At San Diego Comic-Con, I had the opportunity to speak with the cast and crew of many of my favorite series. In this case, I also got to speak with the Executive Producers of a brand new show which I had not yet seen. USA’s upcoming series, Falling Water, was screened for fans at Comic-Con, and I was able to sit down with EP’s Blake Masters and Gale Anne Hurd to discuss what those of us who missed the screening can expect from the series.
So of course the main thing that everyone wants to know is what Falling Water will be like. Executive Producer/Creator Blake Masters told us that it’s exploring the idea that everyone in the world shares a “collective unconscious.” The show asks and develops on the question, “What if our dreams were all connected?”
When asked where the idea came from, Masters told us about an idea he and Henry Bromell developed, which largely came to fruition at Masters’ bachelor dinner, under the influence of alcohol. From there, Bromell and Masters created a script that they were able to sell, shortly before Bromell passed away in 2013. Luckily, they had gotten The Walking Dead producer Gale Ann Hurd on board. “This is a journey that I want to go on,” Hurd said.
Of course, being attached to this show, when also attached to The Walking Dead, creates interesting perspectives. I asked Gale how this project differs from others that she’s attached to. She explained that Falling Water is an original idea, with no built in fan base or audience that has built in expectations, like The Walking Dead had, being based on a comic book series. It’s “very different”, Hurd said. There are no “preconceived notions” about what the show should be.
Something we all wanted to know was how exactly this show is different from other cable and network offerings. “We’re not trying to keep secrets from the audience,” said Masters. “We’re going to answer all your questions in the first 6-9 episodes.” Of course he admits that there may be “larger forces at play”, also. But, according to Masters, it will not be “Save the cheerleader, save the world,” but rather focused on the main characters and their stories.
Their goal, Masters continued, is to do a “grounded, character-driven” drama, with a heightened concept. The goal is not to trick the audience. Masters non-specifically described Christopher Nolan’s Inception, when talking about what Falling Water will not be like. But like Nolan’s 2009 blockbuster, there will be characters that are able to manipulate the fabric of dreams.
Gale Anne Hurd was also able to shed some light on how the title, Falling Water, was chosen. “Falling Water represents the barrier between the dreaming world and the waking world,” Hurd said. “And it’s a permeable barrier. You can pass back and forth.” Which, in a nutshell, is what the show is all about.
After speaking with Masters and Hurd, I’m 100% more excited to watch the show. If you want to get primed, you can watch the official trailer here.
What do you guys think? Are you excited for Falling Water? Let us know in the comments!
Faling Water’s 10 episode first season premieres October 13th at 10pm on USA
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