The Nevers

Last updated

The Nevers
The Nevers Title Card.png
Genre
Created by Joss Whedon
Starring
Composer Mark Isham
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
Production location London
Running time54–64 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseApril 11, 2021 (2021-04-11) 
February 15, 2023 (2023-02-15)

The Nevers is an American science fiction drama television series created by Joss Whedon for HBO. The series is produced by HBO and Mutant Enemy Productions, with executive producers including Whedon, Philippa Goslett, Doug Petrie, Jane Espenson, Ilene S. Landress, and Bernadette Caulfield. The series premiered on April 11, 2021. The first season consists of 12 episodes, split into two six-episode parts. In December 2022, the series was canceled before the back six had aired and pulled from the HBO Max library on December 18, 2022. All 12 episodes began streaming on Tubi starting February 13, 2023.

Contents

The series is set in Victorian London and follows a group of people, mostly women, known as the Touched, who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities. Among them are Amalia True, a mysterious and quick-fisted widow, and her best friend Penance Adair, a brilliant inventor. The series received a straight-to-series order from HBO in June 2018, after a bidding war with other networks and streaming services including Netflix. Laura Donnelly was the first actress to join the series in April 2019, with the rest of the cast joining in July 2019.

Premise

The Nevers is described as "an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian[s] who find themselves with unusual abilities (due to alien intervention), relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world." [1]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
Part 1
1"Pilot" Joss Whedon Joss WhedonApril 11, 2021 (2021-04-11)0.548 [9]
In London 1899, the widow Amalia True runs St. Romaulda's Orphanage, a sanctuary for people with extraordinary powers known as the Touched. Amalia and Penance Adair rescue Myrtle Haplisch, a Touched girl who speaks in fragments of different languages, from a band of strange thugs. Meanwhile, Lord Massen and other government officials discuss the Touched and their impact on the empire. Augie Bidlow visits his friend, Hugo Swann, and requests his company at the opera. At the orphanage, Amalia receives an invitation to the opera from Lavinia Bidlow, their patron. On their way to the opera, Amalia and Penance are intercepted by the Beggar King, who is upset about Amalia's demand to meet him. At the opera, serial killer Maladie attacks and takes hostage Mary Brighton, a Touched whose singing soothes the Touched. Amalia pursues them but fails to rescue Mary. Afterward, Inspector Frank Mundi investigates the attack. Elsewhere, Doctor Hague is seen medically tormenting a Touched. A flashback to 1896 reveals Maladie is the only one who remembers a massive flying object that caused the Touched to exist.
2"Exposure"Joss Whedon Jane Espenson April 18, 2021 (2021-04-18)0.561 [10]
Beth Cassini accidentally reveals her power in public and flees to the orphanage for safety. Mundi leads a raid on the orphanage but fails to find any evidence of Maladie's location. Lavinia arrives to stop him, then invites several Touched to a social event at her estate. Massen warns Swann about his private club and its employment of several Touched. At the orphanage, Amalia admits Desirée Blodgett, a Touched woman who compels people to reveal their secrets, and uses her to get Mundi to reveal that Mary left him at the altar. At Lavinia's party, Augie reveals his turn to Penance. Amalia discovers Maladie's location and goes alone. On her way to the orphanage, Penance is captured by Maladie's men. Amalia fights Maladie, and it is revealed that they were friends. Scotland Yard raids the factory and rescues Penance and Mary, but Maladie manages to escape while Amalia is heavily wounded. A West Indian physician, Horatio Cousens, heals Amalia while Mary reconnects with Mundi. Beth arrives at a false address and is immediately taken to Hague's lab, where Lavinia also arrives and is greeted by a glowing orb.
3"Ignition" David Semel Kevin LauApril 25, 2021 (2021-04-25)0.448 [11]
Amalia and Penance attempt to recruit Annie Carbey, but fail. At the orphanage, Mary is still hesitant about using her power when Penance reveals her plan to amplify Mary’s voice so all the Touched across London can hear. Mundi meets with Swann at a pub, revealing they organized the raid on the orphanage. Elsewhere, Kroos, one of Maladie's men, is released from prison while Horatio is forced to heal Maladie’s wound. Penance and Myrtle discover another orphanage claiming to be theirs, so Amalia and Lucy investigate. They find evidence of Hague’s work, prompting Amalia to collect some to bring to Lavinia while Lucy returns with the captive housekeeper. The interrogation of the housekeeper motivates Mary to use her power. Leaving Lavinia’s estate, Amalia is attacked by Odium but escapes, killing Odium. At the park, Mary sings her song, but Kroos kills her midway, and Mundi kills him. Returning to the orphanage, Amalia and the others find Annie waiting with several Touched who heard Mary’s song.
4"Undertaking"David SemelMadhuri ShekarMay 2, 2021 (2021-05-02)0.515 [12]
