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Remember The Path, the spooky cult series and Aaron Paul’s first streaming TV job after Breaking Bad? Remember all the popularity of those couples and plots in Parenthood? TV writer and showrunner Jessica Goldberg gets the credit.
She, along with Jason Katims, is the writer/producer of Netflix’s space drama, Away. The series has received criticism from those who may have expected more action, but Away isn’t about conquering brave new worlds (there’s not one “kaboom” in the first episode) or even completely focused on boldly going where no one has gone before. It’s about understanding the pressures that a demanding career puts on family life.
Interestingly, while writing about family in Parenthood, Goldberg was going through a divorce in her private life. She understands those pressures personally.
In your own words, what is the story of Away?
It’s about the world coming together to make a trip to Mars. Emma Gray [Hilary Swank] is the commander of a ship and has to leave her family behind for three years. It’s a story of how astronauts from different nations overcome their issues on planet Earth.
The cast is Hilary Swank, Josh Charles, Vivian Wu, and Ato Essandoh. Are they the actors you would have envisioned when you were writing it?
We got so lucky with this cast. First, we had to imagine who could be this woman who would go into space with what it takes. You have to be so physically and mentally resilient. So Hilary was the first person we thought of for that role, and we got so lucky with her because she had a vivid dream to be an astronaut when she was a kid.
Yeah, it was amazing. She came into our offices, sat down, and said she had always wanted to go into space. It was a perfect match, a match made in heaven.
Then with the others: Vivian came in from China and Ato we found on a tape. It was interesting; his character was Nigerian. We cast Ato, and his family is from Ghana, so we changed the backstory to fit Ato’s own heritage.
Josh Charles is this man who supports this woman who is brilliant. This man has his own kind of integrity, he goes on his own physical transformative journey, and he has to struggle in the show. We needed a very strong actor who could [support] her. I think they are just beautiful together. You really buy this couple.
Ray [Panthaki], who plays Ram from India, we also found him on tape. He just had this kind of quality. Mark [Ivanir] who plays Mischa, the Russian astronaut, is an actor who’s been in a lot. So when he came across our desks, we were very excited.
What was your inspiration for this story?
There was this article called Away by this wonderful Canadian writer called Chris Jones. He writes a lot about space. The article is about Scott Kelly, an astronaut. He’s in space when his sister-in-law [former U.S. Representative] Gabby Gifford was shot. The article talks about what it’s like to be up in space when this traumatic thing happens on earth.
He has this beautiful [interview]. You have to watch [Kelly] on YouTube. It’s from the space station. So our creator Andrew Hinderaker read that article and was so inspired by the draw of space, the hope in space, and that relationship to the earth.
Also, please give us the inspiration for The Path.
For The Path, I was going through a personal, very difficult time in my life. I was working on Parenthood, I had just gotten divorced, and I wanted to write about when your life didn’t make sense anymore.
When you wake up one day and all these things that you thought you believed in … it may sound very esoteric but that is it. It was very emotional. I was breaking up from the marriage and trying to redefine my life.
I took some time off from Parenthood and had worked with Jason Katims who I’d ended up working with on The Path and on Away, so he decided he’d like to try to create it with me. So that came a different way. The Path was a wildly wild show, and I think all these come from weird, little ideas but also emotion that you are trying to work out.
Deception with Meagan Good was so “good,” but it didn’t do so well. What happened there?
It’s so hard to make a network show [work]. When I first started in TV, that was where shows were, on network. Where you’d go work on something that you loved in production.
Not a lot of people watched it. I don’t know. Maybe it could have had a [better] audience or a more unique audience but then … you know, it’s a mystery to me.
How often did you rewrite or tweak the script for Away?
Andrew and I have our hand in probably all the scripts, but we have a staff of incredible writers who bring so much to the script. So sometimes we don’t do much; sometimes we have to do a lot.
How long did it take to get the project off the ground?
