Season One Spoilers & Speculation

[Alex Matthews]

GUEST STAR CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT!!

TheVPN is pleased to announce the casting of Taye Diggs ("Private Practice") and David Ramsey ("Arrow") as guest stars for the inaugural season of new crime/mystery drama, "Metropolis: Special Crimes Unit".

Taye Diggs has signed on to play the role of Dr. John Henry Irons, an engineering specialist of LexCorp, and head of a particular branch of Research and Development, who will appear for the first time in Episode 1x06: "Loyalty". Series Creator Alex Matthews had this to say on the introduction of the character: "The whole idea behind M:SCU is to allow us to see regular human characters having to deal with crimes and criminals of a decidedly non-regular disposition. Introducing the character of Dr. Irons, whose job it will become to help outfit the Special Crimes Unit with various technology and equipment to combat these threats is an exciting step forward for the development of the show." In the comics, Irons, inspired by the death of Superman, became the superhero, Steel, and went on to have a heroic career of his own, alongside his niece, Natasha. The character has already been adapted before in animated form, in both "Superman: The Animated Series" and "Justice League Unlimited".

Elizabeth Mitchell, newly announced over on sister show, "Trinity" to have signed on the play the recurring role of Dr. Serling Roquette. The Head of Genetics and the public face of Cadmus Labs, she will be making a cameo appearance, also in Episode 1x06, at a scientific conference that S.T.A.R. Labs is hosting, as part of Cadmus Labs' media campaign as it promotes itself and it's agenda to the world at large.

Finally, David Ramsey, known to viewers of the CW hit show, "Arrow" as John Diggle, sidekick and close friend to Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen, has signed on for the guest spot of Michael Holt, in Episode 1x07: "Terrific", alongside confirmed guest actor J. August Richards, of "Angel" fame. The episode will explore the effects of Lois Lane's article on the Justice Society, back in Smallville's 9th Season, has had on the world in general, discovering there have been heroes protecting them from the shadows far longer then originally realised. Ramsey's character of Holt will be coming from a very dark place, in line with the origins of his comic book counterpart, but with more hostility as he comes to Metropolis looking for revenge.

[The Doctor]

Dear god
I am super excited for this to become a reality
Steel and Michael Holt are like some of the better characters that I would have loved to see on smallville
And I can't wait to see how you portray them!

And I can't forget my girl Serling Roquette . She will be fantastic

[Alex Matthews]

MEET THE LEGAL EAGLES OF METROPOLIS!!

VSGuide goes back to the set of "Metropolis: Special Crimes Unit" to meet some of the recurring guest stars for the freshman season of the new VPNDCU drama, all 3 character being part of the Metropolis District Attorney's office.

David Conrad, formerly of "Ghost Whisperer", and soon to be also appearing in "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD", has signed on to play the recurring character of Adrian Chase, the up and coming District Attorney for Metropolis, who has come to understand, appreciate and even admire the help and assistance superheroes have come to offer the city. Series Creator Alex Matthews has this to say on the character, "He's a charmer, so David was naturally suited for the role, but also fiercely dedicated not only to punishing criminals to the full extent of the law, but also to seeing justice done right. He's a DA that Metropolis desperately needs at the moment, and he's still cleaning up the mess left by Ray Sachs, his predecessor." DC Comic books fans may be aware that the character of Adrian Chase also pursued his own costume superhero alter ego for a while, and Alex tells us that will definitely be a part of Chase's story in M:SCU "He definitely comes to believe that sometimes, the superheroes way may be quicker and easier then the SCU's way."

