MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Pictured: “Midnight, Texas” Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
Warning: General spoilers ahead
For those who know me well, it’s no secret that I’m very picky about the shows I choose to cover. I already have several on my plate, don’t have a lot of time, and so, for me to pick up a new series, it has to be pretty exceptional. So, after I was confirmed to cover the press room for Midnight, Texas at San Diego Comic-Con, I finally had to sit down on Friday to screen the first few episodes to prepare. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. I went in thinking it was going to be another average supernatural series, but ironically, I came out completely wow’ed, and I can honestly say this show is going to be my next addiction. The story takes us on a journey into a remote Texas town called Midnight where nothing is what it seems. Where being normal is strange and only outsiders fit in. Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different, a perfect place for anyone looking to hide from the outside world.
Summer shows can be tricky — with many more failures than successes — but, this is one that looks like it could be a break-out hit. But the question is… will it let us down like so many other shows? You know how it goes, a trailer for a TV show or even a movie could make you want to watch, but as soon as you go and watch, well, you are left disappointed.
Luckily for me, as soon as I started the Midnight, Texas screener, it sucked me right in. The opening scene takes place with Manfred (Francois Arnaud) — a charming, powerful psychic who can communicate with spirits — talking to a customer who wants to reach out to her deceased husband. The scene becomes intense just as fast I pressed the play button. What a great way to kick off a new series!
As for the rest of the pilot, the story moves really fast. In fact, it takes us about 5 minutes until we arrive in Midnight. In this town, well, we already knew it would be a bit weird, but everything is supposed to be nice and quiet. This is how the townspeople describe it anyway. Of course, what’s the fun in that? This town is about to be shaken up with a lot of different kinds of trouble.
Although I feel like some of the acting is a tad bit off, it’s barely noticeable, and it certainly doesn’t make me want to stray away. There is a very interesting story here, one that has my full attention. However, a show like this could do well on Syfy, but with NBC losing Grimm, I think Midnight, Texas could turn out to be huge hit from those fans looking for another series to get behind.
As I had mentioned, I am currently onsite covering San Diego Comic-Con and was fortunate enough to participate in roundtable interviews with the cast and Executive Producers this weekend. Check out the below video interviews which could serve as a “primer” going into tomorrow’s premiere.
The series premiere of Midnight, Texas airs tomorrow night at 10/9c on NBC.
VIDEO
Trailer:
SDCC 2017 Cast Interviews:
Peter Mensah (“Lem”) and Arielle Kebbel (“Olivia”)
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Season: 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Arielle Kebbel as Olivia, Peter Mensah as Lemuel — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
“Lem”
A vampire but not your typical one. While he can feed on blood, he can also feed off of negative energy. There’s also a story behind the blue eyes that we will learn later in the season.
“Olivia”
As far as we know, Olivia has no supernatural powers. Instead, she’s a hitman (er, woman) running from her past, and she has a very “unique” relationship with Lem.
Dylan Bruce (“Bobo”) and Parisa Fitz-Henley(“Fiji”)
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Season: 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Dylan Bruce as Bobo — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
“Bobo”
Bobo is the de facto leader of Midnight, and the person everyone looks to for guidance and to make sure everything runs smoothly. We can’t be sure if he has any powers, but we do witness him lay down 4 white supremacists with his bare hands.
“Fiji”
Fiji is Midnight’s resident witch, who also happens to be in love with Bobo. However, as we learned in the below interview, something happened in the past that makes a relationship between the two impossible.
Francois Arnaud (“Manfred”) and Sarah Ramos(“Creek”)
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Season: 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Sarah Ramos as Creek, Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
“Manfred”
Manfred is a psychic and a spiritual medium who flees to Midnight to escape people he may have swindled out of money. His grandmother is Zelda, who passed away a year away and whom he continues communicating with using his powers.
“Creek”
As far as we know, Creek has no special powers and simply has lived in Midnight all of her life with her father. She quickly gets a crush on Manfred, whom her father dislikes and does not approve of.
Yul Vazquez (“Rev”) and Jason Lewis(“Joe”)
“Rev”
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Season: 1 — Pictured: Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Of all the characters, the Rev is perhaps the most mysterious, at least initially. He gives a great deal of attention to his pet cemetery and becomes very agitated when the topic of a full moon is brought up. We do learn what his power is in episode 2, and if you think you know, you don’t (and if you’ve read the books, that doesn’t count!)
“Joe”
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS — Season: 1 — Pictured: Jason Lewis as Joe Strong — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Not much is known about Joe in the first few episodes, except he has wings and is said to watch over everyone, like a guardian “angel.” He is gay and runs a local tattoo parlor with his partner.
PHOTOS
SDCC 2017 Photos:
Francois Arnaud (“Manfred”) and Sarah Ramos (“Creek”)
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2017 — “‘Midnight, Texas’ Press Room” — Pictured: (l-r) Peter Mensah, Arielle Kebbel at the Hilton Bayfront, San Diego, Calif. — (Photo by: Mark Davis/NBC)
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2017 — “‘Midnight, Texas’ Press Room” — Pictured: (l-r) Yul Vazquez, Jason Lewis at the Hilton Bayfront, San Diego, Calif. — (Photo by: Mark Davis/NBC)
Pilot Promotional Photos:
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Sarah Ramos as Creek — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Dylan Bruce as Bobo — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Francois Arnaud as Manfred, Dylan Bruce as Bobo — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Dylan Bruce as Bobo, Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Peter Mensah as Lemuel — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Peter Mensah as Lemuel — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Arielle Kebbel as Olivia — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Arielle Kebbel as Olivia — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Sarah Ramos as Creek, Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Kellee Stewart as Madonna, Sarah Ramos as Creek, Francois Arnaud as Manfred, Arielle Kebbel as Olivia, John Paul Howard as Connor Lovell, Bernardo Saracino as Chuy — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Jason Lewis as Joe — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Jason Lewis as Joe — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Arielle Kebbel as Olivia, Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Kellee Steward as Madonna — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Arielle Kebbel as Olivia — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Peter Mensah as Lemuel, Arielle Kebbel as Olivia, Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Arielle Kebbel as Olivia — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Francois Arnaud as Manfred, Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Cat as Mr. Snuggly — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Francois Arnaud as Manfred, Jason Lewis as Joe, Bernardo Saracino as Chuy — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) John Paul Howard as Connor Lovell, Sarah Ramos as Creek, Bob Jesser as Shawn Lovell, Peter Mensah as Lemuel — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Yul Vázquez as Rev. Sheehan — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Peter Mensah as Lemuel, Sarah Ramos as Creek — (Photo by: Cathy Kanavy/NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” — Pictured: Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” — Pictured: Peter Mensah as Lemuel — (Photo by: NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” — Pictured: (l-r) Peter Mensah as Lemuel, Arielle Kebbel as Olivia — (Photo by: NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” — Pictured: (l-r) Yul Vázquez as Rev. Emilio Sheehan, Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji, Francois Arnaud as Manfred — (Photo by: NBC)
MIDNIGHT TEXAS — “Pilot” — Pictured: Francois Arnaud as Manfred, Sarah Ramos as Creek — (Photo by: NBC)