I think for the original people, which are Jason, Andrew, and Matthew [Matt Reeves], it might have been a two-year journey. I came in last summer and then we wrote, we cast it. We shot up in Vancouver, so I’ve been involved a little over a year.
This is your third big TV production in recent years. At this point how easy is it to get things greenlighted?
I think it’s really, really hard. You feel like there’s so much, so everybody should have a way in, but it still feels really, really hard. A lot of things have to come together: great writing, a great studio releasing it, great actors. There’s so many pieces to the puzzle.
Tell us about Cherry, written by a guy in prison. You worked with the Russo Brothers, but this is not a superhero type thing.
I love the Russo Brothers. They have this amazing situation. They auctioned this book called Cherry, which is a true story. Nico Walker was in Iraq. He was a war hero. Came back and without support — a young man — he got addicted to drugs and became a bank robber in Cleveland. I think he robbed twelve banks.
He started writing in prison, and his book is just a heart-breaking, emotional, wild journey. So the Russos felt very close to that story. It’s in their hometown of Cleveland, which has been devastated by the opioid crisis.
You’re doing more personal stories but superheroes are a thing, no pun intended. How do you stay on your “path” with so much temptation to write for that genre?
It’s interesting. Now that I’ve worked a bit, I have more opportunities. I have a lot of diverse opportunities, but it has to move me in some way. I really have to feel something. I have to feel like it’s important to put in the world.
For me a lot of it is emotional. It’s an emotional connection to the material.
Remember The Path, the spooky cult series and Aaron Paul’s first streaming TV job after Breaking Bad? Remember all the popularity of those couples and plots in Parenthood? TV writer and showrunner Jessica Goldberg gets the credit.
She, along with Jason Katims, is the writer/producer of Netflix’s space drama, Away. The series has received criticism from those who may have expected more action, but Away isn’t about conquering brave new worlds (there’s not one “kaboom” in the first episode) or even completely focused on boldly going where no one has gone before. It’s about understanding the pressures that a demanding career puts on family life.
Interestingly, while writing about family in Parenthood, Goldberg was going through a divorce in her private life. She understands those pressures personally.
In your own words, what is the story of Away?
It’s about the world coming together to make a trip to Mars. Emma Gray [Hilary Swank] is the commander of a ship and has to leave her family behind for three years. It’s a story of how astronauts from different nations overcome their issues on planet Earth.
The cast is Hilary Swank, Josh Charles, Vivian Wu, and Ato Essandoh. Are they the actors you would have envisioned when you were writing it?
We got so lucky with this cast. First, we had to imagine who could be this woman who would go into space with what it takes. You have to be so physically and mentally resilient. So Hilary was the first person we thought of for that role, and we got so lucky with her because she had a vivid dream to be an astronaut when she was a kid.
Yeah, it was amazing. She came into our offices, sat down, and said she had always wanted to go into space. It was a perfect match, a match made in heaven.
Then with the others: Vivian came in from China and Ato we found on a tape. It was interesting; his character was Nigerian. We cast Ato, and his family is from Ghana, so we changed the backstory to fit Ato’s own heritage.
Josh Charles is this man who supports this woman who is brilliant. This man has his own kind of integrity, he goes on his own physical transformative journey, and he has to struggle in the show. We needed a very strong actor who could [support] her. I think they are just beautiful together. You really buy this couple.
Ray [Panthaki], who plays Ram from India, we also found him on tape. He just had this kind of quality. Mark [Ivanir] who plays Mischa, the Russian astronaut, is an actor who’s been in a lot. So when he came across our desks, we were very excited.
What was your inspiration for this story?
There was this article called Away by this wonderful Canadian writer called Chris Jones. He writes a lot about space. The article is about Scott Kelly, an astronaut. He’s in space when his sister-in-law [former U.S. Representative] Gabby Gifford was shot. The article talks about what it’s like to be up in space when this traumatic thing happens on earth.
