Gangland - S1 Spoilers & Speculation

[Brady Brown]

Despite the fact that this

- There will be a death in this episode that will affect the lives of multiple characters.

popped up in the spoilers, I'm really excited for this episode. It's going to be interesting learning about Catherine's enhancements and her involvement in the investigation of the whole "W" bullet. Also wondering how Joey, Lorrie, and Vince are going to deal with the dead officer in the house they are currently taking over. Always excited for the on-island awesome, and wondering how Maria is going to react to the abusive relationship between Brett and Jonnie. Can't wait to see how Nikki starts training her "girls" and why she thinks Carla is so special. Overall --

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS EPISODE!

[Jamison]

Jul 12, 2013 17:00:42 GMT -6 Brady Brown said:

Despite the fact that this

- There will be a death in this episode that will affect the lives of multiple characters.

popped up in the spoilers, I'm really excited for this episode. It's going to be interesting learning about Catherine's enhancements and her involvement in the investigation of the whole "W" bullet. Also wondering how Joey, Lorrie, and Vince are going to deal with the dead officer in the house they are currently taking over. Always excited for the on-island awesome, and wondering how Maria is going to react to the abusive relationship between Brett and Jonnie. Can't wait to see how Nikki starts training her "girls" and why she thinks Carla is so special. Overall --

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS EPISODE!

Since you probably wouldn't buy it if I said Frank was in danger... I won't even go there. But William is put in quite a bad situation in episode two, and I don't think his character has to necessarily be alive for his influence to still be present in the series. Especially with Frank's schizophrenia. He could still very well appear, only in Frank's mind. So, it's possible that William may bite the dust, if not in episode two, than sometime after. NOBODY IS SAFE IN THIS SHOW! XD

Joey and co. may find help from someone quite unexpected; Juanita -- That will be interesting to explore. Can't wait to finish writing this episode, and the others. Really excited about getting this show aired.

[Jamison]

CHARACTER FEATURETTE

MEET "JOHN CLARKE"

With production of "Gangland" season one underway, VSGuide has decided to release a number of cast/crew interviews for the upcoming series! VSGuide was about to sit down with Warren Kole, who plays "John Clarke," the newest recruit to New York City's famous 15th police precinct, in this third character featurette for the series!

VSGUIDE: We saw the pilot, and you seem to play one of the only sane people on the show. Can you tell us a little bit more about John?

WARREN: Well, I'm pretty sure the writers were inspired by Clark Kent when making John. He's a very honest guy, very passionate about his work. His moral compass is probably one of the clearest of any other character, he almost seems a little kiddish. Is that appropriate, do you think?

VSGUIDE: He did have a certain innocence about him. I don't know if that's just from your portrayal or --

WARREN: Oh yeah, definitely. It's the hair, it screams everything that's good and pure in the world. [laughs] But no, John has had this idea in his head about The Fist, this organization that stands for justice, and what's right -- but the thing he gets is pretty damn disappointing for him. The organization isn't as great as he had though, and it brings up a lot of questions that he's forced to face. Not just about The Fist, but his position there. So, he may or may not have that black and white view for long, especially being under the Iron Fist that is Catherine Rinehart.

VSGUIDE: That leads perfectly into my next question. What is John's relationship with Catherine. How does it grow from what we've seen in the pilot?

WARREN: They have a really rocky relationship, I would say, because they have such different views on what's wrong and what's right. Like I said before, John moral compass is so clear. He's got a very black and white sense of morality, whereas Catherine lives in shades of dark, very dark gray, which comes from a pretty interesting place in her past that I can't quite talk about right now, or I'll get fired. [laughs] But uh, their relationship between the two of them goes up and down throughout the first season. John continues to have respect for his commanding officer, and Catherine feels this sense of duty to John since she's taken him under her wing, but it's hard for both of them since they can almost never agree. It gets pretty interesting.

VSGUIDE: Does it get a little bland playing the "good guy" in a cast full of morally gray characters?

WARREN: I think the story needs a character who can step aside and say, "Okay guys. We need to check this situation because we're not handling it very well." The story benefits from having a morally right character, even though the plot tends to go against it every chance it gets. It's just that kinda show. Who cares about right and wrong. It's all about getting the job done. And for John, I think the biggest thing he has to face is whether or not he'll let the pressures of the job, and his peers, change him.

