Today's Entertainment

2 D ecember 7 - 13, 2014 Br ainerd Dispatch By Meagan Sylvester TV Media M uch like the notorious Illuminati — a secret society alleged to have masterminded world events and other fateful conspiracies — a prestigious group of underground guardians will once again take to the small screen following a successful, action-packed trilogy that first ap- peared on TNT nearly a decade ago. Working from their headquarters located beneath the Metropolitan Public Library in New York City, a group of hired "librarians" works tirelessly to protect the unknowing world from super- natural threats and mystical (but danger- ous) relics, all while re- covering other power- ful artifacts and safeguard- ing them from misguided hands. "The Librarians," set to air Sun- day, Dec. 7, on TNT, is reprising its franchise following a decade-long hiatus from the world of nerdy, ac- tion-packed adventure. Luckily for fans of the made-for-television mov- ie series that first debuted in 2004, the leading role will be played by its original front man, Noah Wyle ("ER," "Falling Skies"). The vivacious combination of ac- tion, adventure, history and trea- sure has led some critics to liken the series to other popular movie fran- chises, including Harrison Ford's In- diana Jones and Dan Brown's inter- nationally acclaimed novel "The Da Vinci Code." Since the series' original install- ment, the quick-witted but tenacious Flynn Carsen (Wyle) has taken on more than one can handle as the or- ganization's top librarian. In order to keep each daunting task at bay, Fly- nn has recruited four professionals from around the globe to defend the library's precious artifacts from mag- ical elements that threaten its very existence. But that's not to say Fly- nn's new partners-in-protection are welcomed by the perpetual, long- time scholar. First in the newly assembled team is Rebecca Romijn ("X-Men," 2000, "Ugly Betty") as Eve Baird, a highly skilled and "tough-as-nails" soldier who puts her military background to good use by protecting the under- ground society, but who finds herself confounded when it comes to the world of magic. "I get invited to work at the li- brary and I don't know why — I don't necessarily want the job," Romijn said of her character during an interview with the "Daily Quirk." "I've received this mysterious invita- tion 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 Cas- sandra Cillian (Lindy Booth, "Octo- ber Road"), a quirky young woman with a special gift of sensory halluci- nations linked to a world of memo- ries. Last of the bunch is Ezekiel Jones (John Kim, "Neighbours"), who is said to be the most easily cor- rupted of the team, thus having to prove his commitment and trust over the course of the adventure series. According to early re- views, the debut epi- sode — "The Crown of King Arthur" — prom- ises to exude high tensions between Carsen and his new protector, Baird, but in order to save their colleagues, the two opposing egos must join forces to combat a ruthless killer who won't stop until 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 television," according to a recent in- terview with StarPulse.com, it does accomplish its overarching 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 is- sues and increasingly dark content to attract viewers. One stark difference between "The Librarians" and other popular programming is its use of comic re- lief, Rogers said in early November. "I think that sometimes going dark is the easy way to go because there's this craving for legitimacy that a lot of the time genre shows have," the longtime executive producer said of the growing entertainment industry. "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 impromptu acting to fos- ter more organic characters, making filming a little more interactive be- tween the actors and writers. By keeping up with this tradition, Rog- ers hopes audiences will not only re- late 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 success in the past, as the first installment, "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear," ranked as basic cable's No. 1 movie of the year back in 2004. But its suc- cess wasn't limited to the first film, as the second installment, "The Li- brarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines," premiered as the No. 1 orig- inal movie sequel of all time on ba- sic cable, while also placing among the year's top five telecasts. Success continued in 2008 when "The Li- brarian: Curse of Judas Chalice" premiered to more than 5.7 million viewers on TNT alone. 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. 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