The Nevers [Joss Whedon - HBO]

JP Liz V1 · 30-07-2019 10:01pm #1

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Laura Donnelly To Star In Joss Whedon’s HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series

https://deadline.com/2019/04/laura-donnelly-lead-joss-whedons-hbo-drama-series-the-nevers-1202599997/

HBO is rounding out cast for The Nevers, its straight-to-series drama from Joss Whedon. Joining lead Laura Donnelly are Olivia Williams (Miss Austen Regrets), James Norton (Grantchester), Tom Riley (Dark Heart), Ann Skelly (Death and Nightingales), Ben Chaplin (The Children Act), Pip Torrens (The Crown), Zackary Momoh (Seven Seconds), Amy Manson (Torchwood), Nick Frost (Fighting With My Family), Rochelle Neil (Death in Paradise), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) and Denis O’Hare (This Is Us).

Co-written by Whedon and Buffy alums Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie and directed by Whedon, The Nevers is an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world.

https://deadline.com/2019/07/the-nevers-joss-whedons-hbo-sci-fi-drama-series-adds-12-to-cast-1202657064/

pixelburp · 30-07-2019 10:05pm

Given how Whedons distinctive dialogue style has been so copied and become so prevalent, it'll be weird to return to the originating source so to speak. Though not sure the Victorian era will quite suit his manner. Maybe he'll refine it.

CastorTroy · 31-07-2019 8:18am

Was wondering where the actors from other Whedon shows were. Turns out it's Olivia Williams, not Oliver Williams.

JP Liz V1 · 31-07-2019 4:48pm

CastorTroy wrote: »

Was wondering where the actors from other Whedon shows were. Turns out it's Olivia Williams, not Oliver Williams.

Will it be filmed in the UK given most of the cast is UK or Irish?

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 01-08-2019 6:29am

Fingers crossed for Anthony Head in a recurring role of some sort, assuming there's no bad blood between himself and Joss.

TheIrishGrover · 01-08-2019 10:12am

pixelburp wrote: »

Given how Whedons distinctive dialogue style has been so copied and become so prevalent, it'll be weird to return to the originating source so to speak. Though not sure the Victorian era will quite suit his manner. Maybe he'll refine it.

I'm sure he will have to tweak it a bit so it isn't as jarring in relation to the period but he will still have to keep the Whedon style. Strong female characters and funny, relatable dialogue is what he is known for.

But I'm just wondering how this will be perceived today. Whedon has been out of the loop for quite some time (So much so that I was beginning to think he might have been black-listed due to some undisclosed "Me Too" type scandal). He has been off TV since Dollhouse I think.

His dialogue then was sharp, witty and unlike most dialogue on TV at the time. I believe he can still write but I wonder will he be a victim of his own success. Will he be considered just another unoriginal quippy writer to a generation raised on Post-Buffy dialogue.

pixelburp · 01-08-2019 10:34am

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

I'm sure he will have to tweak it a bit so it isn't as jarring in relation to the period but he will still have to keep the Whedon style. Strong female characters and funny, relatable dialogue is what he is known for.

But I'm just wondering how this will be perceived today. Whedon has been out of the loop for quite some time (So much so that I was beginning to think he might have been black-listed due to some undisclosed "Me Too" type scandal). He has been off TV since Dollhouse I think.

His dialogue then was sharp, witty and unlike most dialogue on TV at the time. I believe he can still write but I wonder will he be a victim of his own success. Will he be considered just another unoriginal quippy writer to a generation raised on Post-Buffy dialogue.

Not sure if it was full on #metoo, but his ex-wife penned an essay where she accused Whedon of having affairs over their marriage; he apparently admitted to her that the first affair was during production of Buffy, pleading temptation. I'd say he deliberately took a backseat to avoid blowback.

As to his craft, I dunno; as you say, I think Whedon falls under the classic problem of the progenitor, who has spawned so many imitators and offshoots, he now retroactively seems derivative. And he was a writer who dug into a very narrow, specific bag of tropes more often than not - that The Nevers seems to be returning to that exact same bag of tricks is a little disappointing, if unsurprising.

Mind you, I love a show like Killjoys, whose own dialogue can be traced back to Whedon's own, so who knows.

