I don't think it will... I hope not anyways!

Wow, that's a lot of stuff!
Thanks for posting it Holly, you're awesome!
Lots of things to ponder. I'm glad it's going to move along and we'll get some more info this week. I just hope it doesn't drag on like Lost.

Here ya go Jackie......


Hot Flash!
by David Hochman November 30, 2009 11:10 AM EST


You know a show’s plot secrets are well-guarded when the actors start hitting you up for spoilers.

“What do you know?” Joseph Fiennes whispers during a walk to his trailer on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank. The FlashForward star is taking a break between scenes to discuss what’s ahead on the sci-fi drama, but it’s clear even Fiennes has more questions than cold facts. The series, about a mysterious global blackout during which billions of people peered briefly into their future, is one of those TV thrillers fueled by a meticulous, episode-by-episode dispersal of clues. “Honestly, we’re not told anything two weeks beyond whatever episode we’re shooting,” says Fiennes, who plays Mark Benford, the FBI agent charged with making sense of the mystery. “But I’d like to get some answers. Do you have answers?”

If Fiennes doesn’t have answers, who the heck does? Certainly not Dominic Monaghan, the former Lost and “Lord of the Rings” star, who once again has a job he can’t talk about at cocktail parties. “My friends finally get it that they can’t ask me questions about work anymore,” says Monaghan, who plays Simon Campos, the eccentric genius who knows something about what caused the blackout. Maybe. “I still don’t quite know whether Simon is good or evil,” Monaghan says.

As with everything regarding FlashForward, only time will tell. The series opened with a cosmic bang in September and was widely hailed as the most promising new drama of the fall. Even your mom was probably calling it “the next Lost.” But postseason baseball competition and fan frustration over what some called a sluggish pace sparked a flash downward in ratings. But here’s our advice: Hang in there. The show is getting really good again.

“The next two episodes are total game-changers,” says creator David S. Goyer, referring to the shows airing November 19 and December 3 (the series skips Thanksgiving night). “We’ve established our story, we’ve introduced our characters. From here on out, it’s a wild ride pretty much to the end of the season.”

Oh, Goyer has to do better than that! With a list of burning questions from the show’s stars, we cornered him and his wife, Jessika Borsiczky, an executive producer, until they cracked. Their answers were dripping with intrigue, romance and adrenaline, not to mention a few juicy plot spoilers—yes, that’s a warning—way ahead of their time.

Joseph Fiennes (FBI Agent Mark Benford):
Will Olivia’s [Sonya Walger:] relationship with Lloyd [Jack Davenport:] cause Mark to start drinking again or is it Mark’s drinking problem that ultimately brings Olivia and Lloyd together?
Jessika Borsiczky What we’ve seen so far in the Mark-Olivia-Lloyd love triangle isn’t all it appears to be. The problems began when Mark started judging Olivia before getting all the evidence. On November 19, Mark is going to find out someone has texted Olivia about his drinking, and that makes him see things differently. He goes on a journey to see who sent the text. Things also get emotional. Finally, I can say that Mark gets an opportunity to revisit his flash with more clarity later this season. We didn’t see the entire 2 minutes and 17 seconds, but it will get rounded out. That further explains his downward spiral and the reactions it causes.
David S. Goyer There may be another reason why Mark drinks that has nothing to do with Lloyd or Olivia. And it may be a much more interesting reason. But we won’t explore that until the second half of the season.

Dominic Monaghan (Simon Campos):
Is Simon a good or bad guy?
Goyer Simon is gray for now, but we learn exactly what he knows on December 3. What’s important is how he and Lloyd differ on their philosophies regarding the flash-forwards. Simon believes we can’t change our destiny. Lloyd believes people need to take responsibility for whatever’s pre-determined. Is Simon bad? People on this show who are heroic will do bad things and people who are bad do heroic things. Let’s leave it at that. Oh, and I’ll tell you that Simon has new information about Somalia and the crow die-off there.
Borsiczky Someone takes responsibility for the flash-forwards on December 3 and we’ll learn much more about what caused them.

John Cho (FBI Agent DemEtri Noh):
My character didn’t experience a flash-forward. What’s up with that? Will I still have a job by the end of the season?
Borsiczky There’s a huge reveal on December 3 about Demetri’s fate. We get crucial information about his murder that radically alters our perspective of his future. We’ve seen already that the future can be changed, but Demetri’s question will be: How difficult is it to change it, and if one person’s future changes, does everyone’s change?

