18)

Reception

Reviews of the series have been mixed: Ginia Bellafante of The New York Times said "The show is hardly the most original depiction of Los Angeles, but has a noirish appeal, and ambitions to tell a big story".[3] On the other hand, Variety's Brian Lowry wrote: "There's not a whit of originality to it," and "The show possesses less substance than a brisk Santa Ana wind."[2] According to Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe, "None of the stories or characters is remotely interesting",[4]

Home media

The first season of Crash was released on DVD in the USA on September 15, 2009. The second season was released through Amazon.com on September 15, 2010.

References

  1. John Dempsey (2008-09-26). "Starz brakes for 'Crash'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  2. Brian Lowry (2008-10-10). "Crash review". Variety. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  3. Ginia Bellafante (2008-10-16). "Trafficking in Intimate Deceptions". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  4. Matthew Gilbert (2008-10-17). "As a series, 'Crash' flails to be daring". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
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