Everyone but Amalia attends Mary’s funeral. Later, Penance confronts Amalia about being absent, but Amalia vents her frustration instead. Myrtle reveals to Primrose that she understood Mary’s song, so Primrose and Harriet work with multilingual Touched to translate. Mundi finds evidence that Swann was involved in Mary’s murder, so he violently confronts him in public but finds nothing. While Penance interrogates Augie, Amalia visits Massen, who essentially confesses. Lucy suggests destroying one of Massen’s ammo warehouses. She, Amalia, and Annie break in. Amalia confronts Lucy, accusing her of being loyal to Massen, which led to Mary’s death. Lucy defends herself, insulting Amalia. The two fight, and Amalia ultimately only banishes Lucy from London. Back at the orphanage, Harriet shares the meaning of the song. It is a direct message to Amalia, and brings her to tears.
5"Hanged"Joss WhedonMelissa IqbalMay 9, 2021 (2021-05-09)0.570 [13]
Maladie is sentenced to a public hanging, which outrages the Touched. Despite this, Amalia’s goal is finding the Galanthi, which is currently underground and under the care of Hague and Lavinia, who notice it begin cracking but are not too worried. Amalia is held back by a malfunction in Penance’s drill. The Council is divided on the execution but does nothing to stop it. Effie continues to annoy Mundi while Massen discusses the Touched with the Beggar King. Penance decides she wants to save Maladie but fails, partially because Maladie hangs herself. Penance and Mundi realize too late that Maladie arranged her own execution to lure as many spectators as possible, resulting in many civilian casualties when Maladie's followers spring her trap. In the streets of London, the Beggar King carries out what he and Massen discussed earlier, having his minions sow chaos and disorder among the rest of the population. Penance returns to the orphanage to find Amalia was about as unsuccessful as she was. Mundi realizes the woman who hanged herself was actually one of Maladie’s followers and that Effie was Maladie herself. Out in the rioting streets, Maladie sheds her disguise and revels amid the chaos.
6"True" Zetna Fuentes Jane EspensonMay 16, 2021 (2021-05-16)0.552 [14]
Sometime in the future, soldiers from the Planetary Defense Coalition (PDC) are tasked with defending the last Galanthi on Earth. The Galanthi are an alien race that arrived in the not too distant past to provide humanity with technology capable of restoring a ravaged Earth. During a fight with the FreeLife Army (another human faction), the last Galanthi starts to leave Earth, and many PDC soldiers die. Losing hope for Earth's survival, a soldier, Zephyr, commits suicide. While leaving through a portal, the Galanthi takes her soul. In 1890s London, Amalia, known as Molly, works for a bakery and marries Thomas True, but drowns herself just as the Galanthi fly overhead. Awakening in an asylum, Zephyr finds herself in Molly's body and assumes her identity. As Amalia, she befriends Maladie (then known as Sarah) but betrays her to Hague in order to avoid compromising herself. Along with Horatio, she begins collecting information on the Touched and is eventually approached by Lavinia to run the orphanage. In the present day, Amalia returns to the orphanage, as unsuccessful as Penance was. After revealing her true name to Penance, she decides to tell the orphanage.
Part 2
7"It's a Good Day" Andrew Bernstein Philippa Goslett February 14, 2023 (2023-02-14)N/A
In 1896, the day the Galanthi appears in London, Dr. Hague tries and fails to convince people that he hears his mother's voice in static. Because of this, he is expelled from the medical community. A day after the hanging, Amalia's visions of the future are incrementing and earthquakes are becoming a common thing in London. Mundi tries to convince the police that Maladie is alive, but his superintendent tells him to drop the case. Penance convinces Amalia to tell the people in the orphanage that she is actually a soldier from the future. Mundi discovers a group of people who dress like Maladie and see her as messianic figure. Myrtle is attacked by a Purist girl named Nancy. Myrtle kills her in self defense. At Hague's home, his robot dog attacks Penance and Amalia, who set the place on fire in the ensuing fight. When Hague arrives there, the women are gone, and the phone rings. He picks it up and hears singing. When he turns around, he sees Maladie sitting on the window.
8"I Don't Know Enough About You" Jennifer Getzinger Ira ParkerFebruary 14, 2023 (2023-02-14)N/A
A vengeful Maladie has Dr. Hague dig a hole in the ground while psychologically torturing him. By negotiating with the Beggar King, Massen inflates anti-Touched violence in London. Among the places attacked is the house of Horatio, who is forced to move with his family to the Orphanage. There, he confides in Amalia that he loves both her and his wife. Using Nancy's death as an excuse, Lavinia has armed guards surround the Orphanage and forbids everyone within to leave. While explaining this to Amalia, she realizes Lucy's turn might be capable of destroying the Galanthi (and with it, in theory, the "plague" of the Touched). In prison, Lavinia convinces Lucy of helping her by saying that destroying the creature will "cure" her of her deadly turn. Lucy escapes from prison and goes to Lavinia's mines. There, she uses her turn to break the Galanthi's shell. As a result, the tremors increase and parts of London start collapsing. Amalia and Penance run to aid the creature. Meanwhile, a little Galanthi falls down from the broken shell. Lucy picks it up while Lavinia orders her to kill it and the cave collapses.