VSGUIDE: Let's talk about Claire. We didn't get to see much of your relationship in the first episode. What's it like?

WARREN: Ahhh, that's a tough one because I can't say too much. But, I think the relationship, from John's perspective leading up to the pilot, is amazing. He loves her. As far as he can tell, she loves him. And their pretty healthy as a couple.

VSGUIDE: It sounds like you're about to say but --

WARREN: But -- [laughs] But we find out she lied to him about being in surgery when she was supposed to be at his graduation.

VSGUIDE: That's right! What was she up to??

WARREN: You know I can't tell you that, why do you even ask? [laughs] You'll see once the show premieres. It gets pretty interesting; their whole dynamic.

VSGUIDE: You play a character living in our society. If you could play another character, living on the island, who would you want to play?

WARREN: Law. [laughs] It's fun playing the bad guy! Not that I don't appreciate being the shows moral center, but being able to portray someone like Law, who pretty much is the bad guy of bad guys on the island, or so we're being lead to believe, I could see how that would have its appeal. Would be interesting to play that kind of character.

VSGUIDE: Thank you, Warren for taking the time to talk to us! We're so excited about the shows premiere! Can you tell us anything about that?

WARREN: We're still shooting, so there's been no official date brought up, but I'm pretty sure the producers are anticipating a Spring 2014 release. So, we'll see how it goes.

VSGUIDE: Let's up for the best! Well, this has been another exclusive interview with the cast of theVPN's upcoming drama, "Gangland," which as far as we can tell will be premiering sometime mid-next year! Us at VSGuide are excited for the premiere, and we know you all are too! Next up, we'll get to chat with Jeff Bridges and take a look inside the character of "William Todd." Stay tuned!

[Jamison]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my pre-outline for episode 2 is done. lol I may just skip the actual, more detailed outline and go straight into writing this episode.

[Jason T. Davis]

John was one of my favorite characters from the pilot so I really loved this interview. The idea of him struggling to keep his values while working for such a corrupt system is intriguing. I look forward to seeing what comes of that. Also, his relationship with Claire should be interesting to watch develop. We didn't get too much from her in the first episode, but I've got a feeling her role in the series will grow.

[Jamison]

Death scenes are hard to write...

[Brady Brown]

Jul 26, 2013 18:10:23 GMT -6 Jamison said:

Death scenes are hard to write...

That is all.

[Franz]

I heard that there will be a few changes in the cast, may I ask who will they be?

[Jamison]

I'm going to be making a few changes to episode two. It's way too crowded, as is, and its becoming an issue to write. I'll probably just change a few storylines, or possibly not feature a few characters in this episode; at least not as much.

[Jamison]

UPDATE: Gangland 1x02, previously titled "W" has been changed to "Two Betrayals." A new outline is being written, with the script (hopefully) to be finished in a week or two.

[Jamison]

CASTING EXCLUSIVE: DJ Cotrona Joins 'Gangland' Cast!!

With production of episode two still underway, Gangland producers give VSGuide a new cast update! "G.I Joe: Retaliation" and "Detriot 1-8-7" actor, DJ Cotrona, has joined the season one cast in a recurring role. Cotrona will portray Aiden Russo, a brand new Officer of the Fifteenth Precinct, and newly assigned partner to John Clarke (Warren Kole).

Producers had this to say about the character's late addition to the story - "Aiden will play a very specific role on the show. He will act as, sort of, a foil to John in this new environment. We know John is new to the Fist operation, but he'll be groomed by Catherine as her apprentice." 

Executive producer, Chris Davis, went on to say, "We wanted to introduce someone who did not have that opportunity, and get in touch with their outlook on certain situations, which might very well differ from John's - not only because they are two different characters, with a completely different set of personality traits; but because they are brought into this new, scary world in completely different ways."

Aiden is described as "a hot-shot detective with a bit of a temper, but also having good intentions." He will make his debut in episode two of season one, "Two Betrayals."

[Jamison]

The following spoilers have been added for 1x02 "Two Betrayals"

UPDATED 8/29/2013 - Producers have revealed the episode is currently undergoing some changes. The original title, "W" has been changed to "Two Betrayals," and much of the plot has been slightly altered.
- Two Betrayals is extremely telling of what happens in this episode.
- John will be partnered up with newcomer Aiden Russo, much to his dismay.
- The death count of this episode has skyrocketed from one to three!
- Adam Brody guest stars as 'Randall' and interacts mostly with Marcus, William and Frank on the island.
- This episode marks the first for DJ Cotrona's character, 'Aiden Russo,' who based been cast in a recurring role.