TheIrishGrover · 01-08-2019 10:59am

pixelburp wrote: »

Not sure if it was full on #metoo, but his ex-wife penned an essay where she accused Whedon of having affairs over their marriage; he apparently admitted to her that the first affair was during production of Buffy, pleading temptation. I'd say he deliberately took a backseat to avoid blowback.

As to his craft, I dunno; as you say, I think Whedon falls under the classic problem of the progenitor, who has spawned so many imitators and offshoots, he now retroactively seems derivative. And he was a writer who dug into a very narrow, specific bag of tropes more often than not - that The Nevers seems to be returning to that exact same bag of tricks is a little disappointing, if unsurprising.

Mind you, I love a show like Killjoys, whose own dialogue can be traced back to Whedon's own, so who knows.

Ah, that explains it (Plus, he was tied up with Marvel for quite some time).

Yeah, that was actually the point I was trying to make (You made it better). My fear is that people will think: "Oh, it's kind of like a Victorian Killjoys - the way they speak. Meh".

Well, it's early days yet. I mean we know next to nothing about the show. Who knows how it's going to turn out. It has been some time since he has been on TV. He has being script-doctoring for decades. (Had a long-running battle to be credited on Toy Story. Rewrote so much as a script-doctor that he classified as a co-writer. Basically created Rex and Hamm). He will, presumably, be writing for an older audience given the fact it's on HBO. He will have the budget and creative freedom he wants. I'm assuming they will want some of the Whedon-verse style but I don't think they will be talking like 1990's teenage valley-kids.

I'm kind of thinking of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" At one stage you had characters speaking Shakespearean English while they basically translate to eachother.

I am interested in this. As long as it doesn't revert to 90's Whedon.

On a side note: Age of Ultron was on TV recently. I caught the 2nd half. Ultron's dialogue stuck our like a sore thumb. Not really in a good or bad way. Just stuck out. He was very obviously a Whedon character: Cross between Buffy, Faith, a little bit of Xander and a little bit of Mal Reynolds. So, yeah, dial that back a bit in the series.

CastorTroy · 01-08-2019 12:36pm

Wasn't he meant to be doing a DC movie. I know he came in to finish Justice League, but I think he was lined up to do a Batgirl movie. But with DC's bad movie handling that likely changed

pixelburp · 01-08-2019 12:46pm

CastorTroy wrote: »

Wasn't he meant to be doing a DC movie. I know he came in to finish Justice League, but I think he was lined up to do a Batgirl movie. But with DC's bad movie handling that likely changed

Naw he left BatGirl, claiming he couldn't make the story work. Though I wouldn't rule out DC continuing their trend of just being weird.

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/joss-whedon-batgirl-why-he-left-1202784808/

S.M.B. · 01-08-2019 2:34pm

Is this due out in the Autumn (found it very difficult not to say Fall just there)? Have pretty low expectations for this which is odd given that 10/15/20 years ago I thought the man could do no wrong.

Penn · 01-08-2019 7:01pm

S.M.B. wrote: »

Is this due out in the Autumn (found it very difficult not to say Fall just there)? Have pretty low expectations for this which is odd given that 10/15/20 years ago I thought the man could do no wrong.

No, if they're only filming now and it sounds like there might be special effects involved, it'll be 2020. Think I'd heard it'd be 2020 anyway when it was announced a while back.

S.M.B. · 01-08-2019 7:24pm

That makes sense given the cast has just been released. Not sure why I thought it could be this year.

CastorTroy · 01-08-2019 8:36pm

Joss tweeted on July 4th that they had just started principal photography
https://twitter.com/joss/status/1146842838086410245

And according to Laura Donnelly on Tuesday they've been working for a while
https://twitter.com/donnellylaura1/status/1156276460258320384

JP Liz V1 · 26-11-2020 1:58am

https://tvline.com/2020/11/25/joss-whedon-leaving-the-nevers-hbo-statement/

Joss Whedon exits

CastorTroy · 26-11-2020 2:27am

Isn't it a Whedon show? Be strange to have the creator leave the show before it's starts airing. Though I guess a number of episodes could be finished already by this point.
At least Bryan Fuller lasts 1 season before he leaves

Agent Coulson · 26-11-2020 9:00am

I wonder has this anything to do with the Fisher investigation.

pixelburp · 26-11-2020 9:28am

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I wonder has this anything to do with the Fisher investigation.

