UPDATED: J.J. Abrams owes Ben Affleck a debt of gratitude
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:31 PM Central
by John Couture
To borrow a phrase from Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic, J.J. Abrams is on top of the world. He's pure gold when it comes to creating TV series, he injected the Mission: Impossible franchise with a shot of adrenalie, he captured the country's imagination with Cloverfield and the hopes of Paramount's most storied franchise are in his hands with next year's Star Trek.
With all these accolades both behind and ahead of him, you might find it hard to believe that I think J.J. owes Ben Affleck a debt of gratitude. But, I do. And it all comes down to a failed little TV show called Push, Nevada.
Normally, we focus our sights on the big screen, but most of you probably don't know that I toil on a personal TV blog during my restless nights. And as a TV afficionado, J.J.'s latest shows preoccupy most of my time.
And while J.J. got his start on the small screen, he is increasingly turning his attention to feature films. Of course, had it not been for Push, Nevada, then J.J. might not be a household name on the cusp of becoming responsible for making Star Trek relevant again.
You see Push, Nevada was a ground-breaking TV series in that it was the first show to actively motivate its viewers to pay close attention to detail. The plot of the series follows a federal agent who travels to a small Nevada town in search of $1 million that has gone missing. When he gets there, he runs into an odd assortment of characters and the plot predictably thickens.
The real gimmick of the show of course was that any viewer could actually win the missing $1 million by paying close attention to details and finding the location of the missing money. In each show, there was a clue buried that keen viewers used to extract information about the money's whereabouts.
Personally, Ben and company had me hook line and sinker and obviously, I wasn't the one to walk away with the money. Sadly, ABC canceled the series after just six episodes, but they felt compelled to still award the money, so series star Derek Cecil wrapped up the series during a commercial in a Monday Night Football game which basically amounted to giving out a phone number.
The first person to call in won the money. Unless you were 24-year-old New Jersey resident Mark Nakamoto, who took home the top prize, it was a pretty anticlimatic way to end a promising new way to enjoy TV.
For those of us who enjoyed the new way of watching TV, we were left afloat in a ocean of mediocre product until a plane crashed on a remote island on September 22, 2004. That plane was of course Oceanic flight 815 and J.J. Abrams gave us a new take on rewarding quizitive viewers.
Of course this time, the reward was pure knowledge and the feeling that we are getting one step closer to solving the myriad of mysteries on Lost instead of cold hard cash. At the end of the day, the promise of knowledge trumped the money.
With Lost, the creators have made the experience rich by dropping little Easter eggs along the way. The little shout outs are usually tongue in cheek and while they aren't necessary to enjoy the show on a superficial level, they add a vibrant layer of understanding to the most ardent of viewers.
These viewers, sometimes called "Losties," read deep philosophical references into the minutiae that they see onscreen and cultivate a group approach that makes Lost more of a cultural phenomenon.
This month, J.J. dropped his new show Fringe on an audience ravenous to devour a new show full of hints and hidden subtext. While the creators of Fringe promised more disposable episodes that aren't as interconnected as those on Lost and without as many Easter eggs.
Two episodes in, it seems that those promises were indeed empty at best. So far, J.J. and his cohorts are up to their old tricks with a few Easter eggs and little nuggets that only the most observant of viewers have caught. And if the ratings are any indication, viewers could care less and J.J. is well on his way to his latest hit.
Next year, J.J. brings Star Trek out of mothballs and back onto the big screen with a reboot that has the promise of being a career-defining film. So far, the early feedback and indications are pointing to a successful launch. And with Star Trek's success J.J. will reach new heights.
Of course, had Ben Affleck not brought Push, Nevada to its inevitable failure, then J.J. might not be poised right now to ascend to film's highest echelons. So, perhaps J.J. should extand a giant thanks the next time they meet, or at the very least offer him a role in his next blockbuster.
Tell us what you think of Fringe or any of the season's new T.V. series.
UPDATE: As if to bring this story to a natural and chilling full-circle, Push, Nevada star Derek Cecil guest starred in the second episode of Fringe, playing the lead role of lab rat-turned-serial killer by necessity Christopher. Sadly, his progeria catches up to him, but a telling last scene may pave the way for future guest spots from Cecil. Pure coincidence, or a telling nod from Abrams to the show that helped to pave the way for his current success?
Thanks to www.fringe-forum.com, www.fringetelevision.com and lost.cubit.net for the "borrowing" of their images.