[Jamison]

CHARACTER FEATURETTE
MEET "WILLIAM TODD"

With production of "Gangland" season one underway, VSGuide has decided to release a number of cast/crew interviews for the upcoming series! VSGuide was about to sit down with Jeff Bridges, who plays "William Todd," one of the first inmates on the containment island and the leader of the 'Red Suns' gang, in this fourth character featurette for the series!

VSGUIDE: From the pilot, I think it's safe to say that your character has some influence on the island? How much power would you say he has?

JEFF: Yes. William is the leader of a gang called the Red Suns, which is the cause of most of his influence. But he's also a very fair man. Unlike Law's character, William leads with loyalty, and not fear. Law may have more numbers but William definitely has more people he knows he can trust, and that can trust him. That'll be a big factor this season.

VSGUIDE: Speaking of Law, you two seemed to have some kind of history. The scene you shared in the pilot was pretty intense. Is there anything you can give away there?

JEFF: I can't give too much away, but I can confirm that there is past between those two characters, and it's something that's explored rather quickly, actually. We should see some of that tension begin to rise to the surface in the first few episodes of the season, and it'l play out for a while. One detail I can give you is that they used to be partners, at least in some ways. The mysterious "Alexander" character that was revealed only by name in the pilot has a lot to do with their relationship. We find out he was Law's brother, so that should be interesting to see.

VSGUIDE: William's relationship with new inmate, Marcus is describe as father/son like? What's the deal there?

JEFF: I'm gonna echo what William said in the pilot. "It may sound a little cliche, but I see a lot of myself in you." I'm paraphrasing, by the way (laughs). I think he really meant that. William didn't have the best past; he's on the island for a reason, and I think his story is a lot like Marcus, so he connects with him, and perhaps wants Marcus to learn from his own past mistakes. There's a lot of interesting stuff that comes out of their relationship this season.

VSGUIDE: Can the same be said for William's relationship with Frank?

JEFF: Yes, and no. I think William see's Frank more as a partner than a son. Him and Frank go back a long time, as both of them were among the first on the island and they've stuck together ever since. They have more of a understanding, which will be gone into with more detail soon in the season. Frank is a very unstable man, and I think William helps with keeping him grounded, and vice versa really. They really need one another.

VSGUIDE: You play a character living on the island. If you could play another character, living back in our society, who would you want to play and why?

JEFF: Oh man. That's tough. There's a few. One of them being Danny. I wish I was that young and in shape! [laughs]. I think his character has a lot of growth ahead of him. We saw a certain spark in the pilot - he's a very rebellious teenaged boy, and I think once his relationship with his mother is repaired, he'll finally start to find his truest self, which should be interesting. So yeah, I'd love to be in his shoes.

VSGUIDE: Thank you, Jeff for taking the time to talk to us! Well, this has been another exclusive interview with the cast of theVPN's upcoming drama, "Gangland," which as far as we can tell will be premiering sometime mid-next year! Us at VSGuide are excited for the premiere, and we know you all are too! Next up, we'll get to chat with Peter Dinklage and take a look inside the character of "Joey McCray." Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: The above interview is fan-made. This website has no affiliation with the actors portrayed in our scripts, exclusives, promotional art, etc.

[Jamison]

CHARACTER FEATURETTE

MEET "JOEY McCRAY"

With production of "Gangland" season one underway, VSGuide has decided to release a number of cast/crew interviews for the upcoming series! VSGuide was about to sit down with Peter Dinklage, who plays "Joey McCray," the leader of a small group of misfit and petty criminals trying (and failing) to keep out of trouble in Detroit, in this fifth character featurette for the series!

VSGUIDE: From what we've seen of of the show so far, it's pretty dark and serious show. However, your character in particular gets to play with humor a bit. Can you tell us more about the comedic side of your role?

PETER: Sure. I actually think the humor of my character comes out of the the fact that he takes himself very seriously. Not matter how ridiculous his methods, or how comedic and sarcastic he comes across, he's a straight-forward guy. He simply doesn't let the severity of any given situation bring down his spirits, which can either be a good or a bad thing, depending on the situation. I think as the season moves forward, we'll begin to see some of his layers peeling back. He is a funny character, and most of the shows humor comes from him and the situation he's gotten himself and the others in his group into - but there's always the possibility of him taking a dark turn. He is a criminal in the long run.