He has this beautiful [interview]. You have to watch [Kelly] on YouTube. It’s from the space station. So our creator Andrew Hinderaker read that article and was so inspired by the draw of space, the hope in space, and that relationship to the earth.
Also, please give us the inspiration for The Path.
For The Path, I was going through a personal, very difficult time in my life. I was working on Parenthood, I had just gotten divorced, and I wanted to write about when your life didn’t make sense anymore.
When you wake up one day and all these things that you thought you believed in … it may sound very esoteric but that is it. It was very emotional. I was breaking up from the marriage and trying to redefine my life.
I took some time off from Parenthood and had worked with Jason Katims who I’d ended up working with on The Path and on Away, so he decided he’d like to try to create it with me. So that came a different way. The Path was a wildly wild show, and I think all these come from weird, little ideas but also emotion that you are trying to work out.
Deception with Meagan Good was so “good,” but it didn’t do so well. What happened there?
It’s so hard to make a network show [work]. When I first started in TV, that was where shows were, on network. Where you’d go work on something that you loved in production.
Not a lot of people watched it. I don’t know. Maybe it could have had a [better] audience or a more unique audience but then … you know, it’s a mystery to me.
How often did you rewrite or tweak the script for Away?
Andrew and I have our hand in probably all the scripts, but we have a staff of incredible writers who bring so much to the script. So sometimes we don’t do much; sometimes we have to do a lot.
How long did it take to get the project off the ground?
I think for the original people, which are Jason, Andrew, and Matthew [Matt Reeves], it might have been a two-year journey. I came in last summer and then we wrote, we cast it. We shot up in Vancouver, so I’ve been involved a little over a year.
This is your third big TV production in recent years. At this point how easy is it to get things greenlighted?
I think it’s really, really hard. You feel like there’s so much, so everybody should have a way in, but it still feels really, really hard. A lot of things have to come together: great writing, a great studio releasing it, great actors. There’s so many pieces to the puzzle.
Tell us about Cherry, written by a guy in prison. You worked with the Russo Brothers, but this is not a superhero type thing.
I love the Russo Brothers. They have this amazing situation. They auctioned this book called Cherry, which is a true story. Nico Walker was in Iraq. He was a war hero. Came back and without support — a young man — he got addicted to drugs and became a bank robber in Cleveland. I think he robbed twelve banks.
He started writing in prison, and his book is just a heart-breaking, emotional, wild journey. So the Russos felt very close to that story. It’s in their hometown of Cleveland, which has been devastated by the opioid crisis.
You’re doing more personal stories but superheroes are a thing, no pun intended. How do you stay on your “path” with so much temptation to write for that genre?
It’s interesting. Now that I’ve worked a bit, I have more opportunities. I have a lot of diverse opportunities, but it has to move me in some way. I really have to feel something. I have to feel like it’s important to put in the world.
For me a lot of it is emotional. It’s an emotional connection to the material.
Writer: Donny Cates / Artist: Aaron Kuder / Marvel Comics
With the death of Galactus and The Black Winter last issue, Thor is clearly the greatest hero in the galaxy. Odinson struck down the World-Eater, drained him of his power cosmic, then turned him into armor and bones. The Black Winter tried to snatch up his herald’s body when Thor sent a monstrous lightning strike at Galactus’ body, using him as a bomb to take out the Black Winter for good.
If you haven’t been paying attention, Donnie Cates has been serving up top notch Thor writing for our reading pleasure. He currently has the God of Thunder consumed with the black snowflake that came trickling down after the explosion to show Thor his one true end. Aaron Kuder steps in to draw this one, but it’s been Matthew Wilson, the best colorist in the game, who gives Thor life!
With him being such a begrudged King, it was interesting to watch Thor fall back on the idea of loyalty, as he seeks out Beta Ray Bill and enlists his services and intel. Straight bars came flying out of Bill’s mouth, after the beat down he suffered in issue #3.