9"Fever"Jennifer GetzingerRammy ParkFebruary 14, 2023 (2023-02-14)N/A
As kids, Augie shows Lavinia the shed where he studies bird anatomy. Disturbed by his "abnormal" behavior, Lavinia forces him to burn the shed down. Enraged, a traumatized Augie pushes Lavinia, who is accidentally left paralyzed by this attack. After the cave's collapse, Augie helps Lavinia get to safety, where she reveals she knows he is Touched. Shocked by Lavinia's anti-Touched sentiments, Augie leaves her lying on the ground in a rail tunnel, her wheelchair damaged in the cave in and blocked from leaving by a steam engine. Meanwhile, Amalia and Penance find a dying Lucy, who reveals the Galanthi is alive and roaming through the cave. After his father dies, Swann becomes a Lord. Maladie uses the hole that Hague started to dig to get into London's sewers, where she confronts Amalia and Penance. Maladie reveals she has been hearing the Galanthi's voice in her head ever since it arrived in London and can easily find it. Realizing that Amalia plans to return to the future after finding the Galanthi, Penance says goodbye to her and stays behind while the two other women go after the creature. Their chase ends under the Thames, where they meet the Galanthi.
10"Alright, Okay, You Win"Nina Lopez-Corrado Harrison David Rivers February 15, 2023 (2023-02-15)N/A
Having forgotten her Maladie personality, Sarah emerges from the Thames and visits his abusive husband. She discovers he was the one who institutionalized her and kills him after he begins abusing her again. Unbeknowst to Augie, Lavinia crawls her way out of the sewers and is taken to their mansion. At the Orphanage, Horatio discovers his son is Touched and can see other people's dreams. He sees the dreams of a "puppet-man" who plans on attacking the building. Horatio follows a nearby puppeteer and witnesses a meeting between the Purists and the Beggar King. Hague receives a call and hears his mother telling him to go to Lavinia's, where a fundraiser lunch for the Orphanage is to take place. Augie invites Penance to the event, aiming to take control of every Bidlow possession (including the Orphanage) and come out publicly as a Touched there. Hague interrupts Augie before he can do so and convinces Penance to leave with him, promising to reveal what is happening with the telephone lines. Lavinia later has her brother committed to an asylum. Disappointed with her life in the Orphanage, Myrtle joins Maladie's cult. While investigating, Swann and Mundi discover Massen's Touched daughter.
11"Ain't We Got Fun"Nina Lopez-CorradoAlyssa Thorne & Adam Meggido February 15, 2023 (2023-02-15)N/A
Augie escapes the carriage taking him to the asylum by killing the chauffeurs with his power. Mundi and Swann bring Massen's daughter to the Orphanage. Horatio severely scars the Beggar King and destroys his cargo of Massen-produced weapons. Aided by Swann and his new title, Harriet reaches London's oligarchy and convinces them to not decreet a law against the Touched. At Hague's laboratory, Penance discovers that his "mother" is actually another time-traveller who arrived with the Galanthi but without a body. She is made of energy and manipulated Hague into capturing the unconscious bodies of Amalia and the Galanthi to kill one and use it as a vessel. While knocked out, Amalia speaks with both the dead Molly and a previous version of her own self, who still blames herself for not saving her loved ones in the future. Amalia keeps fighting with her selves until she remembers how important Penance is to her. This turns out to be a test by the Galanthi, which wants to teach Amalia without using words. Amalia wakes up, and with the aid of Penance, dispatches Hague's robotic henchman, the doctor himself, and the other time-traveller. Lavinia and her forces later arrive.
12"I'll Be Seeing You"Andrew BernsteinPeter CallowayFebruary 15, 2023 (2023-02-15)N/A
Amalia has a vision of Penance dying in a wrecked Orphanage. She wakes up tied up with Penance while Lavinia shoots at the Galanthi. Its pain is sensed by all the Touched, who lose their powers as the Purists attack the Orphanage. Hearing the Galanthi's cries, Maladie leads her followers into subduing Lavinia's forces. Lavinia escapes but is then killed by Augie. While the cult stays with the dying creature, Amalia, Penance and Myrtle go to the Orphanage. Amalia stops Penance from entering the Orphanage's main building and seemingly dies fighting the Purists. Massen shows up looking for his daughter but is stopped by Mundi and Swann. Massen kills Swann and gets killed by Mundi. Before dying, the Galanthi gives the Touched back their powers and dissolves into "seeds" which will give more people around the world superpowers. The Touched defeat the Purists and Amalia survives after having another conversation with the Galanthi, which wanted to teach her the value of sacrificing for others. While Amalia's hope for the future is renewed, Penance's is shattered as the creature died "colonizing" the world and making it more complicated. Meanwhile, Myrtle returns to Maladie and gets possessed by the time-traveller.