Whedon claims exhaustion from the pandemic in his communication about stepping down. To be fair, that's a legit reason for anyone to take a break - but the above was my wondering too, if the Justice League fallout was part of this ..

Agent Coulson · 28-01-2021 6:55pm

Philippa Goslett Named As Showrunner Of HBO Sci-Fi Drama Following Joss Whedon’s Departure

Philippa Goslett, the British filmmaker behind features Mary Magdalene and How To Talk To Girls At Parties, has taken over showrunning duties for HBO sci-fi drama The Nevers.

She replaces Joss Whedon, who exited the series in November, after he said that the physical challenges of making such a “huge” show was more than he could handle “without the work beginning to suffer”.

It marks Goslett’s first major television gig, having previously developed projects for FX, the BBC and Channel 4. Other film credits include Robert Pattinson-fronted Little Ashes.

She will also exec produce alongside Jane Espenson, Doug Petrie, Ilene S. Landress, Bernadette Caulfield. Whedon remains credited as creator and exec producer.......

https://deadline.com/2021/01/the-nevers-philippa-goslett-showrunner-hbo-sci-fi-drama-joss-whedon-departure-1234682519/

gmisk · 02-02-2021 9:56pm

New show due april on HBO looks interesting...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVU8z8h00jI

grassylawn · 02-02-2021 9:59pm

First comment on YouTube: "So .....what it only affects hot ladies?"

grassylawn · 02-02-2021 10:00pm

Joss Whedon show

Agent Coulson · 02-02-2021 10:06pm

Great to see MMA in the Victorian era.

CastorTroy · 02-02-2021 11:16pm

Before the punch to the groin, I was sure she would was going for the 24/7 title with that roll up.

I'll be checking it out anyway. Hopefully it's good

pixelburp · 03-02-2021 4:52pm

Wow, I kinda hated that. Dunno if it was just the trailer and how things are cut, but the Whedon-flavoured smugness got too much. Plus I think I'm just past Whedon's "ass-kicking waifs" and Steampunk in general.

Will chalk this up to "the reviews will want to be really good" as to whether I'll bother looking in on it.

CastorTroy · 03-02-2021 5:27pm

Just outta curiosity, what other steam punk things have you watched lately? Didn't think it was a common genre. I know there are a lot set in that kind of era these days but rarely steampunk

pixelburp · 03-02-2021 5:33pm

CastorTroy wrote: »

Just outta curiosity, what other steam punk things have you watched lately? Didn't think it was a common genre. I know there are a lot set in that kind of era these days but rarely steampunk

It's not common on TV in fairness, but it was everywhere within genre fiction of novels, comics, games (to a lesser extent) not too long ago; so I'm a bit saturated by dint of that angle.

Agent Coulson · 03-02-2021 7:16pm

Not watched lately but my favorite steampunk tv show is The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

Skerries · 03-02-2021 10:18pm

the last few Steampunk tv shows I have watched were Carnival Row, Dracula and Penny Dreadful with 2 of them having been filmed in Dublin

JP Liz V1 · 20-03-2021 4:51am

The league of extraordinary x women

CastorTroy · 23-03-2021 7:27pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs-ODufnJ8Y

First 6 episodes released weekly from April 11th

JP Liz V1 · 23-03-2021 7:31pm

‘The Nevers‘ is set to premiere Monday, 17th May 2021 on Sky Atlantic in the UK, with all episodes of “part 1” (the first 6 episodes) landing On Demand and on NOW. The drama premieres on April 11, 2021, at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max in the USA.

Agent Coulson · 12-04-2021 5:22am

I enjoyed the pilot episode and it was beautifully shot however I did feel it was trying to hard in parts.

The pilot was written and directed by Joss I wonder will that be his last work on screen or will he make a triumphant rehabilitated return in the near future.

fritzelly · 12-04-2021 6:36pm

The first episode didn't hook me, felt a bit flat for a premiere

CastorTroy · 13-04-2021 1:16pm

I liked it enough to keep watching.

Hadn't read too much about it so surprised to see the 2 leads are Irish.

Maladie is very Drusilla-like.
I get mixed up trying to remember her name since Amy Manson's played characters with similar names before like Medea in Atlantis and Merida in Once Upon a Time.

