Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
The afternoon at Netflix TCA press tour was comprised of the returning series Narcos and Black Mirror and the next Marvel series Luke Cage. Here’s what we learned about what’s coming up on each show.
Black Mirror returns in the fall with six new episodes, which is more than the usual three episodes per season so, yay! Executive producers Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones shared that Parks and Recreation and Master of None exec producer Mike Schur and Rashida Jones wrote one of the six episodes, which is about identity and “is quite playful and nightmarish.” Brooker found out they were fans of the show and he’s a fan of their work as well. Brooker said the story idea was his but Schur and Jones ran with it.
Brooker said the six episodes are all different: “The stories are about the modern age we live in, not necessarily about the tech.” Brooker said his previous job as a videogame journalist means he’s always reading up on the latest gadgets and whatnot. Asked if they’d ever consider revisiting previous stories, both Brooker and Jones say that’s not something they want to do but, Brooker said, “We may think about bringing back certain characters.”
Asked how they come up with story ideas, Brooker explained, “Topics come up in conversation.” Jones added, “If Charlie laughs and I cry, we know we have a good story.”
[Black Mirror is set to debut on October 21.]
The Luke Cage crew just made their first appearance at San Diego Comic-Con last week and this was their first TCA panel. Marvel head of TV Jeph Loeb was asked if Luke Cage would cross over to the Marvel movie universe and Loeb seems to have his eye on the prize, saying that the TV series come first. More seasons of Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Daredevil in the works and new Marvel series Iron Fist and Defenders are also in the pipeline. This makes for the high class problem of scheduling, and Loeb’s primary concern is making sure the TV show trains are running on time.
Showrunner/executive producer Cheo Coker talked about the influence of music on the series. Coker’s background as a music journalist combines with his lifetime love of comic books, so expect Luke Cage to have a musical quality as well. Coker said, “Each episode bears the title of a Gang Starr song and the season one episodes form an album.”
Coker also acknowledged that many members of the hip-hop community are huge comic book fans so the connection makes sense. Coker continued, “Yes, we’re a hardcore genre show. You can come in as a comic geek, a hip hop geek, or someone who loves mysteries. Thee show bears repeated viewing and is suited to Netflix for watching with no commercials.”
As for the man who plays Luke Cage, Mike Colter said, “It’s important in the landscape of TV to play a black superhero and have positive images. I think we’ve told a unique story. I hope the black community can feel good about it as well.”
Cheo Coker added, “Luke Cage came out in 1972, the year I was born. The character was always Marvel’s response to blaxploitation. We get to have swagger. A compelling hero and compelling villains. We spruced it up a little bit with music. You’ll have fun.”
As for playing a man whose super strength makes him almost indestructible, Mike Colter said he got used to the feeling of fake bullets being shot at him, “but one time I forgot my earplugs and that really hurt.”
Also on the music tip, Coker has an all-star lineup of talent contributing music including an original song from Jidenna, a Mary J. Blige song, and tons of needle drops from artists as wide-ranging as Johnny Lee Hooker and Mahalia Jackson. Coker said, “I wanted the show to have the breadth of black music with a modern feel. Like (deejay) Frankie Crocker’s shows had.” Coker also mentioned that there will be a vinyl album of the show’s music released at some point.
[Marvel’s Luke Cage debuts September 30th.]
The abbreviated Narcos panel with Wagner Moura and executive producers Jose Padilha and Eric Newman teased a few things about the new season, but they were careful to avoid spoilers. Padilha reminded everyone, “The show is about cocaine. Not just Pablo Escobar.” Eric Newman said that when they’re asked how long the show can continue after Escobar dies, “We like to stay we’ll stop when the cocaine stops.”
Wagner Moura says season two is “much more character driven. Pablo was a family man, completely in love with his wife and kids. He died for them. We wanted to show the gray zone between good and bad. You’ll see a very vulnerable Escobar as he has to deal with his loss of power, family problems and being chased instead of being the one chasing people. In the end, Pablo knew what would happen to him. He wanted to be loved & accepted. He wanted to be President of Colombia.”
Narcos Season Two drops September 2.
[Watch Season One of Narcos on Netflix]
[Photos: Netflix]