VSGUIDE: What has your favorite scene to film so far?

PETER: The first scene between myself, Tricia Helfer and Alan Dale was great. We we had all just met about a hour before shooting, but we clicked right away. They're just great. But uhm... there's actually a scene in episode two that was pretty fun to do. I can't give away too many details, but it involves Joey, Juanita and a sledgehammer [laughs].

VSGUIDE: Can you tell us a bit about the relationships you're gonna be building over the course of the season?

PETER: I interact with a few different characters. But the two that come to mind are Juanita and Lorrie. The two women in Joey's life [laughs]. He's known Lorrie for a pretty long time. We got some of their backstory in the pilot, and there's even more left to be explored. I think their relationship is very similar to that of an old married couple. A lot of that humor I talked about before stems from that dynamic as well. And Juanita and Joey's relationship takes quite an unexpected turn in the next few episodes. Even though Joey has brought so much drama and danger into her, there may be potential for a friendship, or at least an understanding, between those two characters. Should be interesting to see as the season develops.

VSGUIDE: Speaking of the dangers Joey has unleashed onto this innocent family... what can you tell us about regarding the move itself? Why has decided to uproot his family? Is there a history there we just haven't seen yet?

PETER: I'll say one thing... why do you assume the Shepard's are "innocent?"

VSGUIDE: Ahhh... really?! Are you teasing us??

PETER: Yes, and no. I think a lot of assumptions are made from the pilot, and you'll start getting answers really soon. But trust me, not everything is what it seems.

VSGUIDE: Interesting! Okay. My last question and I'm asking everyone this -- You play a character living in our society. If you could play another character, living on the containment island, who would you want to play and why?

PETER: I'd like to play Frank. He seems like a really chill guy, but from what I've read so far, he's pretty off his rocker. I think it'd be interesting to find the emotion and go to that dark place inside of me to be able to portray that role successfully. Ben [Foster] is such a great actor; he's got a lot of work ahead of him, and he's definitely going to deliver!

VSGUIDE: Great choice!! I'll let you in on a little secret. I asked Ben the same question, and he said Joey.

PETER: Really!? Well, maybe we should take to production - maybe swap roles. [laughs]

VSGUIDE: You never know! [laughs] Well, thank you, Peter for taking the time to talk to us! Well, this has been another exclusive interview with the cast of theVPN's upcoming drama, "Gangland," which as far as we can tell will be premiering sometime mid-next year! Us at VSGuide are excited for the premiere, and we know you all are too! Next up, we'll get to chat with Enver Gjokaj and take a look inside the mysterious "Nikolai Alvang." Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: The above interview is fan-made. This website has no affiliation with the actors portrayed in our scripts, exclusives, promotional art, etc.

[Jamison]

CHARACTER FEATURETTE

MEET "NIKOLAI ALVANG"

With production of "Gangland" season one underway, VSGuide has decided to release a number of cast/crew interviews for the upcoming series! VSGuide was about to sit down with Enver Gjokaj, who plays "Nikolai Alvang," a mystery Russian gang leader affiliated with the Raknog Brotherhood on the containment island, in this sixth character featurette for the series!

VSGUIDE: From what we saw in the pilot, your character is a bit of a bad guy, huh?

ENVER: He's definitely a bad guy. No doubt about that. He confessed in his first few lines to murdering his girlfriend so... there's no possible way someone can rationalize his behavior. But the interesting thing about "Nikolai" is he's the source of information on the island. He knows everything and and everyone. He makes it his business, and he gains quite a few friends and enemies as a result.

VSGUIDE: So would you say he's more leaning toward the side of good or the side of evil? I know this show is not as black and white as that, morally.

ENVER: You said it. This show is not black and white. The writers made it a point to give every character some moral ambiguity. Obviously, some more than others. And some that you haven't seen yet. I think in regards to Nikolai... he's a very neutral character. He always leans toward the winning side, or the side that serves his benefit the most. When you think about it, it's a great strategy based on the circumstances of the island.

VSGUIDE: You were a bit of a mystery in the pilot. We don't know much about you in terms of your motivations, your personality, etc. Is there anything you can shed light on in that regard?