Production

An official poster for the series The Nevers Series poster.png
An official poster for the series

Development

On July 13, 2018, it was announced that HBO had given the production a straight-to-series order. Joss Whedon would serve as a writer, director, executive producer, and showrunner for the series. The series landed at HBO after a bidding war with other networks and streaming services including Netflix. [1] [15] [16] Whedon explained the title at Comic-Con 2018:

They, themselves are not called that [The Nevers] in the show. It's a phrase that's meant to evoke a sort of reaction to their oddity, to what is considered unnatural. The idea that you should never be like this, you should never have existed. Something is not the way it should be, and you don't have the right to have whatever weird power or ability that you have. And that idea, that some people are not of the natural order, is fascinating to me. I don't agree with it. But to me, it's one of those things where you take something negative, and you wear it as a badge of honor, basically. Certain things could never happen - they're happening. And the people they're happening to are taking their place in the world. [17]

Cast and crew

In April 2019, Laura Donnelly was cast in the starring role of Amalia True. [2] Whedon said about her, "Laura Donnelly has charisma, wisdom and an anarchic precision that not only captures Amalia but defines her. She's fierce and she's funny – and I need both for the journey ahead." [2] In July 2019, twelve actors were added to the cast, including Ann Skelly as Penance Adair, Olivia Williams as Lavinia Bidlow, James Norton as Hugo Swann, Tom Riley as Augustus "Augie" Bidlow, Pip Torrens as Lord Massen, Denis O'Hare as Dr. Edmund Hague, Rochelle Neil as Annie Carbey, Amy Manson as Maladie, Zackary Momoh as Doctor Horatio Cousens, Eleanor Tomlinson as Mary Brighton, Nick Frost as Declan Orrun, and Ben Chaplin as Inspector Frank Mundi. [4] [5] One month later, Elizabeth Berrington, Viola Prettejohn, Anna Devlin, Kiran Sonia Sawar, and Ella Smith were all cast in main roles Lucy Best, Myrtle Haplisch, Primrose Chattaway, Harriet Kaur, and Desirée Blodgett. Also in August, Martyn Ford was cast in their recurring role of Nicolas Perbal, also known as Odium. [7]

In the fifth episode, the character Effie Boyle is introduced. Effie is revealed to be one of Maladie's victims, with the Effie seen in the episode being Maladie herself in disguise. In order to create the illusion of Maladie posing as Effie, Amy Manson wore makeup and a fat suit, with the look altered in postproduction using computer-generated imagery. In an attempt to fool the audience, a fake name "Margaret Tuttle" was added to IMDb as the actress playing Effie. [18] [19] Executive producers include Bernadette Caulfield, Jane Espenson, and Doug Petrie. Espenson and Petrie, who worked with Whedon on Buffy the Vampire Slayer , served as writers. [20] Laurie Penny is also part of the series' writing staff. [21] Gemma Jackson serves as production designer. [22] Academy Award winner Christine Blundell served as the hair and makeup designer. She said that inspiration came from modern-day punk in order to help with the visual world of the series. [23] In June 2021, HBO announced that Andrew Bernstein had joined the series as an executive producer and director. [24]

Filming

On July 4, 2019, Whedon announced that principal photography had started, with filming occurring in London. [20] [25] In July 2019, it was reported that scenes had been filmed at Trinity Church Square, [26] and in the New Wimbledon Theatre area. [27] In August 2019, scenes were filmed at Chatham Historic Dockyard in Kent. [28] In late January 2020, shooting took place at Joyce Grove, an Oxfordshire country house estate in the Jacobean style. The building will double as The Orphanage. [29] Due to the lack of available studio space in London, HBO worked with Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London and the British Film Commission, to find warehouse spaces and old industrial spaces in which they could base the production. [30]

The series completed production on the first five of its ten-episode order before production was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [31] Filming resumed in September and production was completed by the end of October. [32] In February 2021, Bloys confirmed that the first season would consist of 10 episodes that would be broken into two airing blocks, due to the production shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. [33] The season's episode count was then extended to 12 episodes. [34]

Production on the final six episodes of the first season began in June 2021 in the UK [35] with filming completed by December 2021. [36]

Writing

Speaking to the break in the release schedule between episodes six and seven due to production issues, HBO and HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys stated, "And there was kind of a natural narrative break at six. So that was the thought then was to air six episodes. So at least we had something to put out there for subscribers and fans." Bloys also said that Goslett and her team of writers are working through the second batch of scripts now and "we'll get a better sense of timing" when those will air as "the weeks go on." [33] In March 2021, it was clarified that the first season was extended from 10 to 12 episodes, with the second part of the first season also consisting of 6 episodes. [34] Vanessa Armstrong of Syfy.com wrote that star Laura Donnelly thought the script for the series' sixth episode was "so bonkers" that she "initially thought that they got sent the wrong script." [37]

Whedon's departure

On November 25, 2020, Whedon announced that he was stepping down from the series citing various reasons for his decision in "this year of unprecedented challenges." In a released statement, he explained that the taxing nature of working on such a project during the coronavirus pandemic had taken a toll on his energy levels and confirmed rumors that he would be officially exiting the series. [38] On January 28, 2021, British screenwriter Philippa Goslett was announced as the new showrunner. [39] In response to the accusations of workplace harassment against Whedon on his prior projects, Bloys stated, "We had no complaints or no reports of inappropriate behavior" regarding his work on The Nevers. [33] Nevertheless, Whedon's involvement was not acknowledged in the marketing of the series, although he was still properly credited for his work. [40] [41] Afterwards, series regular Denis O'Hare, who portrays Doctor Edmund Hague, noted that he was unaware of the misconduct allegations aimed at Whedon at the time and said that the whole cast was worried about the continued filming of the first season. O'Hare did praise Goslett, calling the new showrunner "the exact right choice" and saying, "I think there's some writing staff that's remaining the same. Whenever they're changing a writer, let alone a showrunner, you don't know what's going to happen to your character." [42] [43]

