Crash (American TV series)

Last updated
Crash
Crash 2008 Intertitle.png
Created by Glen Mazzara
Starring Dennis Hopper
Arlene Tur
Ross McCall
Jocko Sims
Moran Atias
Tom Sizemore
Dana Ashbrook
Eric Roberts
Jake McLaughlin
Julie Warner
Keith Carradine
Linda Park
Tess Harper
Valerie Perrine
Composer Mark Isham
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producersGlen Mazzara
Paul Haggis
Robert Moresco
Bob Yari
Production locations Albuquerque, New Mexico
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companies Starz Inc.
Lionsgate Television
Yari Film Group
Original release
NetworkStarz
ReleaseOctober 17, 2008 (2008-10-17) 
December 18, 2009 (2009-12-18)

Crash is an American television drama series set in Los Angeles, California that starred Dennis Hopper and Eric Roberts. It is the first original series produced by the Starz network. The network ordered a 13 episode season which premiered on October 17, 2008. The series is based on the 2004 film of the same title. It was developed for television by Glen Mazzara. In Canada, Crash can be seen on Super Channel. Starz ordered a second season that premiered in September 2009 before concluding in December 2009.

Contents

Production

Conception

Starz began looking to develop original television series after the success of series developed by its rivals Showtime and HBO and advertised funding and creative freedom for original programming projects. Crash is the network's first foray into original scripted drama and is based on the Academy Award-winning 2004 film of the same name. The writers of the film, Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco, were interested in developing a series based on the property. Lionsgate and Starz collaborated on developing the series for television.

Television writer and producer Glen Mazzara was brought in as an executive producer for the series. Mazzara has worked extensively as a writer and producer on The Shield and had developed new projects for the other networks including Life and Standoff . [1]

Crew

Glen Mazzara served as the series executive producer and showrunner. [1] The film's writers Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco and producer Bob Yari joined Mazzara as executive producers. [2] Thomas Becker, Mark R. Harris, Tom Nunan, and Jorg Westerkamp all worked as producers or production executives on the original film project and are credited as co-executive producers on the series. [2] Movie actor Don Cheadle, who was a star and producer of the 2004 film, is also on board as a co-executive producer. [1]

Mazzara hired a writing staff that he felt was used to coping with edgier material. Co-executive producer and writer Frank Renzulli had previously worked on HBO drama The Sopranos . Co-executive producer and writer Ted Mann worked on HBO drama Deadwood . Producer and writer Stacy Rukeyser worked with Mazzara on Standoff. Executive story editor Chris Collins came from the recently completed HBO drama The Wire . Executive story editor Randy Huggins had previously worked with Mazzara on The Shield. [1]

The pilot episode was directed by Sanford Bookstaver. [2]

Cast

The first season starred:

In season 2 new cast members:

Battaglia is a security guard and then begins working for Blanchard and some of the cast members from season 1, Tur, Carey, Sweeney, Tee, Chavez, Tarabay and Sizemore do not return for season 2. Jenny Mollen plays Tess, the new girlfriend to Kenny Battaglia.

Episodes

Season 1 (2008–09)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Episode One" Sanford Bookstaver Glen Mazzara October 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
2"The Doctor Is in" Robert Moresco Frank Renzulli October 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
3"Panic" Seith Mann Stacy RukeyserOctober 24, 2008 (2008-10-24)
4"Railroaded" Allison Liddi Sang Kyu KimOctober 31, 2008 (2008-10-31)
5"Your Ass Belongs to the Gypsies"Sanford Bookstaver Ted Mann November 7, 2008 (2008-11-07)
6"Clusterfuck" Guy Ferland Randy HugginsNovember 14, 2008 (2008-11-14)
7"Los Muertos"Robert Moresco Chris Collins November 21, 2008 (2008-11-21)
8"Three Men and a Bebe" Stefan Schwartz Glen MazzaraDecember 5, 2008 (2008-12-05)
9"Pissing in the Sandbox"Stefan SchwartzSang Kyu KimDecember 12, 2008 (2008-12-12)
10"The Future Is Free" David Barrett Stacy RukeyserDecember 19, 2008 (2008-12-19)
11"F-36, Sprint Left, T-4" Phil Abraham Michael ThomasDecember 26, 2008 (2008-12-26)
12"Ring Dings"Stefan SchwartzFrank RenzulliJanuary 2, 2009 (2009-01-02)
13"The Pain Won't Stop"Stefan SchwartzGlen MazzaraJanuary 9, 2009 (2009-01-09)

Season 2 (2009)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
14"You Set the Scene" Andrew Bernstein Ira Steven Behr September 18, 2009 (2009-09-18)
15"Always See Your Face"Andrew BernsteinJames DeMonacoSeptember 25, 2009 (2009-09-25)
16"The World's a Mess, It's in My Kiss" Stefan Schwartz Todd HarthanOctober 3, 2009 (2009-10-03)
17"Can't Explain"Stefan Schwartz Devon Shepard October 9, 2009 (2009-10-09)
18"You, I'll Be Following" Bill Eagles Elizabeth Benjamin October 16, 2009 (2009-10-16)
19"No Matter What You Do" Vincent Misiano Jennifer Schuur October 30, 2009 (2009-10-30)
20"Johnny Hit and Run Pauline" John Behring Adam LevyNovember 6, 2009 (2009-11-06)
21"Lovers in Captivity"Stefan SchwartzJames DeMonacoNovember 13, 2009 (2009-11-13)
22"Endangered Species" Colin Bucksey Todd HarthanNovember 20, 2009 (2009-11-20)
23"Master of Puppets" Peter Markle Elizabeth BenjaminNovember 27, 2009 (2009-11-27)
24"Calm Like a Bomb" Jerry Levine Jennifer SchuurDecember 4, 2009 (2009-12-04)
25"Alone Again Or…"Bill EaglesIra Steven BehrDecember 11, 2009 (2009-12-11)
26"Los Angeles"Vincent MisianoIra Steven BehrDecember 18, 2009 (2009-12-18)

Reception

Reviews of the series have been mixed: Ginia Bellafante of The New York Times said "The show is hardly the most original depiction of Los Angeles, but has a noirish appeal, and ambitions to tell a big story". [3] On the other hand, Variety's Brian Lowry wrote: "There's not a whit of originality to it," and "The show possesses less substance than a brisk Santa Ana wind." [2] According to Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe , "None of the stories or characters is remotely interesting". [4]

Home media

The first season of Crash was released on DVD in the USA by Starz under its subsidiary Anchor Bay Entertainment on September 15, 2009. The second season was released through Amazon.com on September 15, 2010.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 John Dempsey (2008-09-26). "Starz brakes for 'Crash'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brian Lowry (2008-10-10). "Crash review". Variety. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  3. Ginia Bellafante (2008-10-16). "Trafficking in Intimate Deceptions". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  4. Matthew Gilbert (2008-10-17). "As a series, 'Crash' flails to be daring". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2008-10-17.