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2 • May 1 - 7, 2016 TVWeek By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media W hat do an acclaimed British fiction writer and an unparalleled American escape art- ist have in common? Aside from fame and 20th-century icon sta- tus, it also seems they share a knack for solving crimes. Forget your cops and detec- tives. "Houdini & Doyle" sees a rather unconventional crime- solving team take to the streets to crack some otherwise un- crackable cases. The 10-episode British-Canadian miniseries pre- mieres Monday, May 2, on Fox. On paper, Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have little in common. The former gained international fame as an escape artist and master illusionist, going on to become one of the highest-paid entertainers of his time for his ability to free himself from all manner of handcuffs, strait jackets, locked boxes filled with water and more. The latter created Sherlock Holmes, one of literature's greatest detectives and most enduring figures, and his stories have become staples of crime fiction. What they did have in com- mon was a keen interest in spiri- tuality, although their opinions on the subject were at opposite ends of the spectrum. Houdini was as skeptical as they come, spurning belief in anything he couldn't see, while Doyle was a passion- ate believer in the supernatural, which Houdini saw as mere gim- mickry. "Houdini & Doyle" plays off the real-life friendship the two men enjoyed, which, in the end, couldn't survive their strongly conflicting viewpoints. "I've long been intrigued by both Houdini & Doyle: men who were ahead of their time, each fascinating in [his] own right," said executive producer David Shore, creator of the Emmy- winning series "House." "But the idea that these two, seemingly so different, could have been friends is almost too perfect." That discord-within-friendship evidently makes for good TV, or so showrunners hope. The mystery drama stars Michael Weston ("Six Feet Under") as Houdini and Stephen Mangan ("Rush," 2013) as Doyle. The two grudg- ingly join forces with Scotland Yard to investigate unsolved crimes that bear whispers — and sometimes more than whispers — of the supernatural, and oth- erwise unexplainable. Houdini, with his wealth of magical training and illusion- ist know-how, is highly aware of how fraud is accomplished, making him the ultimate skeptic when it comes to the unprovable. With an ability to extricate him- self from seemingly any situation, he's a natural problem-solver, and should therefore be able to see something in these mysterious cases that others have missed. Doyle, by contrast, is a strong believer in the unseen and things that may not inhabit our mortal plain. Despite dreaming up the ultimate rationalist Sherlock Holmes, the writer is also a paranormal aficionado, and his firm belief in the supernatural puts him constantly at odds with his counterpart as the two hunt down clues and follow enigmatic leads. Caught in the middle is Ad- elaide (Rebecca Liddiard, "Ms- Labelled"), the third member of their offbeat team and the first female constable of the London Metropolitan Police Force. She joins Houdini & Doyle on cases that appear to involve ghosts, monsters, vampires and more — or perhaps these forces are just coverups for nefarious activities. Cover Story Stephen Mangan as seen in "Houdini & Doyle" Great minds Two 20th-century icons team up to solve crimes D - Danville V - Veedersburg H - Hoopeston O - Oakwood V - Veedersburg Ca - Cayuga Co - Covington W - Westville Communities listed Glory Days 2 x 2.5 Iron Tide Gallery 2 x 1.25 Big Boy 2 x 1.25 A/Crossroads Church 2 x 2.5 ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN Call Advertising at 446-9400 tv week