BBCA Confirms Late 2010 Launch For ‘Outcasts’
Science-fiction has proven itself to be a massive success for the BBC, with “Doctor Who” remaining among the British network’s most anticipated shows and the internationally developed fourth season of “Torchwood” still garnering media attention.
And, in late 2010, the Beeb will reveal a new series for fans of the genre when “Outcasts” finally premieres on both BBC One and BBC America.
With the Earth no longer habitable, the series focuses on a group of pioneers who try to settle on the world of Carpathia and rebuild not only their lives, but the human race as well. However, as the last survivors from Earth arrive, some difficult decisions need to be made which could shatter the peace in the town of Forthaven.
In addition to forming a functioning society on Carpathia, the settlers also will explore their new home in order to better their chances of survival.
According to the official press release, Carpathia offers the possibility of redemption as the new inhabitants try to avoid the mistakes made on Earth. Inevitably they cannot escape the human pitfalls of love, greed, lust, loss, corruption and a longing for those they’ve left behind. As they continue to work and live together, they come to realize this is no ordinary planet … and there may be a bigger plan at work.
Like “Torchwood,” the series has an international flavor with an impressive cast (including Jamie Bamber of “Battlestar Galactica” fame), and is being filmed in South Africa in order to create a viable new frontier landscape. Already it has been likened to that of “Earth 2,” which ran for a single season in the mid-1990s on NBC (as an early vehicle for Clancy Brown), but in reality, the series may have more in common with Joss Whedon’s bleak view of the future, “Firefly.”
“Basically they had to build their own community on what they landed with,” executive producer Ben Richards told Blastr. “The transporter in which they landed is very high-tech and very modern, and they can do all kinds of stuff. People live in very rudimentary [ways]. That’s that western feel. It’s a frontier town kind of thing.”
The whole idea of settling on a new planet may fall under the science-fiction bracket, but Richards also confirmed that the series won’t be your typical sci-fi adventure. However, it won’t do a disservice to the genre by any means.
“I hesitate to say it’s not sci-fi, because I think that’s quite condescending,” Richards said. “I don’t think you have to reject sci-fi as a genre. I certainly don’t. I think the best sci-fi always has that element of the western in it.”
Law & Order UK