Kathleen Munroe, known for multiple guest appearances on a string of shows, most recently, "Haven", "Alphas" and "Stargate: Universe", will be portraying the role of Assistant District Attorney Kate Spencer. "Kate and Adrian have a lot in common regarding their interpretation of the law, although they differ a little in their approach regarding superheroes," Alex Matthews told us at the VSGuide. "Kate previously worked under Sachs, so she still has this stigma attached to her, which means interactions between her and Maggie aren't always fun-filled events. She has a lot to prove to people, and she carries that with her, it gives her a reasonably large chip on her shoulder, but she'll still do what's right and true." Like Chase, Kate Spencer also had a costumed career in the original comics, as the Manhunter, joining up briefly with Barbara Gordon's team, the Birds of Prey, but to whether this will come into play at any time, Alex is not sure, "Honestly, I love the character of Kate/Manhunter from the comics, and she was always originally part of the outline for M:SCU, but as it developed, I realised I couldn't shoehorn her into every episode, it wasn't organic enough, hence her becoming a recurring character. However, if my interpretation of Kate will ever go down the superhero road, I don't know. She'll definitely be seeing the world of regular heroes versus superheroes play out in her courtroom, and so it is a journey she could logically take."

Finally, Michael Urie, most known for his tenure on "Ugly Betty" as 'Mark St. James', will be joining the cast in the later half of the season as Damon Matthews, Kate's legal aide and partner in her court room dealings, as well as a love interest for the character of Todd Rice, portrayed by Chris Lowell. "Damon is a character I've been wanting to incorporate into the show since I decided to use the character of Todd Rice - in the comics, Todd and Damon are a brilliant example of a loving gay couple whose relationship stood the test of time. Since I already have Maggie and Toby together as a couple, and Danny is already married, I wanted to bring in a relationship that will be shown to struggle and develop with one of those involved working in that harsh environment, even if Todd himself isn't a police officer."

[knightshadow57]

A few questions:

1. With everyone pairing up either romantically or professionally, what about Wally West? Any chance of seeing either Linda Park or Artemis Crock on the show?

2. Thoughts on Barry Allen on Arrow?

[Alex Matthews]

Sept 10, 2013 19:09:40 GMT -6 knightshadow57 said:

A few questions:

1. With everyone pairing up either romantically or professionally, what about Wally West? Any chance of seeing either Linda Park or Artemis Crock on the show?

2. Thoughts on Barry Allen on Arrow?

I definitely do plan on exploring the romantic life of Wally, but for the first season, his main arc will be dealing with his social awkwardness, and beginning the process of moving on from it. I'll be getting him out of the lab and into the world more often, and part of that will be his friendships with certain members of the SCU as well as people OUTSIDE of it.

RE: Barry on "Arrow", I'm not so fussed about as I don't really know that much about the character per se. I'm more anxious about how they're going to explore his powers more then the character - "Arrow" has always been very grounded, and while I'm hoping the second season will move and establish Ollie more as the comic book socially-concerned hero of the people then the Batman-esque vigilante he's been so far, I hope it doesn't loose it's core reality in an effort to entice viewers and build ratings. I know the creators are considering a "Flash" spin off if the character works out, but I just hope it doesn't compromise what makes the show great.

[Alex Matthews]

MEET DANNY TURPIN

As production continues on the latest show to spring from the VPN’s interpretation of the "Smallville" universe, VSGuide visit’s the set once again to talk to series male lead, David Paetkau, who once again steps into the role of Danny Turpin that he portrayed in the original show‘s eight season, in the episode “Bulletproof“.

VSGuide: Welcome back to Metropolis, David, how does it feel to be back playing a character you originally played as a one-off 5 years ago.

DP: Kinda weird, in all honesty, but I’m loving the fact that Alex has shown that time has passed for the characters, and that Danny has had to live with the consequences of his actions. I’ve just come from another police-based, character driven show, so I know what to expect from some aspects, but others, like the whole idea of ‘meta-humans’, and the fact that I’ll actually be involved with crime solving, it’s gonna be interesting. It’s good to be back in the world of “Smallville”, and I’ve been reading up on how shows like “Watchtower” and “Trinity” have staked their claim in that universe, and really enjoyed what they did, so I’m looking forward to seeing where Alex goes with it.

VSGuide: That brings us to the next question: what was it that made you come back to the role?