Cancellation

On December 12, 2022, HBO canceled the series after one season and announced it would be pulled from the HBO Max library. It was also reported that the series, including the remaining six unaired episodes, may stream on another platform. [44] [45] Deadline reported that the storyline was "crafted in a way that it concludes with Season 1B". [46] In January 2023, it was confirmed that all 12 episodes would be available on Warner Bros. Discovery's FAST channel on Tubi beginning that year, [47] later specified to be February 13 for episodes 1–5, February 14 for episodes 6–9, and February 15 for episodes 10–12. [48]

Broadcast

The Nevers premiered on April 11, 2021, on HBO and HBO Max, and was set to consist of 12 episodes, split into two 6-episode parts. [49] The series' official trailer was released on March 23, 2021. [50] The second part of the first season premiered on February 14–15, 2023, on Tubi. [48]

Home media

The first season, part one, was released on October 5, 2021, on Blu-ray and DVD. [51]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 48% based on reviews from 69 critics, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Despite strong performances and stellar production design, The Nevers struggles to stitch its slew of intriguing components into a solid show." [52] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 57 out of 100 based on 28 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [53] Ed Cumming of The Independent gave the series three stars out of five, calling it "overstuffed junk shop of ideas" and disliked too many "themes of alienation and acceptance unfold amid horse-drawn chases, expensive special effects, high-society orgies, corset brawls, and wainscoting aplenty." [54] BBC Online's Scott Bryan called it "just a bit too weighted down." [55] Wenlei Ma of News.com.au said The Nevers is "a distillation of Whedon's best and worst filmmaking impulses. It needs someone with a more disciplined eye to cut half of its many dangling threads and subplots." [56]

In a positive review by Lorraine Ali from the Los Angeles Times , she wrote, "The Nevers is a joy to watch and a thrill to follow. Supernatural realism, complex storytelling, fantastical powers and topical realties meet in this smart, suspenseful and colorful production. A litany of nuanced characters keeps this otherworldly tale grounded. Suspenseful sleuthing and action-packed battles move the story along at a rapid clip. And all the lush scenery and ambitious wardrobe along the way". [57] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter gave it a more mixed review, writing that the series is "in desperate need of focus, and as episodes progress, more and more characters are added and the connection to the richest thematic throughline becomes increasingly tenuous". However, Fienberg praised Whedon's directing, as well as the production design and costumes. [58]

Ben Travers of IndieWire criticized the series, saying "The Nevers' inconsistencies can make for a maddening viewing experience — sending you from the edge of your seat to sprawled out on the floor, trying to find your eyes after they rolled out of your head — and far too many parts make zero sense whatsoever." However, Travers went on to say that he would continue watching it and that even though Joss Whedon left the show during production, he had left his mark on it. [59] A three-star review on The Guardian called the series a "mess, within and without" and compared it to Enola Holmes and Penny Dreadful . [60] Darren Franich of Entertainment thought "True" made the series much more interesting, saying "the sixth episode of The Nevers is the troubled HBO drama's best hour yet", but also noted that this development in the plot may have come too late. [61]

On the transition to Tubi, the new livestreaming format was criticized. Leah Marilla Thomas of The Mary Sue called it "a bad way of distributing television" as appointment viewing is not normally "in the middle of the work day in the middle of the work/school week". [62] Adi Tantimedh of Bleeding Cool stated that outlets are not covering "the unseen episodes" as "no one is actually seeing them" given the afternoon timeslot for viewing – "the next opportunity to watch them is in March… and once again, only live". [63] Tasha Robinson, for Polygon , commented that the "limitation on finally seeing the back half of The Nevers has led to fans of the show trying to find workarounds [...]. It also means even the biggest fans are likely to watch the episodes asynchronously over time, at least until they can reliably pirate them. It's just the latest depressing blow for a series that deserved better, and never really had a chance to thrive". [64]

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of The Nevers
No.TitleAir date Rating
(18–49)
Viewers
(millions)
DVR
(18–49)
DVR viewers
(millions)
Total
(18–49)
Total viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"April 11, 20210.100.548 [9] 0.070.3650.170.913 [65]
2"Exposure"April 18, 20210.120.561 [10] 0.080.5280.201.089 [66]
3"Ignition"April 25, 20210.060.448 [11] 0.110.5350.170.983 [67]
4"Undertaking"May 2, 20210.070.515 [12] 0.110.5120.181.027 [68]
5"Hanged"May 9, 20210.090.570 [13] 0.100.4730.191.043 [69]
6"True"May 16, 20210.080.552 [14] 0.110.5580.191.110 [14]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef(s)
Visual Effects Society Awards 2022 Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode Johnny Han, Jack Geist, Justin Mitchell, Emanuel Fuchs, Michael Dawson (for "Ignition")Nominated [70]
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project David Stopford, Michele Stocco, Mike Hsu, Justin MitchellNominated
2024 Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project Christian Leitner, Bernd Nalbach, Sebastian Plank, Martin Wellstein (for " It's a Good Day"; Robot Dog)Nominated [71]

