Post by Jennifer on Jul 23, 2003 7:14:37 GMT -5
I c/p it from their site:
'Guardian' update
Pittsburgh-set legal drama "The Guardian" returns for its third season on Sept. 23 with a resolution to the May cliffhanger that left some viewers reeling.
James Mooney (Charles Malik Whitfield) was shot at the Legal Services of Pittsburgh office, and frustrated Nick (Simon Baker) and his father, Burton (Dabney Coleman), beat up a man who stole their parking space. Some viewers were especially upset with the latter development, but series star Raphael Sbarge defended the script by Pittsburgh native and series creator David Hollander.
"So much of what's on the dial is based on what's safe and what we already know works," Sbarge said. "This was the heroes of the show beating up a guy over a parking space, which is morally reprehensible behavior. That's not shock for shock's sake; it's based in character."
Hollander said he knew he wanted to unhinge his characters thematically last season.
"When else would they appropriately be at their wits' end than when Burton had been humiliated by Shannon's father and then rejected by Shannon and when Nick has told LuLu he loved her and was rejected. What they had left is each other and then some idiot takes their parking spot," he said. "I knew when I was filming it and when I was writing it, it was ugly, but I felt it was honest, so I lived with it."
The season premiere picks up seconds after the season finale but will wrap up the cliffhangers in short order.
"I didn't want to get into a big plot festival of the Fallins in trouble. I'm sorry I did that last year. I felt it was some of my worst writing in those first episodes," Hollander said. "This year the show is going to be very psychologically driven by what has happened, but it won't be about them getting in trouble because of what's happened. Burton does something incredibly stupid because his conscience really grabs hold of him. If you think about what the next step is for Nick, yeah, he got into that fight, but his next place is to walk into Legal Services of Pittsburgh [where James was shot], where he's going to find something that takes that whole event and washes it away."
A new female character will be introduced in Episode Two. She'll be a lawyer at Fallin & Fallin. The Nick-LuLu relationship won't be at the forefront early in the season.
"The Guardian" returns to film in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22 and will shoot some scenes in Donora for an episode titled "Big Coal". Scenes that will be inserted into the first five episodes also will be filmed on location.
"I wanted to kick off the year with Pittsburgh," Hollander said. "I love the way the show looks when we're there. It's a big amount of energy and just makes it look beautiful."
Star Wendy Moniz said she was "kind of giddy" at the reception Pittsburghers gave the cast and crew last fall. Hollander would like to return to Pittsburgh in April to film scenes for May sweeps episodes, but it will depend on the ratings.
"It really depends on the numbers," Hollander said. "If we flatten out, we won't have the oomph to pay for it."
Although the third season doesn't premiere until Sept. 23, Pittsburghers will have a chance to get a sneak peek at the first episode Sept. 13 at the Hilton Hotel Downtown. A free screening will be held at 7 p.m. preceded and followed by benefit parties for KidsVoice, the legal services organization founded by Scott Hollander, David's brother, and an inspiration for Legal Services of Pittsburgh in "The Guardian."
Series star Alan Rosenberg will attend the pre-screening reception (cost: $175) at 5:30 p.m., and a director's reception (cost: $125) with Scott Hollander will follow the show. TEXT
'Guardian' update
Pittsburgh-set legal drama "The Guardian" returns for its third season on Sept. 23 with a resolution to the May cliffhanger that left some viewers reeling.
James Mooney (Charles Malik Whitfield) was shot at the Legal Services of Pittsburgh office, and frustrated Nick (Simon Baker) and his father, Burton (Dabney Coleman), beat up a man who stole their parking space. Some viewers were especially upset with the latter development, but series star Raphael Sbarge defended the script by Pittsburgh native and series creator David Hollander.
"So much of what's on the dial is based on what's safe and what we already know works," Sbarge said. "This was the heroes of the show beating up a guy over a parking space, which is morally reprehensible behavior. That's not shock for shock's sake; it's based in character."
Hollander said he knew he wanted to unhinge his characters thematically last season.
"When else would they appropriately be at their wits' end than when Burton had been humiliated by Shannon's father and then rejected by Shannon and when Nick has told LuLu he loved her and was rejected. What they had left is each other and then some idiot takes their parking spot," he said. "I knew when I was filming it and when I was writing it, it was ugly, but I felt it was honest, so I lived with it."
The season premiere picks up seconds after the season finale but will wrap up the cliffhangers in short order.
"I didn't want to get into a big plot festival of the Fallins in trouble. I'm sorry I did that last year. I felt it was some of my worst writing in those first episodes," Hollander said. "This year the show is going to be very psychologically driven by what has happened, but it won't be about them getting in trouble because of what's happened. Burton does something incredibly stupid because his conscience really grabs hold of him. If you think about what the next step is for Nick, yeah, he got into that fight, but his next place is to walk into Legal Services of Pittsburgh [where James was shot], where he's going to find something that takes that whole event and washes it away."
A new female character will be introduced in Episode Two. She'll be a lawyer at Fallin & Fallin. The Nick-LuLu relationship won't be at the forefront early in the season.
"The Guardian" returns to film in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22 and will shoot some scenes in Donora for an episode titled "Big Coal". Scenes that will be inserted into the first five episodes also will be filmed on location.
"I wanted to kick off the year with Pittsburgh," Hollander said. "I love the way the show looks when we're there. It's a big amount of energy and just makes it look beautiful."
Star Wendy Moniz said she was "kind of giddy" at the reception Pittsburghers gave the cast and crew last fall. Hollander would like to return to Pittsburgh in April to film scenes for May sweeps episodes, but it will depend on the ratings.
"It really depends on the numbers," Hollander said. "If we flatten out, we won't have the oomph to pay for it."
Although the third season doesn't premiere until Sept. 23, Pittsburghers will have a chance to get a sneak peek at the first episode Sept. 13 at the Hilton Hotel Downtown. A free screening will be held at 7 p.m. preceded and followed by benefit parties for KidsVoice, the legal services organization founded by Scott Hollander, David's brother, and an inspiration for Legal Services of Pittsburgh in "The Guardian."
Series star Alan Rosenberg will attend the pre-screening reception (cost: $175) at 5:30 p.m., and a director's reception (cost: $125) with Scott Hollander will follow the show. TEXT
Hello Jennifer, what a wonderful article, and what great news....it should keep everybody in hot anticipation! 
...I should have known, thank you Jennifer.
...
