The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 5, 2014 2 By Meagan Sylvester TV Media M uch like the notori- ous Illuminati — a secret society al- leged to have masterminded world events and other fate- ful conspiracies — a presti- gious group of underground guardians will once again take to the small screen fol- lowing a successful, action- packed trilogy that first ap- peared on TNT nearly a de- cade ago. Working from their head- quarters located beneath the Metropolitan Public Library in New York City, a group of hired "librarians" works tire- lessly to protect the unknow- ing world from supernatural threats and mystical (but dangerous) relics, all while re- covering other powerful arti- facts and safeguarding them from misguided hands. "The Librarians," set to air Sunday, Dec. 7, on TNT, is re- prising its franchise following a decade-long hiatus from the world of nerdy, action- packed adventure. Luckily for fans of the made-for-televi- sion movie series that first de- buted in 2004, the leading role will be played by its origi- nal front man, Noah Wyle ("ER," "Falling Skies"). The vivacious combination of action, adventure, history and treasure has led some critics to liken the series to other popular movie franchis- es, including Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and Dan Brown's internationally ac- claimed novel "The Da Vinci Code." Since the series' original in- stallment, the quick-witted but tenacious Flynn Carsen (Wyle) has taken on more than one can handle as the organization's top librarian. In order to keep each daunt- ing task at bay, Flynn has re- cruited four professionals from around the globe to de- fend the library's precious ar- tifacts from magical elements that threaten its very exis- tence. But that's not to say Flynn's new partners-in-pro- tection are welcomed by the perpetual, longtime scholar. First in the newly assem- bled team is Rebecca Romijn ("X-Men," 2000, "Ugly Bet- ty") as Eve Baird, a highly skilled and "tough-as-nails" soldier who puts her military background to good use by protecting the underground society, but who finds herself confounded when it comes to the world of magic. "I get invited to work at the library and I don't know why — I don't necessarily want the job," Romijn said of her character during an inter- view with the "Daily Quirk." "I've received this mysterious invitation to be the guardian of the library, but Noah Wyle's character doesn't want me around." Other characters include Jacob Stone (Christian Kane, "Leverage"), an Oklahoma oil rigger with an IQ of 190 and, conveniently enough, an encyclopedic knowledge of art history; and Cassandra Cillian (Lindy Booth, "October Road"), a quirky young wom- an with a special gift of sen- sory hallucinations linked to a world of memories. Last of the bunch is Ezekiel Jones (John Kim, "Neighbours"), who is said to be the most easily corrupted of the team, thus having to prove his com- mitment and trust over the course of the adventure se- ries. According to early reviews, the debut episode — "The Crown of King Arthur" — promises to exude high ten- sions between Carsen and his new protector, Baird, but in order to save their colleagues, the two opposing egos must join forces to combat a ruth- less killer who won't stop un- til every librarian is dead. While executive producer John Rogers has admitted the show is not the "smartest, darkest, deepest or the most heart-churning show on tele- vision," according to a recent interview with StarPulse.com, it does accomplish its over- arching intention: to be fun for the fans of yesteryear and for new viewers looking to stray away from sensational television. In fact, the show prides itself on avoiding the sort of entertainment that competes with controversial issues and increasingly dark content to attract viewers. One stark difference be- tween "The Librarians" and other popular programming is its use of comic relief, Rog- ers said in early November. "I think that sometimes going dark is the easy way to go be- cause there's this craving for legitimacy that a lot of the time genre shows have," the longtime executive producer said of the entertainment in- dustry. "And for me, I want to have fun when I'm sitting down and watching the show, so why not make it that way? Why not use that fun to have your different adventures?" Rogers says that while the show is scripted, the cast has been creative with some im- promptu acting to foster more organic characters, making filming a little more interactive between the ac- tors and writers. By keeping up with this tradition, Rogers hopes audiences will not only relate to the characters, but also like them on a personal level as well. This kind of fun-loving TV genre has proven to be a suc- cess in the past, as the first in- stallment, "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear," ranked as basic cable's No. 1 movie of the year back in 2004. But its success wasn't limited to the first film, as the second in- stallment, "The Librarian: Re- turn to King Solomon's Mines," premiered as the No. 1 original movie sequel of all time on basic cable, while also placing among the year's top five telecasts. Success continued in 2008 when "The Librarian: Curse of Judas Chalice" premiered to more than 5.7 million viewers on TNT. While the show doesn't take itself too seriously, fans of the early series will be able to pick up where they left off when "The Librarians" airs on Sunday, Dec. 7, on TNT. Christopher's Coins 2 x 2 coverstory Noah Wyle as seen in "The Librarians" Secret societies Action-packed movie trilogy takes to TNT By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: My sister and I enjoy the new TV series "The Transporter," starring Chris Vance. Could you let us know what other roles he's played, and where he is from? A: London-born Chris Vance has been kicking around American television for a few years now, and though he rejects the title "action hero," his best-known roles have involved enough explosions to make it unavoid- able. With typical British modesty, he told "Collider" maga- zine that, "I don't consider myself an action hero at all. My domestic life is the same as anyone else's ... If you take yourself too seriously, you're dead in the water." Actually, it may be the "hero" part that hasn't always fit. Some of his best-known roles prior to his current one have been villains, in such hits as "Burn Notice" (play- ing Mason Gilroy in season 3), "Dexter" (as Cole Har- mon in season 5) and "Prison Break" (playing James Whistler in the third and fourth seasons). That's not to say it's been all bad. He had a recurring role as a soldier (and love interest to Jane Rizzoli) on TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles" and starred in his very own feel- good medical drama, "Mental," playing a brilliant psy- chiatrist solving medical mysteries. That brings us up to today and his role as a reluctant hero on "Transporter: The Series." Well, not quite to to- day. The episodes being seen now on TNT are actually two years old, having aired in Canada and elsewhere in 2012. The series was originally produced by another Ameri- can channel, Cinemax, along with Canada's Movie Net- work and Movie Central, and companies in Germany and France. Cinemax decided not to air the finished product, though it did air in the other three countries. TNT has picked up Cinemax's slack and started airing the show's first season, and has already agreed to air the second (which is airing now in the other markets). The "The Series" part of the show's title is there to differentiate it from the film franchise on which it's based. Vance's role, Frank Martin, a former special forc- es soldier turned delivery man to high-end criminals, was played in those films by his fellow Brit, Jason Statham. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. hollywoodQ&A