DP: Danny was always a very flawed character, and I was drawn to that, and in “Smallville”, we see him at a very early age compared to his comic book status, so I liked that he was going on this journey, of being shown this darker path, but ultimately choosing the right path. Like I said, I liked how the script for the pilot showed how much s*** Danny has had to put up with over the years since we last saw him.

VSGuide: How has Danny changed in M: SCU from the character seen in Smallville?

DP: He’s hardened, developed a rougher edge, what with all the abuse he’s suffered from other cops. He’s shut himself off from a lot of people. He’s still got his marriage, his family, they’re what’s kept him sane, kept him going, and not everyone on the force has been giving him a hard time. In the pilot he starts off as a regular police officer, but he gets the chance to prove himself, and having Maggie to bounce off from, it gives him a chance to flex his brains, not just his brawn. Jill is great to work alongside, I’m looking forward to shooting more with her.

VSGuide: What can you tell us about Danny’s interactions with the other main characters?

DP: Well, it depends on the circumstances in the script, really. We’ve been working on scenes for episodes 2 and 3, and I’ve been working with another officer, played by Gregory Cruz, but mostly I’ve been dealing with the various guest actors we have in. I’m looking forward to filming episode 4, because it’s a big Danny-centric episode, and I’ll have more screen time with Jill, plus scenes with Harry Lennix and David Conrad.

VSGuide: Can you tell us what’s in store for Danny this season?

DP: It’s hard to say, this season is very much establishing the show and how it operates in this shared universe, but we’re also trying to squeeze in as many character moments as we can, while also adhering to the rules of the ‘police procedural’. He’s definitely hitting the ground running, that’s for sure, as he proves to not just himself, but all those who have put their faith in him, to do a good job, and keep the city safe.

VSGuide: What do you hope to see from Danny as the series progresses?

DP: I’d like to see him in more of a command role, as time progresses, and seeing him have to deal with all the naysayers about him, as well as all the people who gave him a hard time - Danny’s no angel, he’d do what he can to make life miserable for them, but I don’t think he’d abuse his power TOO much. I also hope we get to see more time with his family, I’ve only shot a handful of scenes with Sarah Smythe, who plays Suzie, my wife, so far, but I don’t know if they’ll all make it into the episodes they’re planned for. I think part of what will make the show great will be seeing how these characters maintain their regular lives in this occasionally strange and bizarre world they occupy.

[Apologies for lack of updates, I've been really busy with other projects, but rest assured MSCU is never far from my thoughts, I'm working with friends to create some graphics for the show, and the scripts are continuing to develop.]

[Alex Matthews]

THE SCU GETS REINFORCEMENTS

theVPN is back on the set of freshman crime/mystery drama show, "Metropolis: Special Crimes Unit" to meet 3 new characters being introduced over the course of the season. All 3 are police officers and detectives and each brings something new to the mix and are there to remind the viewers that not every case will involve either Danny or Maggie throughout it's investigation.

Gregory Cruz, formerly of "Saving Grace", and various guest appearances in a variety of television shows, joins the cast as Detective Sergeant Russell Ten Clouds, a senior member of the SCU who becomes Danny's field partner when Maggie has to stay and deal with the paperwork of being The Boss. Hand-picked and recruited by Maggie, he's got a lot of experience with the weird goings-on of Metropolis, and it takes a lot to faze him.

Elizabeth Rodriguez, currently appearing in the hit Netflix series, "Orange is the New Black", as well as appearing in the US Remake of "Prime Suspect", has signed on to play Detective Lupe Leocardio, a new transfer to the SCU determined to make her mark, and willing to step on whoever gets in her way, and has her eyes set on succeeding Maggie as commander of the Unit. In the comics, the character was brought in as a replacement for Maggie Sawyer, once she left to take charge of Gotham City's Major Crimes Unit.

Finally, Fred Weller, late of "In Plain Sight", has signed on as a guest role of Internal Affairs Detective Ralph Dibney, who is assigned to investigate a shooting both Danny and Maggie are involved in, that becomes more complicated then it should, in Episode 5: "Trust". Dibney, in the comics, was the superhero Elongated Man, and was well known for his relationship with his wife, Sue, and the fact their relationship was one of the most solid marriages of the DC universe.

