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“Everybody who’s in Episode 2 take a step forward. Not so fast, Griffiths.”
NBC is writing a lead character out of Constantine after the pilot episode and replacing her with a different character from the comics. Lucy Griffiths (True Blood) played Liv, the daughter of one of Constantine’s oldest friends. The previous synopsis and trailer made it clear the original plan was to have a long character arc wherein Constantine would protect his dead friend’s daughter: “The show will feature Constantine as he tries to protect the daughter of one of his oldest friends from demons now that she’s discovered her ‘second sight’, an ability to see into the hidden, supernatural world.”
It’s not unheard of for studios to replace actors after the pilot, although they usually cast a different actor as the same character rather than axing a lead entirely. This time they’re replacing Liv with a character fans of Hellblazer will recognize: Zed, the woman who was Constantine’s lover and (later on) a pagan sorceress.
THR says Zed will appear early in the series, and other familiar characters will follow later. THR chalks this up to the show’s creators wanting to “move in a different direction”, but EW spoke to Constantine‘s executive producer Daniel Cerone for a more detailed explanation.
“When you put a wide-eyed innocent [like Liv] into that world, she’s just very reactive. […] One of the coolest things about Constantine he doesn’t have any ‘powers.’ He came out of a time with all these superheroes with their garish colors and flashy powers, and he just comes out with a rumpled coat, wearing browns and greys, and he just knows a lot magic and spells, but it’s all knowledge-based. Anything he can do is based in knowledge and his own studying. Zed is actually one of the first women Constantine meets in the comic books, and she has various psychic powers. We felt ultimately she’s going to service the first season better as someone to pair Constantine up with. She can get in his face a little bit and have some of her own realizations and skills and really push him. But if whoever Constantine is working with is constantly on her heels, that just wouldn’t service the show really well.”
On the one hand, Zed does seem like a more interesting character to pair with Constantine. On the other hand, the series premiere is just a few months away — 10 pm Fridays starting October 24th — and NBC made a deal to air the pilot or pay a penalty. They’re under no obligation to air the additional episodes they ordered. And any work they’ve done on those episodes is being scrapped now. They haven’t even cast Zed yet. Hopefully, they’re not going to scuttle this whole thing with last-minute changes. I keep saying it again and again: NBC, please don’t The Cape this thing.
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Why is he grabbing her boob and will this lead to an escalation of boob grabbing on television? I suggest we start with the female cast of Modern Family. Let’s do this thing.
Hes a muse of Frank Costanza.
NBC – Britta-ing shows since 1998.
That makes them a pretty good pairing with DC then, all things considered. Both companies seem to only make good decisions by accident.
I can’t stress this enough: GOOD. You don’t need to make up a fuckin’ character for a series based on literally hundreds of comics with hundreds of characters just to appeal to some piece of shit rubes that get drawn in by damsel in distress with powers stories (I’m looking at you, Skye), taking the focus away from the main character and actual arcs that were well done in the first place.
Your parents must be so disappointed in you.
CottonCandy, why are you so bitter?
You got to love how NBC just meddles with stuff over and over until they break it. Stupid network.
I watched the pilot the other day. The girl was a better actor than all the guys.
It looks okay. NBC will screw it up like they do every year.
How is it everyone on this thread has seen the pilot except for me? That is grossly unfair. I demand Alison Brie as compensation.
Wow. A rare good call by the studio. Anyone who watched the pilot and didn’t think she was the glaring weak link needs a quick trip to the optometrist. She was god awful. I guess someone must have told her she looked like Zooey Deschanel and so she proceed to mimic her slack-jawed shock-face at every opportunity. She was totally out of place for the show.
Now all they need to do is tighten up the scipt and hire a better director and/or cinematographer.
Where did you see the pilot? Was it online? Or are you ‘connected’? Is it possible that NBC will have 2 good dramas on at the same time?
“We love this Constantine idea, but what if it didn’t have this sarcastic British guy in the trenchcoat?”*
*Walking Dead’d
Whatever, I’ll still give it a shot