Courtney B. Vance (FBI Director Stanford Wedeck):
Who’s the guy walking around the Detroit stadium when everyone else on Earth was blacked out?
Goyer We can’t answer that yet! Just like we aren’t ready to say what the kangaroo is about or what clues on Mark’s [bulletin:] board, like Red Panda Resources and D. Gibbons, mean. But all that will be revealed. We start explaining Red Panda in January. And we will be returning to the stadium between Episodes 15 and 24 more than once. I’ll leave you with some trivia: The reason the stadium is in Detroit is purely because I’m from Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is nearby, and I thought it would be fun to have something in or around where I lived. Also, the name D. Gibbons is an homage to Dave Gibbons, one of the cocreators of the Watchmen comic books.

Fiennes:
Where did you get the doll in the photo on the board?
Goyer We auditioned about 40 or 50 dolls. We took them all out to the parking lot at ABC in Burbank one day and used a blowtorch to see which heads melted in the coolest ways. Then I picked the best ones. As for the rest of the board, this won’t necessarily explain the mystery, but it’s kinda interesting: There are two photographs of men on the board. One is of a man in glasses [whose:] name is Hugh Everett. He was a famous quantum physicist who came up with the concept of parallel worlds. The other man is his son in real life, who made a documentary about his dad. He also happens to be the front man for the band called Eels. We just think they’re an interesting family.

Cho:
We’ve been taking bets on this around the set. Who knocked up Janis Hawk [the FBI agent played by Christine Woods:]?
Goyer There’s more than one potential candidate. In fact, there’s still debate among the show’s writers on this question. What’s been really interesting is the reaction we’ve gotten to Janis being a pregnant lesbian. A lot of fans are in favor of it and a lot are not. A few totally can’t comprehend it. They don’t know how she can have a baby if she’s also gay. People! She’s not infertile! She’s a lesbian!

If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to read them.

I read them the day I get them usually... I love TV Guide! LOL

I can post the spoilers for Flash Forward if you guys want me to.......

Sooz, I got Memento, I'll let you know how I like it after I've seen it. Thanks for the recommendation.

Holli, I let my subscription lapse. All the extras had to go. I am so grateful when you post spoilers. And you get to them really quickly, much faster than if I still had the subscription, LOL

If you get TV Guide by any chance there was a great article in there this week where the producers answered questions about the show from the cast....

They said the next two episodes are "total game changers".....

Jackie, will do!!

Probably just part of the story.

Let me know what you think of the book. I want to read it, but I'm not in a rush.

it killed me about what Al did to prevent Celia death! I really liked him. does anyone know why he went off the show?

Ok Thanks Allen. I think I will read the book after all.

I don't think any of us have actually read the book. But from what I've gathered is that they only took the basic concept of everyone blacking out and having flashforwards. In the book people see 20yrs into the future as opposed to 6 months, and the cause is supposedly revealed quite early.

Ok I just joined this group so I may ask questions that have already been asked because I haven't gone back and read everyones post.

My name is Jinnifer by the way.

So I was wanting to read the book but I am kinda worried that it will ruin the show for me. Although I know that the books are never really like the shows but does anyone have any opinions?

Thanks! I'm going to check them out.

Callum Keith Rennie, aka Leoben - yes i would have liked him to have a bigger role. he is a fine Canadian actor. he was s00000 good in the movie, Mememto. and he was ih a couple of fine Canadian films - one written and directed by Don McKellar called, 'Last Night', and one based on the Canadian author Barbara Gowdy's novel called, 'Falling Angels'. both were very good.

I think it's an interesting take on it all, can you change the FFs? I kept thinking he'd jump and land on Celia but there was no one around, so that's out.
I hope things can change, because I don't want Demetri to die or Mark to start drinking again.

So happy Alex Kingston was in another episode. I liked the taping the windows too.

Tracy. So she's not dead, but whatever-his-name's FF showed her recovering and in an apparent war zone. I hope she's not crazy enough to go back...but she probably will.

I don't understand the Blue Hand people. They seem so defeated and resigned to their supposed fate. Did you all see Leoben?

Hmmm, I didn't think about that Sooz! What will happen to the British agent? Interesting!!