[Alex Matthews]

updated the spoilers for Episodes 3 to 7 with new information relating to guest stars and modified some episode descriptions.

[Alex Matthews]

Jaime Ray Newman Speaks Softly…

VSGuide takes the time to briefly catch up on the continuing developments on the set of “Metropolis: Special Crimes Unit”, and talks to the Queen of Crime herself, Whisper A’Daire, portrayed ably by Jaime Ray Newman.

“She’s an exciting character, totally amoral, incredibly seductive, and definitely more then a match for Maggie Sawyer,” Jaime told us during a break from filming, “She’s totally in charge of herself, not to mention having all these men bow and scrape before her - she’s the power behind the thrown, making things move behind the scenes in order to put her puppet in charge.”

Series Creator Alex Matthews also told us that, “when it came to casting Whisper, there was never anyone else seriously in mind other then Jaime!” Alex also admits to being something of a fan of Jaime’s, after first seeing her as Lt. Laura Cadman in "Stargate: Atlantis". “Her comedic sense of timing, and her sarcastic dialogue opposite David Hewlitt really won me over, and I made a point to always watch whatever she appeared in, so I’ve seen her play ‘serious’, to ‘manipulative’, to just plain ‘crazy’, and all those skills will come to the fore as Whisper’s plans stretch out over the course of the first season.”

We also asked Alex where the character of Whisper will be coming from, as sister show “Watchtower” delves into the mystery of Ra‘s Al Ghul. “Whisper is still very much a part of Intergang, that hasn’t changed, but her connection with Ra’s won’t be played up to any great deal. She’s retain many of her comic book attributes, such as her ability to manipulate men to her will, and her snake-like characteristics, but they will come from a meta-gene, rather then from a potion.”

Jaime debuts as Whisper in the premiere episode, "Formation", and will continue to appear over the last half of the season during the ‘starlight’ arc, which she will be heavily involved with.

[Alex Matthews]

Fionnula Flannigan joins the JSA!

VSGuide can exclusively reveal that Fionnula Flannigan, late of SyFy hit series “Defiance” will not just be coming to visit the Big Apricot, but moving in to boot!
Flannigan has been cast in the role of “Abigail ‘Ma’ Hunkel", also known as the original ‘Red Tornado’, a member of the original Justice Society of America. Although not pictured in the painting of the original line-up seen in “Smallville” season 9, the character was glimpsed at during Chloe and Clark’s review of old footage filmed during their arrests, played by actress Deborah Cole. The decision was made to recast the role, as it was going to be greatly expanded, and be a part of the storyline for recurring character "Todd Rice", portrayed by Chris Lowell, and his digging into his birth family. Abigail will play an important role in his journey of self-discovery, and will interact with other golden-age superheroes who faded into the mists of time, but are now being called back during these dark times as cities like Metropolis, Gotham and Odyssey deal with their inner evil.
Fionnula starts filming on her introduction episode, “Terrific”, alongside episode guest stars David Ramsey, Sanaa Lathan and J. August Richards, within the next week, although she will only share scenes with Chris and David.

[Alex Matthews]

"METROPOLIS: SPECIAL CRIMES UNIT"
PREMIERE AIRDATE RELEASED

VSGuide can EXCLUSIVELY ANNOUNCE that freshman crime/mystery drama “Metropolis: Special Crimes Unit” has OFFICIALLY been given a premiere date! Mark your calendars, because Captain Maggie Sawyer and her team join the VPN as of March 3rd 2014!

Series Creator Alex Matthews told us: “With production going well, and the first half of the season almost complete, I felt now was the right time to finally move forward with actually airing the premiere! Plus, the 3rd is my 33rd birthday, so I figured it was time to arrange a present for myself!”

