Harper's Island (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Harper's Island


caption =
format = Horror
Mystery
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime = approx. 42 minutes
creator = Ari Schlossberg
starring = Jim Beaver
Adam Campbell
Elaine Cassidy
Katie Cassidy
Christopher Gorham
narrated =
opentheme =
country = United States
network = CBS (2008-2009)
first_aired =
last_aired =
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 13 ordered
list_episodes =
executive_producer = Jeffrey Bell
Ari Schlossberg
Jon Turteltaub
website =
imdb_id = 1232320
tv_com_id = 75276

Harper's Island is an hour-long American drama pilot created by Ari Schlossberg, ordered to series for CBS's 2008-2009 television season, planned as a midseason replacement. It will also air on Global in Canada;cite web|url=http://www.dose.ca/tv/story.html?id=d260c02b-27c1-490b-b420-699c9f9731e5|title=Global's Fall Schedule: Spies, Time-Travel and Spoiled Teens|work=Dose.ca|accessdate=2008-05-04] the premiere dates in other parts of the world are not yet announced.

Development

The show was first pitched by Ari Schlossberg, who wrote the pilot script. [ [http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=harpers_island Shows A-Z - harper's island on cbs | TheFutonCritic.com ] ] CBS ordered it to pilot presentation (a 15-minute example) in March 2008. In May 2008, the show was retooled, and Jeffrey Bell was named as showrunner and, with Jon Turteltaub, executive producer. Schlossberg, Karim Zriek and Dan Shotz serve as co-executive producers [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7c5c16b2d6b9258ef45e48c1363ad3c0 Jeffrey Bell is 'Harper's' showrunner ] ] Bell rewrote the first episode, and most of the cast was replaced. [ [http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-cbsoverhaulingharpersisland,0,314468.story CBS Begins Overhauling 'Harper's Island' - Elaine Cassidy may be the only actor kept from the original pilot | Zap2it ] ]
Jon Turteltaub directed the pilot.

Plot

The television show is a horror/drama, described as "Scream" meets " 10 Little Indians". The central plot is a murder mystery. Friends and family attending a wedding celebration on a secluded island off the coast of Seattle begin dying one by one. The island was the scene of a famous murder 7 years prior. [ [http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080514cbs01 Breaking News - CBS ANNOUNCES NEW 2008-2009 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE | TheFutonCritic.com ] ]

Trailer

A trailer for the original pilot presentation (with the now-replaced cast) is available on the internet. [ [http://www.tv.com/video/14188/harpers-island?o=tv&tag=video;thumb;0 Harper's Island video: Harper's Island on TV.com ] ]

Original pilot presentation cast

· Adam Campbell as Cal Vendeuson
· Elaine Cassidy as Abby Mills
· Ryan Merriman as Henry Dunn
· Samantha Noble as Trish Wellington
· Bill Pullman as Uncle Marty

"All but Campbell and Cassidy were replaced."

New cast

* Matt Barr as Christopher 'Sully' Sullivan
* Jim Beaver as Sheriff Mills
* Amber Borycki as Beth Barrington
* Richard Burgi as Thomas Wellington
* Adam Campbell as Cal
* Elaine Cassidy as Abby Mills
* Katie Cassidy as Trish Wellington
* Dean Cechvala as J.D. Dunn
* Chris Gauthier as Malcolm Ross
* Christopher Gorham as Henry Dunn
* Harry Hamlin as Uncle Marty
* Gina Holden as Shea Allen
* David Lewis as Richard Allen
* Claudette Mink as Katherine Wellington
* Cameron Richardson as Chloe
* C.J. Thomason as Jimmy Mance

Crew

· Jeffrey Bell as showrunner/executive producer
· Ari Schlossberg as creator/co-executive producer
· Dan Shotz as co-executive producer
· Jon Turteltaub as director (Pilot), executive producer
· Karim Zreik as co-executive producer
· Robert Levine as Story Editor and writer
· Robert Sizemore as Producer, Original Concept

References