Every time I write about Cinemax’s “Strike Back” returning for another season, I always have to include a footnote explaining that the show aired for a year in the UK with an entirely different cast, headed by Richard Armitage and future “The Walking Dead” star Andrew Lincoln. Armitage’s John Porter appears briefly at the start of the Cinemax/Sky co-produced version of the show, but Cinemax has largely treated its episodes as the start of the series, while British audiences know the series predates Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton and company.
That situation is about to change, as I’m hearing that Cinemax will be airing the six-episode Armitage season later this fall, on Fridays at 10 after the current Winchester/Stapleton season wraps.
To lessen confusion for viewers who don’t know the production backstory, the Armitage episodes will air under the title “Strike Back: Origins.”
You guys know of my fondness for the Cinemax incarnation of the show – it’s low-budget action, but smart and well-crafted – and I’ve been curious to see the earlier episodes for a while. Now I’ll get the chance.
UPDATE: Cinemax made the news official yesterday. “Strike Back: Origins” will debut on October 25. Here’s a teaser trailer, for those of you who haven’t seen that season.