Witnessing Thanos pulling up with an infinity stone studded Mjolnir and gang of zombie heroes ready to eat your face off, will quickly humble you and force you to rely on your ride-or-dies.
Meanwhile, in Broxton, Oklahoma
The town is abuzz with it’s second Thor related interaction. Mjolnir crash lands in a field next to Adam Aziz’s body shop and the media comes running. You’re going to want to remember that name because he becomes someone that will be causing quite a stir in the coming issue(s).
My favorite part of reading this comic was jerk-mode Tony being all pissy because Adam Aziz called his personal cell to help with the unliftable God hammer in his backyard. One look at the engraving was all it took to put a giant smile on my face, and I know I’m not the only one!
Mjolnir’s issues, it landing in Broxton and the subsequent suitors of the hammer will be next issue’s focus, and I’m excited to see that. “The Devourer King” arc was some of the most epic storytelling I’ve ever seen, so Cates is dialing it back a bit and bringing us some homegrown fun with “Hammerfall”. This issue wasn’t meant to blow your socks off, but Thor is certainly headed in a good direction.
8 Galactus Helmet Decorations out of 10
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The post Thor #7 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Artist: Francesco Mobili / Marvel Comics
The theme of identity has always surrounded heroes, no matter how big or small. Street level vigilantes like Daredevil have their families and friends to worry about, so a mask has always been necessary. World-saving legends like Iron Man or Mr. Fantastic also have their loved ones to keep in mind, but sometimes take the position that transparency is the best policy.
Secret Identities Vs. Accountability
Most Marvel fans witnessed this dilemma come to head in either the Civil War comics or recent movie, but either way, it’s never an easy decision to come clean after years of taking the law into your own hands. That was precisely where Matt Murdock found himself in Daredevil #21, until the day 1 homie Foggy Nelson saved his candy ass.
After the death of Leo Carraro, Daredevil feels it is only right to answer for his crimes. Ready to tell the world that Matt Murdock is Daredevil, Foggy flexes those fancy litigation skills and cites the Supreme Court allowing masked vigilantes to enter the court to testify under their aliases and masked up. Now Daredevil can turn himself in and go through the perp motions without having to reveal himself and risk his loved ones being murdered.
From mugshot to press conference, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is finally being brought to justice, under Wilson Fisk’s mayoral rule and anti-superhero NYC stance. It was a very real issue for Chip Zdarsky. Fighting crime is not for the faint hearted and having to stand trial for one of the few mistakes you made, on top of the hundreds of thousands of lives you’ve saved is easy for no one. Mobili does a good job of creating the visuals for Chip’s script and bringing the police depts, offices and city to life but I’d be lying if I said it his art came anywhere close to Marco Checchetto’s brilliant work.
Tying Up Loose Ends
Murdock hasn’t forgotten about the Stromwyns and their diabolical efforts to displace an entire NYC neighborhood of citizens. He knows it wont be easy to stop two dastardly fiends who can print money, so he enlists a few printers of money who may be able to help. He asks this issue’s surprise guest for a favor that he cannot repay, but knows the moral reward will outweigh the investment.
Mayor Wilson Fisk hasn’t forgotten about the surprise emergence from Typhoid Mary. Their conversation is interesting and, once again, telling of Zdarsky’s abilities as a writer. I’m very intrigued where this storyline will go in the future.
The guest appearances are well done because they add a layer of drama or intrigue to the story, and not simply used for the surprise factor. Zdarsky hit us with another nice little cliffhanger this issue and I personally don’t know much about this character so I’m excited to find out more. Chip Zdarsky really wants comic book fans to know that he’s pouring his all into Daredevil and the quality shows each and every issue. Good to great artwork backs up his talented writing and having an admirable hero with Daredevil’s level of grit and persona bodes well for Chip.
8 Ex-Girlfriend Returns Out of 10
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The post Daredevil #22 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.