Strange Angel
| Strange Angel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Historical period drama |
| Created by | Mark Heyman |
| Based on | Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons by George Pendle |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Daniel Hart |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 17 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 46–54 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | CBS All Access |
| Release | June 14, 2018 – July 25, 2019 |
Strange Angel is an American historical drama television series that premiered on June 14, 2018, on CBS All Access. The series is based on the biography of Thelemic magician and scientist Jack Parsons (Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons by George Pendle), and was created by Mark Heyman, who also executive produces and writes for the show. On October 29, 2018, it was announced that CBS All Access had renewed the series for a second season that premiered on June 13, 2019.[1] In November 2019, the series was canceled after two seasons.[2]
Premise
[edit]Strange Angel follows "Jack Parsons, a brilliant and ambitious blue-collar worker of 1930s Los Angeles who started as a janitor at a chemical factory but had fantastical dreams that led him to birth the unknown discipline of American rocketry. Along the way, he fell into a mysterious world that included sex magic rituals at night, and he became a disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley. Parsons used Crowley's teachings of self-actualization to support his unimaginable and unprecedented endeavor to the stars."[3]
Cast and characters
[edit]Main
[edit]- Jack Reynor as Jack Parsons
- Bella Heathcote as Susan Parsons
- Peter Mark Kendall as Richard Onsted
- Greg Wise as Alfred Miller, the magus
- Rupert Friend as Ernest Donovan
- Rade Šerbedžija as Prof. Filip Mešulam
- Zack Pearlman as Samson Hunt
- Keye Chen as Gui Chiang
- Laine Neil as Patty Byrne (season 2; recurring season 1), Susan's younger half-sister.
Recurring
[edit]- Michael Gaston as Virgil Byrne, Susan's step-father.
- Dan Donohue as Professor John Tillman
- Karl Makinen as General Braxton
- Amara Zaragoza as Joan
- Rob Zabrecky as The Minder
- Louis Mustillo as Humphrey
- Randy Oglesby as Father Shelby
- Veronica Osorio as Marisol
- Elena Satine as Maggie Donovan
- Phil Abrams as Professor Gilford Crompton
- David Wells as Professor George Cleveland
- Kerry O'Malley as Mrs. Byrne, Susan's mother.
- Travina Springer as Alice
- Hope Davis as Ruth Parsons, Jack's mother.
- Colleen Foy as Cassandra
- Lyliana Wray as Young Susan
- Stewart Skelton as Provost
- Todd Stashwick as Marvel Parsons, Jack's father.
- Josh Zuckerman as Marvin Nickels
Guest
[edit]- Eugene Cordero as Pueblo Powder Company Employee ("Augurs of Spring")
- Texas Battle as Murphy ("Ritual of the Rival Tribes")
- Michael Spellman as Earl Kynett ("The Sage")
- Michael Balin as Aleister Crowley ("The Sacrificial Dance")
- Angus Macfadyen as Aleister Crowley ("The Magus")
- Daniel Abeles as L. Ron Hubbard ("Aeon")
Episodes
[edit]| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | June 14, 2018 | August 16, 2018 | |
| 2 | 7 | June 13, 2019 | July 25, 2019 | |
Season 1 (2018)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Augurs of Spring" | David Lowery | Mark Heyman | June 14, 2018 |
| 2 | 2 | "Ritual of Abduction" | David Lowery | Mark Heyman | June 21, 2018 |
| 3 | 3 | "Ritual of the Rival Tribes" | Tucker Gates | Allison Miller | June 28, 2018 |
| 4 | 4 | "The Sage" | Nelson McCormick | David DiGilio | July 5, 2018 |
| 5 | 5 | "Dance of the Earth" | Matt Shakman | Dana Adam Shapiro | July 12, 2018 |
| 6 | 6 | "The Mystic Circle of Young Girls" | Ben Wheatley | Silka Luisa | July 19, 2018 |
| 7 | 7 | "Glorification of the Chosen One" | Meera Menon | John Lopez | July 26, 2018 |
| 8 | 8 | "Evocation of the Elders" | Steph Green | David Wiener | August 2, 2018 |
| 9 | 9 | "Sacrament of the Ancestors" | Ernest R. Dickerson | Mark Heyman | August 9, 2018 |
| 10 | 10 | "The Sacrificial Dance" | Kate Dennis | Mark Heyman | August 16, 2018 |
Season 2 (2019)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "The Fool" | Ben Wheatley | Mark Heyman | June 13, 2019 |
| 12 | 2 | "The Magus" | Ben Wheatley | Teleplay by : Sarah Byrd & Mark Heyman Story by : Sarah Byrd | June 20, 2019 |
| 13 | 3 | "The Lovers" | Mark Heyman | David DiGilio | June 27, 2019 |
| 14 | 4 | "The Wheel of Fortune" | Sarah Boyd | John Lopez | July 4, 2019 |
| 15 | 5 | "The Hanged Man" | Christina Choe | Teleplay by : Dana Adam Shapiro Story by : Dana Adam Shapiro & Sarah Byrd | July 11, 2019 |
| 16 | 6 | "The Tower" | Sylvain White | Dagny Atencio Looper | July 18, 2019 |
| 17 | 7 | "Aeon" | Brooke Kennedy | Mark Heyman | July 25, 2019 |
Production
[edit]
Development
[edit]On October 15, 2014, it was reported that Mark Heyman was writing a television series adaptation of Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons by George Pendle for AMC. The series was set to be produced by Ridley Scott and his Scott Free Productions through their first-look deal at the network.[4] By 2016, the series had advanced as far as setting up a writers room and producing multiple scripts for series consideration. AMC ultimately did not proceed with the production.[5]
On August 1, 2017, the project was ordered to series by CBS All Access. The scripts completed for the series while under development at AMC were expected to be utilized after a deal was struck between CBS and AMC.[5] On December 11, 2017, it was reported that the production had been selected to receive California tax credits with the series' credit being around $7.846 million.[6][7]
