Production is well under way for the new Syfy pilot ‘Rewind’ and it looks like they’ve added some impressive actors to their guest starring line up. TV Line has learned that Jeff Fahey and David Cronenberg will be appearing in the premiere episode.
‘Rewind’ is being directed by Jack Bender, best known as the executive producer of ‘Alcatraz’ and ‘Lost.’ He also directed the pilot episode of ‘Alphas.’ So it’s no surprise that he has brought on ‘Lost’ alum Jeff Fahey to the mix.
Fahey is well recognized as the actor who played Frank Lapidus, the airline pilot who was supposed to pilot Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 but overslept and missed the flight on the series ‘Lost.’ He has appeared in numerous movies and television shows including ‘Chuck’ and the upcoming Syfy original movie ‘Alien Tornado.’ Fahey will play a “former NASA aerospace engineer with Zen-like wisdom who serves as the spiritual backbone of the time travel team” on the pilot.
Cronenberg is more active behind the camera than in front. The writer/director of such films as ‘Scanners’, ‘The Fly,’ and ‘The Dead Zone’ has made appearances as an actor and will get to display those acting chops once again when he guest stars to play a “brilliant scientist and Nobel Prize winner who becomes unhinged after his wife’s death.” Cronenberg’s character will come up with a dangerous plot to change the course of history.
‘Rewind’ is the first original pilot that Syfy has ordered. Here’s the official synopsis of the show:
Rewind revolves around a team of military field operatives and civilian scientists who must use untested technology to travel back in time to alter events and change the future–and avoid a devastating terrorist attack. Shane McRae stars as Sean Knox, ex-Special Forces who ranks as a field operative in a special division of the Department of Homeland Security. The pilot also stars Jennifer Ferrin, Academy Award nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), Robbie Jones and Keon Mohajeri, and is currently in production in Toronto. Jack Bender (Lost, Alphas) is directing the pilot, written by Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li), who will also executive produce with Tom Spezialy, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein.
I still contend that ‘Rewind’ reminds me a lot of ‘Source Code’ , ‘Quantum Leap’ and ‘Time Cop’ but since I do like Bender’s work, I’m going to leave an open mind to the project. What do you think of the pilot and the casting choices?