Is

Primrose the Lord's daughter from the end

?

youcancallmeal · 14-04-2021 9:01pm

I thought the first episode was pretty good and set up the season nicely. Lots of interesting characters and a well executed if not slightly clichéd premise

Basq · 14-04-2021 10:41pm

I love Whedon's stuff - everything from Buffy to Dr Horrible - but I'm absolutely amazed that this saw the light of day with recent revelations.

Sounds like a proper scumbag.. won't even be pirating it..

PhiloCypher · 17-04-2021 2:23pm

Basq wrote: »

I love Whedon's stuff - everything from Buffy to Dr Horrible - but I'm absolutely amazed that this saw the light of day with recent revelations.

Sounds like a proper scumbag.. won't even be pirating it..

Each to their own of course, but he's left the show . Will you be skipping The Avengers and Age of Ultron on any future MCU rewatches too ?

I thought it was very good start. Laura Donnelly (formally of Outlander), Ann Skelly , Amy Manson and Pip Torrens(The Crown) were all very compelling in their Roles. The actions scenes were all excellently choreographed , if I was to pick fault it would be that some of the cg set extensions were a bit obvious in places. Looking forward to episode 2 .

CastorTroy · 19-04-2021 8:26pm

Yep, stay away from those Irish women!.

Safe to assume what they were getting at with

the ribbons at the party. Funny that Primrose was given one though.

So Maladie's "turn" is

that she gets stronger the more she's hurt?

Sudden Valley · 19-04-2021 9:46pm

Really enjoyed the second episode. Nice to see some Irish actors in big productions. Reminds me of penny dreadful

CastorTroy · 26-04-2021 5:49pm

Latest episode

Well I guess her turn was pretty limited really, though there are plenty there who've done nothing.

How the guy missed the detective, I don't know. He'll be trying to find out who released him.

Agent Coulson · 26-04-2021 7:21pm

From Red Rock on TV3 to The Nevers on HBO that's a nice upward curve in your career.

I'm enjoying the show but can't help feel like it's just missing something I can't put my finger on.

Sudden Valley · 26-04-2021 7:47pm

Im finding there may be too many unhappy characters in the show miserable backstories so far. Also the tone is a bit inconsistent scenes of extreme violence and cursing like carnival row or penny dreadful and weird technology scene like in agent's of shield

CastorTroy · 26-04-2021 8:28pm

Yeah the story of the daughter was bad enough, then throw in she was pregnant, followed by what happened Lucy. They went all in with the darkness.

So the guys with the armbands are just abductors/not very good guards?

I guess that's the daughter in the basement? So did attic mean basement back then or something?

CastorTroy · 03-05-2021 4:34pm

So

Amalia is from the future though is it something took over her body after she drowned?

Everything actually moving fast enough.

CastorTroy · 10-05-2021 2:49pm

Well that was interesting.

I forgot the persuasion guy worked for Maladie. Got mixed up thinking he worked for the Beggar King.

She can do very sane when she wants. Wonder what she said to Swann.

Looks like next week will be the other mission and the season finale though I thought is was only part 1.

That was Whedon's last bow, as director at least.

Sudden Valley · 10-05-2021 10:27pm

I think it is a pity what has gone on behind the scenes as this would be a real return to form for Whedon. I really didn't see the twist coming and have no idea where they will go from here. Still not sure if the Malady character is idiotic or entertaining.

CastorTroy · 10-05-2021 11:15pm

With everything that happened, I was watching the scene with Penance washing and wondering if Joss actually asked her to be really topless for the scene. Even though I don't think he's been accused of anything like that.

Was watching the behind the scenes clips of this episode and they were shut down during the filming of this episode due to the restrictions and the hanging scenes were done when they restarted production.

CastorTroy · 13-05-2021 1:40pm

Was trying to remember why Ben Chaplin's(Det. Mundi) name was familiar to me. Thought I was getting mixed up with Ben Barnes. Now I remembered he was the original Matthew in Game On before going on to other things.

Agent Coulson · 17-05-2021 10:39am

That was a bit of a rollercoaster.

Always great to see Claudia Black.

2smiggy · 17-05-2021 10:42am

Just heard of this over the weekend, watched the first episode. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to watching more. Interesting idea and setting !!

The Nevers [Joss Whedon - HBO]

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