Holli wrote: "My thoughts too! And then I thought, boy they didn't try too hard to talk him down did they? Poor guy.... I am curious to see if this changes things for Celia now.

I can't help but think ever..."

Poor guy indeed. it was a really drastic move but a really honourable one. he obviously believed this was the only way he could be absolutely sure that he was not to blame for whatever was 'fated' to happen. and yes it will be interesting to see - by removing himself from the equation, how will Celia's 'fate' change, AND how will the British agent's 'fate' change. she was with Al in her flash forward - and now that he is dead - what does that mean for her?

i really liked the last scene showing her taping the window as per Al's suggestion. it's a nice way for her to pay her respects.

My thoughts too! And then I thought, boy they didn't try too hard to talk him down did they? Poor guy.... I am curious to see if this changes things for Celia now.

I can't help but think every episode that maybe the FF's are dreams or nightmares.... not real at all. But then I guess that doesn't explain how it was the same date an time for everyone in the future huh?

so what did everyone think about last night's episode?

my response was, 'okay NOW that's interesting.'

Yes, it would be better. Too bad it's on network TV and not Siffy.

Jackie wrote: "Definitely making sense. I read a lot of books about seeing the future, time travelling, and the theme runs true in most of them, that by knowing what's to occur they bring it about, even if they ..."

the show would be a whole lot better if they played on that theme more - if they could do it in a smart and believable way.

but i would say that - of all sci-fi themes, the time loop and time paradox are my favourite.

Definitely making sense. I read a lot of books about seeing the future, time travelling, and the theme runs true in most of them, that by knowing what's to occur they bring it about, even if they take measures to thwart the event, somehow, they bring it about anyway.

What I find interesting when I watch it is how the flash forwards might not necessarily have come true but now they seem to be because everyone is living their lives with the "future" hanging over it. Decisions and reactions based on their FF for some seem to be bringing about that future for them but if this whole thing had not happened they would have continued on as they were and had a different future.

Am I making sense?! LOL It seems as if the FF was intentional but they didn't think that all of this would occur.... not to that magnitude anyway. That's what I took from it all anyways last week.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
That's good that personal flash forwards are coming together, but I'm not really interested in that as much as how the FF was done, who did, was it intentional, and if so why. I'll presume that it was intentional, but so what if everyone saw a glimpse of their future, incredible yes, but it doesn't mean anything, there has to be something more behind it and that's what I'm interested in.

I agree with you Jackie in that I feel that nothing has really happened. I did like though that in this past episode some of the flash forwards between the characters started to come together and make more sense. They have said this show will not be like LOST where you get something answered only to have more questions... I hope that's true!

I'm pissed about the ridiculously small 20mil casualty number. There is talk online that it may only be the US number, which might be a little reasonable, if considerably optimistic. Globally it would definitely be in the hundreds of millions(if not close to a billion).

A similar thing happened with the Jericho writing, where the infrastructure came back way too fast.

I'm liking it less with each episode, I don't feel the plot is moving along, we're still where we were at Day One. If it's going to follow the formula of Lost, with a bazillion questions and miminal answers then I want no part of it. Been there, done that.

I'm like you Sooz, I love scifi and want all scifi series to be good and make it. They have a habit of doing poorly on mainstream TV.
And I want to mention to you that my middle name is Sue, so my Dad called me Sooz or Suzo. I smile every time I see you name.

you know i love sci-fi, and because there are so few series dedicated to the genre, i really want to like every new series. i really root for them; i want them to do well.

and as Flash Forward is based on Canadian novelist, Robert Sawyer's book of the same name, i really really want to, but i have to say, i am not loving it.

did people notice, in the Halloween episode -in the scene where the flashforward of the autistic boy is shown (sorry can't remember his name). he's reading a postcard stuck on the fridge in Oliva's kitchen - the address is Sawyer Lane. i'm sure that must be a nod to the author.

also, Sawyer is currently writing an episode - so i will be watching for that. and i will be hoping that the episodes improve.

is it just me? how are others liking the series?

I haven't read it except what's in my scifi book club pamphlet; and it gives the source right away too. So I'm going to say they took the concept and changed it quite a bit. When a movie or TV series is 'based' on a book, it usually take huge liberites.
For the premise of a TV show, I can see 20 years being too long. And part of the driving force in the show is Who caused it? From there, we have more questions: Was it deliberate? If so, why? Will it happen again? If the TV show tells who did it right away, that would deflate it a bit, I would think. So there's bound to be many differences.

