Beware of overly optimistic “Twilight Zone” claims and “Outer Limits” comparisons.
Every few years, television attempts to reinvent the anthology format, usually in the horror-suspense vein. The comparisons to early anthology classics apparently are irresistible.
The format, short stories told in stand-alone episodes, historically has been tricky for the small screen. Showtime’s “Masters of Horror” and Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” for ABC were promising efforts but the audience didn’t bite. Some of the best directors of the genre (Joe Dante, John Landis, Don Coscarelli) have given it a try with short-lived results.
This week, NBC’s “Fear Itself” takes up the “Twilight Zone” homage, the launch of a 13-episode suspense/horror-fest. “Fear Itself” launches Thursday at 9 p.m. on KUSA-Channel 9.
The opening hour, “Sacrifice,” benefits from the presence of Jesse Plemons (“Friday Night Lights”) and shows the young actor in a very different Thursday-night light.
Less light, more fright, in fact, as a gang of four small-time criminals is stuck in an old, creepy fort ruled by a trio of sirens with some very odd ideas about modern man.
The screenplay by Mick Garris (“Amazing Stories”) delivers fast-paced horror with equal parts screaming and blood. The episode is directed by Breck Eisner (“Creature from the Black Lagoon”). Fans of the genre may find it sick in the best possible way.
The second hour, “Spooked,” airing June 12, pits Eric Roberts (“Heroes”) against a haunted house. Roberts plays a private eye who is forced to confront his past in a suitably yucky episode written by Matt Venne (“White Noise 2: The Light” and directed by Brad Anderson (“The Machinist”).
“Family Man,” coming June 19, is an hour directed by Ronny Yu (“Freddy vs. Jason,” “Bride of Chucky”) with all the hallmarks of those nerve-jangling films. The psychological thriller concerns a regular guy played by Colin Ferguson (“Eureka”) who trades bodies with a serial killer (Clifton Collins Jr., “Star Trek”). The whole family is at risk, with Nicole Leduc (“Kyle XY”) perhaps the best-known to younger viewers.
What younger viewers are doing watching this gruesome creep-fest in the first place is a question for someone else. As NBC says at the top, viewer discretion advised.
Sam Zell at KWGN
Sam Zell, the owner of Tribune Co., which owns KWGN Channel 2, was in town Monday along with Randy Michaels, COO of Tribune (formerly head of Jacor), talking to Channel 2 staff.
There’s no agenda, according to news director Carl Bilek. “It’s ongoing visitations to each of the business units after the company privatized.”
“This is completely routine,” Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said via e-mail.
Pending FCC approval, both the Tribune and Fox stations in Denver, KWGN and KDVR-Channel 31, might be managed through a holding company called Local TV LLC, a sub of Tribune. Or not. Co-management isn’t definite, and everything is up in the air, staffers say.
Perhaps Monday’s visit will prove clarifying.
Tonys June 15
Alec Baldwin, Kristin Chenoweth, Glenn Close, Richard Griffiths, Laura Linney, John Lithgow, Liza Minnelli, Mary-Louise Parker, Daniel Rad cliffe, Brooke Shields and Marisa Tomei are slated to be on “The 62nd Annual Tony Awards,” Sunday, June 15, locally 7-10 p.m. on Channel 4. Whoopi Goldberg will serve as host.Martial arts scores
CBS, the former Tiffany Network, stooped to air the first mixed martial arts fights on Saturday night and tripled its average audience of men 18-34. Three more two-hour Saturday night fights are planned.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