On April 19, 2018, it was announced that the series was set to premiere on June 14, 2018. The first season, consisting of ten episodes, was expected to see each episode released weekly on Thursdays.[8] On October 29, 2018, it was announced that CBS All Access had renewed the series for a second season.[9] On December 10, 2018, it was reported that the second season would receive $10.6 million in tax credits from the state of California.[10]
On April 18, 2019, it was announced that the second season would premiere on June 13, 2019.[1] On November 26, 2019, CBS All Access canceled the series after two seasons.[2]
Casting
[edit]On January 5, 2018, it was announced that Jack Reynor had been cast in the series lead role of Jack Parsons.[3][11][12][13] On January 17, 2018, it was announced that Rupert Friend had joined the main cast in the role of Ernest Donovan.[14] On February 13, 2018, it was announced that Bella Heathcote had been cast in the series' lead female role of Susan Parsons.[15] On February 16, 2018, it was reported that six actors had been added to the series' cast including Peter Mark Kendall, Michael Gaston, Greg Wise, Rade Šerbedžija, Zack Pearlman, and Keye Chen.[16] In March 2018, it was announced that Laine Neil and Elena Satine had joined the series in recurring roles.[17][18] On April 4, 2018, it was reported that Karl Makinen was joining the series a recurring capacity.[19] On April 23, 2019, Laine Neil was promoted to series regular for season 2.[20]
Release
[edit]Marketing
[edit]The first trailer for the series was released alongside a promotional poster on May 1, 2018.[21] On May 23, 2018, a second trailer was released.[22]
Premiere
[edit]On June 4, 2018, the series held its official premiere at the Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The event was attended by cast members, including Jack Reynor, Bella Heathcote, Zack Pearlman, Elena Satine, Keye Chen, Greg Wise, and Rupert Friend.[23]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 71% approval rating with an average rating of 6.59 out of 10 based on 17 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "A beautiful slow burn, Strange Angel shoots for the stars, but gets a little lost in its own orbit."[24] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 58 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[25]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Season Two of CBS All Access' "Strange Angel" to Premiere Thursday, June 13". The Futon Critic. April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (November 26, 2019). "'Strange Angel' Canceled By CBS All Access After Two Seasons". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (January 5, 2018). "'Strange Angel': Jack Reynor To Star In CBS All Access Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 15, 2014). "'Skeleton Twins' Scribe Mark Heyman To Write 'Strange Angel' For Scott Free, AMC". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (August 2, 2017). "CBS All Access Greenlights Drama Series 'Strange Angel' & '$1', First Comedy Series 'No Activity', Mulls More 'Big Brother' – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Patten, Dominic (December 11, 2017). "Ridley Scott's 'Strange Angel', 'The Orville' Season 2 & 'S.W.A.T.' Among TV Projects Receiving California Tax Credits". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ McNary, Dave (December 11, 2017). "'Ballers,' Ridley Scott's 'Strange Angel' Selected for California Production Tax Credits". Variety. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (April 19, 2018). "CBS All Access Sets Premiere Date For 'Strange Angel'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 29, 2018). "'Strange Angel' Renewed For Season 2 By CBS All Access". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- ^ Patten, Dominic (December 10, 2018). "Patrick Stewart's 'Star Trek' Series, 'Mayans M.C.' & 'Why Women Kill' Score Tax Credits From California". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "Jack Reynor to Star in CBS All Access' Strange Angel". ComingSoon.net. January 5, 2018. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ "Jack Reynor Cast as Lead in CBS All Access Original Drama STRANGE ANGEL". Broadway World. January 5, 2018. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Sokol, Tony (January 5, 2018). "Strange Angel: Jack Reynor to Lead CBS All-Access Drama". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 17, 2018). "'Strange Angel': Rupert Friend Cast In CBS All Access Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 13, 2018). "'Strange Angel': Bella Heathcote Cast As Female Lead In CBS All Access Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (February 16, 2018). "'Strange Angel': Six More Cast In CBS All Access Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (March 1, 2018). "Chosen Jacobs Joins 'Castle Rock'; 'Strange Angel' Casts Laine Neil". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (March 28, 2018). "'Strange Angel': Elena Satine Set To Recur In CBS All Access Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 4, 2018). "'American Vandal' Casts Adam Ray; Karl Makinen In 'Strange Angel'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 23, 2019). "'Strange Angel': Laine Neil Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 Of CBS All Access Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 1, 2018). "'Strange Angel': First Trailer & Key Art For CBS All Access Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (May 23, 2018). "'Strange Angel' Trailer: Rocket Science Meets The Occult In New CBS All Access Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "Scott Free Productions' Strange Angel Premieres in Hollywood at the Avalon Theater". RSA Films. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ "Strange Angel: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ "Strange Angel: Season 1". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