20 years? So does the show only take the concept of the blackout from the book(and maybe the cause) or are their more similarities?

Sooz, same thought here. Maybe she doesn't want to frighten him, same reason he's lying to her.

But Tracy...Mark's AA sponsor's soldier daughter. The only thing I can thing of is, they must only have a body part for burial for them to be so unsure. She could have had a limb blown off and still be alive. I think she is.

I think I have it on my To Read list. When I get some cash together and my actual books get thinnned down a bit, then I'll get it. I'm not in a rush. had I known it was a book before the series premiered, I would have gotten it.
The flash forward in the book is 20 years in the future, quite a different scenario than the 6 months the series is giving us. All will be proved or disproved in 6 months. 20 years is a long time to live with unsurity and speculation.

Jackie wrote: "No, last week didn't move the story forward all that much.

Last night's episode changes everything, though. We've all assumed that the visions were true, but now with Tracy, what does any of it..."

ok Mark's partner says she sees him in her flash forward, but the audience doesn't actually see him there. i know there seems to be no reason for her to lie but a reason could exist just the same.

those of you finding the show interesting might like to pick up the book it's based on. it's by a Canadian Sci-fi writer by the name of Robert Sawyer.

i am pleased that t.v. shows have 'grown up' in recent years - by that i mean that the writers give their audience a little credit for being able to figure things our for ourselves, and to follow a multi-episodic story arc. but it's a tricky business to find just the right balance. to give the story intrigue without going to far over board, to make it complicated enough to grab our attention and make us wonder what is going on, without creating chaos.

so while i am hopeful - as i always am when a new series comes along that explores big questions - i'm waiting to see what they over the course of the first season.

No, last week didn't move the story forward all that much.

Last night's episode changes everything, though. We've all assumed that the visions were true, but now with Tracy, what does any of it all mean? And how can Mark's partner's fiancee have seen him if he's supposed to be dead? Just more damn questions!

Okay, I saw the second half of the first episode but missed last weeks. I don't have fast internet so I can't watch online. Will I be lost if I start with tonight's episode? (I taped it.)

It's definitely orchestrated; the evidence so far points that way.

Human cause makes it more interesting than supernatural cause. It will bring more to the show.

I've heard that the flash forward didn't happen for any supernatural reasons... its all human they said. I thought that was interesting!

So far, this is my favorite new fall show. I think if they can keep up with the scope of the show (the premise is huge, you know?) it is only going to get better. This show has really grabbed my attention and I am so glad I decided to record it at the last minute!

Me too! I laughed out loud even during this past Thursday's show (the bathroom flashback). It definitely has all the elements of a good story!!

I'm glad that you liked it Holli, I thought you would. We seem to like the same type of shows. I agree, it's full of human interest, so many stories! I feel instant interest in the characters as well, and we've got a big mystery too. Who caused it, why, and how. It's got my attention.

I liked this one much more than I thought I would. It had a lot of human interest to it and i already really care about the characters. I think this one won't disappoint!

you can watch it again on abc.com

I missed that, and already erased it off the DVR. Dammit!

i cannot believe that no one saw that billboard right before the flash occured, or maybe someone did spot it, it was a billboard of the oceanic airplanes, that has something to do with lost

I have it on the DVR to watch soon!!

I love her, she did a guest appearance in Dr. Who, a story I'd have liked to see more of. She played the title role in a PBS film, Boudica, one of my all time favorite female heroines.
She was in FF, but a small part, I don't know if her role will become bigger or not. But it seems to me if you've got Alex Kingston, you might as well take full advantage of it and give her something worth playing. The role does have potential to become something bigger, I think.

I taped it and watched the first 20 minutes of it this morning while I was getting ready for work, and I liked what I saw. I'm anxious to finish it, but probably won't get to it until Sunday night, hopefully. In the opening credits I saw Alex Kingston's name but never saw her. Is she in the show? You know she used to be married to Joseph Finnes' big brother Ralph.

I watched the much anticipated premiere tonight and it did not disappoint. Intriguing premise, and lots to want answers to. I think it is off to a good start. I hope they keep it interesting, though, to be honest, I don't see how long it can run unless they drag it out interminably which is not something I want to see.
Anyone else watch it? What do you think so far? Any theories on what caused the flash-forward, how it was done and why?