NBC Tackles Charles Manson in New Series ‘Aquarius’

NBC is tackling Charles Manson in a new series called Aquarius, starring David Duchovny.  The show’s broadcast premier is May 27. Unlike previous works on Charles Manson, Aquarius is a work of historical fiction. The 13 episodes will deal with the two years leading up to the Tate-LaBianca murders. Duchovny plays detective Sam Hodiak, a World War II veteran dealing with an ever-changing society in 1967. Civil rights demonstrations, drug use, hippies, Vietnam War protest and the generation of love are backdrops to the series, which takes a different look at the Manson Cult.

David Duchovny leads the cast with his star power, while the other cast members are relatively unknown. Duchovny’s character teams up with a young vice officer, Brian Shafe, played by Grey Damon, (True Blood, Friday Night Lights) in search of an old girlfriend’s missing daughter Emma, played by Emma Dumont, (Salvation, Bunheads) who becomes involved with Manson, who is played by Gethin Anthony, (Game of Thrones).

The series will portray Manson as a small time criminal and cult leader who recruits young woman to join him to help him “change everything.” Duchovny’s character along with his partner will be pulled into a difficult undercover case while looking for Emma, a case that will eventually lead up to the famous Tate-LaBianca murders.

Not only is NBC tackling Charles Manson in a new way but they also are releasing the series Aquarius in a new way. The entire series will be available for streaming immediately after its two-hour network premiere. Fans of binge viewing can watch the show on NBC.com and the NBC app, and other VOD platforms. All the episodes will be available for streaming for four weeks. Like the changing world Hodiak is facing, NBC is changing the way its viewers can watch the new series, fulfilling the desire of many viewers to watch the show when and how they want.

NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt spoke of how with this series NBC is charting new territory and pushing boundaries. He went on to discuss how NBC is aware that audiences want to consume multiple episodes of television series faster and in their own time frame, they are excited to offer viewers the same experience. They are able to do this because all 13 episodes of the show have been produced and are ready to be seen.

The new way of releasing the show highlights the influence Netflix is having on traditional television and how much viewers like the ability to watch their favorite shows without having to wait a week for the next episode. The show will have limited commercial interruptions both on linear and non-linear platforms, another plus for viewers.

NBC is tackling Charles Manson in the new series Aquarius with executive producers Marty Adelstien, David Duchovny, Becky Clements and Melanie Greene. Aquarius is a production of Tomorrow Studios, a joint partnership between Adelstein and ITV Studios. John McNamara who created the series is also an executive producer. The series will air Thursday nights in the nine p.m. time slot.

By Jessica Hamel

Sources:

NBC

Variety

Time

AW

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