Viewers who saw the original pilot that aired some time last year should not miss out, and be ready for some substantial changes to the show’s core plotlines. “Although all the same characters are still present as they were in the pilot, certain storylines have changed,” explained Alex, “and it necessitated refilming certain segments of the pilot to fit in with the overall direction of the first season.”

The season has many notable guest stars lined up for it’s inaugural season, including former “Trinity” guest star Michael Rosenbaum, who reprises his role of “Lex Luthor” in Episode 1x03, which is entitled “Ricochet”. Other guest stars of the season include Enver Gjokaj, John Noble, and David Ramsey, who all have signed on for one-episode guest spots, whereas Paget Brewster, Phoebe Tonkin and Alex Carter have been contracted for multiple episodes. “Trinity” star Kristen Kreuk has also filmed a special cameo appearance in Episode 1x02: “Foundations”, which will answer some questions about what is going on in the world of their sister show.

On the subject of crossovers, Alex told us this: “While I’m excited to be working in the same universe as Chris and Jack, I don’t see any substantial crossovers happening for a while, although I can definitely see odd characters popping up from time to time. Jack has his grand plan, and Chris is still working out what direction “Trinity” is taking, whereas I am taking every season as it comes for now. There are ideas and arcs in play for the long run, but I see M:SCU as being self-contained for now, until one or the other decides to turn the VPNDC Universe on it’s head.”

To celebrate this announcement, we can also reveal several the title-cards for the first FIVE EPISODES!

More news and interviews to come over the following month before the Big Premiere!

[Jack Malone]

Yaaay! This is so exciting! I can't wait to start reading. I remember a VS that focused on the police in Gotham that had cameo appearances of villains and even Batman himself, and I always thought it was such an interesting angle, and especially something that is more realistic for TV than a fully fledge superhero series (even though Arrow is showing that it is possible now). So I'm really excited to see this done for Metropolis, and follow up on what's been happening since Smallville.

The cameo appearance from Lana will be exciting. I'm not too sure what to expect, but I hope its good. And of course, having Lex involved is an A++ in my book! Can't wait, man!

[The Doctor]

IM so happy for you Alex
I cant wait to read this. I have already decided that Dan, Kitty, and Wally are my favorites

[Alex Matthews]

thanks Karl!! Yeah, Wally is definitely one of my favourite characters to write, because he could say or do just about anything at times! He's a nice way to include some comedy in the show, without it seeming out of place.
Dan was always a character that stuck close to home after his episode, I've enjoyed fleshing him out, and exploring his backstory and the consequences of his actions.
Kitty, though, I'm still trying to find - having Felicia Day in my head, from her time on "Eureka" helps, but I'm looking forward to doing more episodes that focus on her.

[Matthew James]

Awesome, *runs and marks March 3rd on his Ipod calender and set's a very loud and annoying alarm for event* I have to admit I'm getting more and more excited for the premiere, plus I can't wait for Riccochet! I'm excited to see what you do with Lex, I remember I loved Danny but didn't so much love the "Bulletproof" episode Danny is from, the episode always felt kind of fillery to me I don't think the main plot line advanced at all, but I liked the character as I mentioned so I won't let my dislike of the episode stop me from reading the series. Plus I was wondering I can't remember Jill Teed played a character on Smallville in a few episodes between season three and five, are they playing the same character?

[Alex Matthews]

yes, Matthew, Jill appeared in 4 episodes as Lt, later Detective Maggie Sawyer, Season 2's "Insurgence", Season 3's "Exile", Season 5's "Exposed" and Season 7's "Descent". I've always loved Jill Teed, she's played a huge range of characters, but never landed her own lead show, which I think is a HUGE shame - she's been in "Flash Gordon", "Stargate", the "Battlestar Galactica" universe, "Supernatural" and various films.

[Matthew James]

She was in Supernatral? lol. I don't remember that, but yeah I loved her character I just wasn't sure if she had played someone else.

[Alex Matthews]

Yeah, she was the Amazon Leader in "The Slice Girls" You probably thought that because she starts off in uniform for two appearances, then switches to plain clothes later on.