Related Research Articles

<i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> American supernatural TV series (1997–2003)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name, also written by Whedon, although they are separate and otherwise unrelated productions. Whedon served as executive producer and showrunner under his production tag Mutant Enemy Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joss Whedon</span> American filmmaker and writer

Joseph Hill Whedon is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) and its spinoff Angel (1999–2004), the short-lived space Western Firefly (2002), the Internet musical miniseries Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008), the science fiction drama Dollhouse (2009–2010), the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020), and the science fiction drama The Nevers (2021).

<i>Firefly</i> (TV series) American space Western television series

Firefly is an American space Western drama television series, created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters living aboard Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charisma Carpenter</span> American actress

Charisma Carpenter is an American actress. She played Cordelia Chase in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–1999) and its spin-off series Angel (1999–2004). She also starred as Kyra in Charmed (2004), Kendall Casablancas in Veronica Mars (2005–2006), Rebecca Sewell in The Lying Game (2012–2013), and Lacy in The Expendables film series (2010–2012).

Faith (<i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i>) Character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Faith Lehane is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Played by actress Eliza Dushku, Faith was introduced in the third season of Buffy and was a focus of that season's overarching plot. She returned for shorter story arcs on Buffy and its spin-off, Angel. The character's story is continued in the comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, and she also appears in apocryphal material such as other comic books and novels. Faith was set to receive her own spin-off television series after the final season of Buffy, but Eliza Dushku declined the offer, and the series was never made. The character later co-stars in the 25-issue comic book Angel & Faith beginning in August 2011 under the banner of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine, the story taking place mostly in London and the surrounding area. Seven years after the character's creation, Whedon granted her the surname Lehane for a role-playing game and subsequent material. The last issue of Season Eight was the first source officially confirmed to be canon that referred to Faith by her full name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Acker</span> American actress (born 1976)

Amy Louise Acker is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Winifred Burkle and Illyria on the supernatural drama series Angel (2001–2004), as Kelly Peyton on the action drama series Alias (2005–2006), and as Root on the science-fiction drama series Person of Interest (2012–2016). From 2017 to 2019, she starred as Caitlin Strucker on the superhero drama series The Gifted, based on Marvel Comics' X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Espenson</span> American television writer and producer

Jane Espenson is an American television writer and producer.

<i>Dollhouse</i> (TV series) American television series

Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon under Mutant Enemy Productions. It premiered on February 13, 2009, on the Fox network and was canceled on November 11, 2009. The final episode aired on January 29, 2010. Production wrapped in December 2009, with a total of 27 episodes produced including the original pilot.

<i>Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog</i> 2008 superhero musical comedy drama miniseries in three acts

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a 2008 musical comedy-drama miniseries in three acts, produced exclusively for Internet distribution. Filmed and set in Los Angeles, the show tells the story of Dr. Horrible, an aspiring supervillain; Captain Hammer, his superheroic nemesis; and Penny, a charity worker and their shared love interest.

Zachary Adam Whedon is an American screenwriter, film director, and comic book writer.

<i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the American supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer originally aired between March 10 and June 2, 1997, on The WB. Conceived as a mid-season replacement, the season consists of twelve episodes, each running approximately 45 minutes in length, and originally aired on Mondays at 9:00 pm ET.

<i>Angel</i> (season 5) Season of television series

The fifth and final season of the television series Angel, the spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, premiered on October 1, 2003 on The WB and concluded its 22-episode season and its television run on May 19, 2004. The season aired on Wednesdays at 9:00 pm ET. This is the only season of Angel to air following the finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Tubi is an American over-the-top content platform and ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation since 2020. The service was launched on April 1, 2014, and is based in Los Angeles, California. In January 2021, Tubi reached 33 million monthly active users. As of September 2023, it had 74 million monthly active users.

Euphoria is an American teen drama television series created and principally written by Sam Levinson for HBO and based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin. The series stars Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira, Nika King, Storm Reid, Hunter Schafer, Algee Smith and Sydney Sweeney in main roles. The series follows Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a troubled teenage drug addict who struggles to get sober, find her place in the world, and adjust to her relationships after rehab. Though Rue is the central focus of the show, the beginning of most episodes provides backstories for the rest of the main characters.