ENVER: Just like there is an "unsung hero," Nikolai is definitely the "unsung villain," I think. He has his nose in every little thing on the island, and he's a master manipulator. In the coming episodes, you'll see him using people like chess pieces, alongside another character you may or may not expect. One thing about him is he doesn't want people to know how intuitive he really is, so he plays the goof. From what I know of the character, he's definitely a force to be reckoned with. It's probably the thing that attracted me the most when I read for the role.

VSGUIDE: Interesting! What has been your favorite scene to shoot so far?

ENVER: There's a scene coming up soon actually with Marcus and I. It's really intense, and it completely changes the core dynamics of Marcus' inner circle. I can't say too much, but it's definitely a scene to look out for!

VSGUIDE: Can you tell us a bit about the relationships you're gonna be building over the course of the season?

ENVER: My character acts as a go-between to certain characters, so I get spread across the island and the different groups populating it, which is really fun. I get to interact with William's group one week, then the next, I'm plotting with Law, or taunting Maria. I think the most prominent relationship Nikolai will be building this season is the one with Nikki [Furlow]. Those characters really think alike, which may raise some suspicion for top god, "Law."

VSGUIDE: Being involved with science fiction projects in the past, like Dollhouse, how do those elements compare to the more "futuristic" aspects of Gangland?

ENVER: They're actually pretty similar. The Dollhouse universe portrayed advanced technology based on technology in existed today - just putting more emphasis and extremity on it. The same can be said for Gangland, although it's more subtle. You won't see any flying cars, or ray guns, but there's a big focus on biotechnology and cybernetics -- all things that are in the works right now.

VSGUIDE: That sounds great! Okay. My last question and I'm asking everyone this -- You play a character living on the containment island. If you could play another character, living back in our society, who would you want to play and why?

ENVER: Hmmm.... can I pick a character that hasn't been introduced yet?

VSGUIDE: I don't see why not! More spoilers for us to take in! [laughs]

ENVER: [laughs] Okay. I'm gonna say President Daniel Larkin. 

VSGUIDE: Interesting choice! Why?

ENVER: I've just always wanted to play a powerful, shady politician. Simple as that, really! [laughs] Even though he hasn't been seen on screen yet and I hear he won't be seen this season at all - he was mentioned throughout the pilot, and his name is said by numerous characters in almost every episode. A man with that much prominence to a story; that much influence. It'd be very interesting to portray that on screen.

VSGUIDE: We can't wait to see the man everyone's talking about! Great answers! Thank you, Enver for taking the time to talk to us! Well, this has been another exclusive interview with the cast of theVPN's upcoming drama, "Gangland," which as far as we can tell will be premiering sometime mid-next year! Us at VSGuide are excited for the premiere, and we know you all are too! Next up, we'll get to chat with Tricia Helfer and take a look inside the fabulous, but dangerous "Lorrie Cox." Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: The above interview is fan-made. This website has no affiliation with the actors portrayed in our scripts, exclusives, promotional art, etc.

[Jamison]

CASTING EXCLUSIVE: Nicholas Gonzales Cast In New Guest Starring Role!

"The O.C." and "Off the Map" actor, Nicholas Gonzales, has become the latest in the slew of talent being brought in for guest starring roles on the upcoming crime/mystery drama. When asked about the character he will be playing, producers said, "The character's name is Tony Salamanca, and he will be brought into the story as a past love interest of Maria's."

According to producers, 'Tony' will make his first appearance around episodes 3-4, and will be shown through flashbacks. Whether or not the character is dead or alive in present-day is yet to be revealed, but producers added, "this addition to the story will give insight into Maria's past before being sent to the island, and you'll even get to see how the other members of her gang came together." Tony is described as "a soft spoken, yet confident, ambitious and respected leader and family man."

Production of Gangland season one is currently underway, with producers still gunning for a Summer/Fall 2014 premiere!

[Jamison]

UPDATED 10/3/2013 - Episode Title Posted.

The title for the fourth episode of Gangland has been revealed -- "Caballeros Latinos," which means 'Latin Knights' in Spanish. Producers hint that the episode's main focus will be on Maria "Gata Loca" Ortiz and the other Latin Knights (John 'Jonnie' Santiago, Brett Lopez) on the island.

Also, we may even see a plot centered on that gang in New York City, as not all Latin Knight members have been sent to the containment island. More details and official descriptions for episodes 3-4 are coming soon!