"Pilot" is the series premiere of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers. The episode was written and directed by the series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon, his first television writing credit since the series premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. It originally aired on HBO on April 11, 2021, and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

"Exposure" is the second episode of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers. The episode was directed by the series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon and written by executive producer Jane Espenson, who previously worked with Whedon on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse. It originally aired on HBO on April 18, 2021 and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

"Ignition" is the third episode of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers. The episode was directed by David Semel and written by producer Kevin Lau. It originally aired on HBO on April 25, 2021 and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

"Undertaking" is the fourth episode of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers. The episode was directed by David Semel and written by Madhuri Shekar. It originally aired on HBO on May 2, 2021 and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

"Hanged" is the fifth episode of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers. The episode was directed by series creator Joss Whedon and written by Melissa Iqbal. It originally aired on HBO on May 9, 2021, and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

"True" is the sixth episode of the American science fiction drama television series The Nevers, serving as the last episode of the first part of the first season. The episode was directed by Zetna Fuentes and written by executive producer Jane Espenson. It originally aired on HBO on May 16, 2021, and also was available on HBO Max on the same date.

References

  1. 1 2 "New Joss Whedon Sci-Fi Series Coming to HBO". HBO. July 13, 2018. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Andreeva, Nellie (April 23, 2019). "'The Nevers': Laura Donnelly To Star In Joss Whedon's HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  3. Bojalad, Alec (May 16, 2021). "The Nevers Part 1 Finale Is The Most Surprising Hour of TV in a Long Time". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Petski, Denise (July 30, 2019). "'The Nevers': Joss Whedon's HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series Adds 12 To Cast". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Hibberd, James (July 30, 2019). "Joss Whedon's HBO sci-fi drama The Nevers casts 12 actors". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  6. Maas, Jennifer (May 9, 2021). "'The Nevers' Star Amy Manson Reveals the Secrets Behind Maladie's Hanging Gambit". The Wrap. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Petski, Denise (August 15, 2019). "'The Nevers': Joss Whedon's HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series Adds 6 To Cast". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  8. Radish, Christina (May 16, 2021). "'The Nevers' Stars Nick Frost, Rochelle Neil and Vinnie Heaven on Characters You Don't Want to Mess With". Collider. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (April 13, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.11.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (April 20, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.18.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (April 27, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.25.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (May 4, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.2.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  13. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (May 11, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.9.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  14. 1 2 3 Berman, Marc (May 17, 2021). "Sunday Ratings: ABC and CBS Share Dominance". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  15. Goldberg, Lesley (July 13, 2018). "Joss Whedon Sci-Fi Drama Ordered Straight to Series at HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  16. Holloway, Daniel (July 13, 2018). "HBO Lands Joss Whedon Sci-Fi Series 'The Nevers'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  17. Yehl, Joshua (July 21, 2018). "Joss Whedon Explains Title of His HBO Series, The Nevers - Comic-Con 2018". IGN . Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  18. Maas, Jennifer (May 9, 2021). "'The Nevers' Star Amy Manson Reveals the Secrets Behind Maladie's Hanging Gambit". TheWrap . Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  19. "Margaret Tuttle - IMDb". IMDb . Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  20. 1 2 Flook, Ray (July 4, 2019). ""The Nevers": Joss Whedon Signals Start on Upcoming HBO Sci-Fi Drama". Bleeding Cool . Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  21. Johnston, Rich (July 12, 2019). "Talking to Laurie Penny About the Switch From British Politics to Hollywood". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  22. Sherlock, Ben (May 25, 2019). "The Nevers: Everything We Know (So Far) About Joss Whedon's New HBO Series". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  23. "The Nevers: Inside a Night at the Opera - HBO". YouTube . April 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  24. White, Peter (June 3, 2021). "'The Nevers': Andrew Bernstein Joins HBO Drama As Director & Exec Producer". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  25. Maas, Jennifer; Maglio, Tony (April 15, 2019). "Jordan Peele's 'Lovecraft Country,' Joss Whedon's 'The Nevers' to Begin Filming This Summer". The Wrap. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  26. "The Nevers: HBO films sci-fi drama in Trinity Church Square". London SE1. July 17, 2019. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  27. Krause, Riley (July 24, 2019). "TV crews have set up shop in Wimbledon to film a new HBO show". Wimbledon Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  28. Dixon, Rachel (August 2, 2019). "Stolen cockatoo was filming The Nevers produced by HBO when she was taken from Holiday Inn Rochester". Kent Online. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  29. "Joyce Grove used as location for American TV series". Henley Standard. January 26, 2020. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  30. Mueller, Matt (September 3, 2019). "The space race: what next for UK studios and inward investment?". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  31. Radish, Christina (June 22, 2020). "James Norton on the Timeliness of 'Mr. Jones' and Working with Joss Whedon on HBO's 'The Nevers'". Collider. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  32. Bui, Hoai-Tran (October 22, 2020). "'The Nevers': Joss Whedon's New Show is "Complicated and Fresh," According to Star Nick Frost". /Film . Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  33. 1 2 3 Maas, Jennifer; Baysinger, Tim (February 10, 2021). "HBO Received 'No Complaints' About Joss Whedon Before He Exited 'The Nevers,' Casey Bloys Says". TheWrap. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  34. 1 2 "HBO Drama Series THE NEVERS Debuts April 11" (Press release). WarnerMedia. March 23, 2021. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  35. Maas, Jennifer (June 28, 2021). "HBO's 'The Nevers' Begins Production on Season 1B, New Episodes to Debut in 2022 (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  36. Skelly, Ann [@anngskelly] (December 18, 2021). "Season 1 wrapped! ☂️ ⚡️ #TheNevers Shot by the brilliant @anthonymarksaul 📸" . Retrieved December 13, 2022 via Instagram.
  37. Armstrong, Vanessa (May 18, 2021). "The Nevers mid-season finale was so bonkers Laura Donnelly initially thought she got sent 'the wrong script'". Syfy. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  38. White, Peter (November 25, 2020). "Joss Whedon Exits HBO Sci-Fi Drama 'The Nevers'". Deadline . Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  39. Porter, Rick (January 28, 2021). "HBO's 'The Nevers' Finds Showrunner to Replace Joss Whedon". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  40. Schaefer, Sandy (February 11, 2021). "Joss Whedon Scrubbed From The Nevers Marketing as Buffy Cast Speaks Out". CBR. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  41. Goldberg, Leslie (February 10, 2021). "HBO and HBO Max Chief Details 'Game of Thrones' Expansion Plans". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  42. Prosser, Keegan (June 16, 2021). "The Nevers Star Comments on Joss Whedon's Dismissal". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  43. Drum, Nicole (June 14, 2021). "The Nevers Star Dennis O'Hare Speaks Out on Joss Whedon's Departure". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  44. Maas, Jennifer (December 12, 2022). "'Westworld,' 'The Nevers' to Be Pulled From HBO Max". Variety. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  45. Zogbi, Emily (December 13, 2022). "The Nevers Officially Canceled, Pulled From HBO Max". CBR . Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  46. Andreeva, Nellie (December 12, 2022). "'Westworld' & 'The Nevers' Pulled Off HBO Max, Marking Victorian Drama's Formal End". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  47. Mitovich, Matt Webb (January 31, 2023). "Westworld, The Nevers (All 12 Episodes) and Other HBO Max Castoffs to Stream Free on Roku and Tubi — Find Out When". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  48. 1 2 Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 10, 2023). "The Nevers: Get Release Dates for All 12 Episodes on Tubi, Including 6 New Ones — Plus, Scoop on What's Ahead!". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  49. Hibberd, James (February 10, 2021). "HBO boss breaks silence on Game of Thrones plans, Joss Whedon controversy, more". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  50. Hersko, Tyler (March 23, 2021). "'The Nevers' Trailer: Victorian Era Gets Superhuman Twist in Joss Whedon-Created HBO Series". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  51. Lovell, Kevin (July 20, 2021). "'The Nevers: Season 1 Part 1'; Arrives On Blu-ray & DVD October 5, 2021 From HBO – Warner Bros". Screen-Connections. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  52. "The Nevers: Season 1 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  53. "The Nevers: Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  54. Cumming, Ed (May 17, 2021). "The Nevers is an overstuffed junk shop of ideas – review" . The Independent. Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  55. Bryan, Scott (May 20, 2021). "The Nevers: What the Must Watch reviewers think". BBC. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  56. Ma, Wenlei (April 12, 2021). "Joss Whedon's The Nevers is thrilling and overstuffed". News.com.au. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  57. Ali, Lorraine (April 4, 2021). "Review: 'The Nevers' is HBO's next great fantasy series". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  58. Fienberg, Daniel (April 5, 2021). "'The Nevers': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  59. Travers, Ben (April 8, 2021). "'The Nevers' Review: Joss Whedon's HBO Fantasy Series Is Messy, Maddening — and Kind of a Hoot". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  60. Mangan, Lucy (May 17, 2021). "The Nevers review – not even magical aliens can save this cursed mess". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  61. Franich, Darren (May 17, 2021). "'The Nevers' just got so much better. Is it too late?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  62. Thomas, Leah Marilla (February 15, 2023). "How To Watch 'The Nevers' On Tubi". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  63. Tantimedh, Adi (February 15, 2023). "The Nevers: HBO Max Cancelling Series Now Feels Like Mercy Killing". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  64. Robinson, Tasha (February 18, 2023). "The Nevers never had a chance — and it still doesn't". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  65. Berman, Marc (April 12, 2021). "Sunday Ratings: ABC and CBS Share Depressed Leadership". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  66. Berman, Marc (April 19, 2021). "Sunday Ratings: 'The Academy of Country Music Awards' Leads CBS to Victory". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  67. Pucci, Douglas (April 25, 2021). "The 93rd Oscars as the First Academy Awards of the Pandemic — How Many Will Watch?". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  68. Berman, Marc (May 3, 2021). "Sunday Ratings: ABC and CBS Split Dominance; Return of 'D.C.'s Legends of Tomorrow' Left at The CW Starting Gate". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  69. Berman, Marc (May 8, 2021). "Friday Ratings: CBS and Fox Share Diluted Leadership". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  70. Tangcay, Jazz (January 18, 2022). "'Dune' and 'Encanto' Lead Visual Effects Society Nominations". Variety . Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  71. Giardina, Carolyn (January 16, 2024). "'The Creator' Leads Visual Effects Society Feature Competition With 7 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2024.