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"Heroism comes in different sizes...it became about trying to make a difference." - Emma Brody
Latest News!!!
28 February 2001
A TV show about a 25-year-old American woman who works at the US embassy in London is US network Fox's new hope for a second Ally McBeal. Susan Karlin reports.
Are American audiences ready to learn that the rest of the world exists?
That's US TV network Fox's hope for Emmy Brody, thought to be the first American network primetime drama set in foreign soil since the flurry of James Bond-inspired spy shows like The Avengers and I, Spy, in the mid-60s and early 70s.
The show chronicles the professional and personal adventures of a young American woman, played by Arija Bareikis, of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo and Snow Falling on Cedars.
Emmy takes a job as a vice consul in the American embassy in London. There, she juggles crises - from crimes to marriages to lost luggage - arising for any of the three million Americans passing through the city. But its core is a comedic story of a woman's discovery of self-identity - similar to the successful Ally McBeal format.
"We knew Fox wanted a show compatible with Ally McBeal and the creator, James Parriott, had always wanted to set a show in an embassy, because they're fascinating places," said John Landgraf, president of Jersey Television.
His company is producing the show in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Jersey's parent company, Jersey Films, produced Erin Brockovich and Pulp Fiction.
"We decided on a woman in London, because it's one of the most international cities, but were concerned that Americans generally don't want to watch shows about people in foreign countries," he added.
"Jim thought about it and came back with a series of letters he wrote from Emma to her best friend and parents.
"He got stationery from the American embassy and several hotels in London, and created a whole scenario for this woman's adventures through her letter-writing.
Several women read them and said they could not believe it wasn't a 25-year-old woman who wrote these letters. We took that to the network, which bought it instantly."
Fox commissioned a pilot and will decide in May whether to show a series in the autumn in the US, with no sales yet made to the UK.
The pilot episode has Brody tracking down an American man who has kidnapped his 12-year-old girl in a custody dispute and hiding in London. Brody has to find them and take custody of the child as the father is charged.
Sprinkled throughout are charmingly eccentric British characters, like her cross-dressing neighbour, and distinctly non-American problems, like her star-crossed flirtation with an ancillary member of the Royal Family.
The producers are currently casting in both countries and planning to shoot in London from 7-25 March.
"I'd like to cast out of the pool of actors in England and fly them to LA to guest star, because I don't think you get the same kind of authenticity if you don't use the real thing," said Landgraf.
Sometimes a locale adds to a series, the way Hawaii and Miami did for Hawaii 5-0, Magnum, PI and Miami Vice. But there are enough "clunkers" set in Hawaii and overseas like Assignment Vienna, Blue Light and The Man Who Never Was, to suggest that location isn't everything, said Alex McNeil, a Boston-based TV historian and author.
"Being set in London won't hurt the series, but I'm sceptical whether it's an enormous selling point, especially since London doesn't seem to have a reputation in the States as a sexy city, like Honolulu or Miami," he said.
"You're not going to see too many people wearing thongs in London. Although I just read about a London man winning the right to walk around naked."
Adrian Juste, the former Radio 1 disc jockey and chronicler of both nations' pop culture, believes a favourable British response depends on the show's approach.
"I think the British public would like it, so long as the Americans have a sense of irony and can send themselves up while they're in the UK," he said.
"But they'll be fighting the American reputation of never bothering to get it right. We're still smarting from Dick Van Dyke's abysmal Cockney chimney-sweep in Mary Poppins."
Landgraf is taking his cue more from Notting Hill, which captured the idiosyncrasies of both cultures.
"As an American, you're probably never more patriotic as when you live in a foreign country," he said.
"At the same time, London has undergone a cultural and economic renaissance. It's a really happening place right now.
"So we want to go there, learn about the city and its issues, and bring that back to an American audience."
16 April 2003
David Cubitt (Doug Roach of AE) has signed on to co-star in a drama on NBC this fall along with Billy Baldwin as a district attorney in the Eastern District New York DA's office (EDNY). Kim Murphy also stars, but details have not been made available as to storyline or character names.
05 July 2002
If you guys haven't already heard Arija Bareikis (Emma Brody) will be appearing in episode 1 of a show called "Without a Trace" which will premiere on the WB network this fall. In addition, David Cubitt (Doug Roach) will be appearing in his own series on CBS this fall. Not sure of the title of the show just yet but that is the latest buzz for some of the actors.
As for the elusive episodes 5 & 6, they are as ever nowhere to be found. I am keeping my eyes and ears peeled for any rumblings from Jersey or FOX regarding the release of the eps.
21 June 2002
I understand the frustration and anger over the official termination of the American Embassy. I am hopeful that like all good shows though, the people who love the show and remember it will continue to come to this site to find out information about the actors and their careers, and the people who touched us through their work. I have also read numerous requests for copies of the episodes. (I have all four episodes and am willing to dub them for people with a little money pitched in for shipping and tape costs of course.)
As for the latest news I will updating everything like I have been promising and if nothing else vote for what you would like to see at this site in the poll section, which can be accessed in the above menu. Thanks again for all your support and keep checking back for news/views etc.
17 June 2002
Hey gang,
We knew that the day of reckoning would come and I have been dreading the news I have to tell you all. I have heard the final word from John Landgraf and it is official... The American Embassy is gone. There will be no AE on Lifetime or FX, both have chosen to turn down the show. Therefore, there will be no new episodes and no show next year.
I can't really think of what I am personally feeling other than sadness. I know we all worked hard and fought for a show we knew was great. I guess the networks just don't know what makes a good show anymore. I have officially boycotted FOX and choosen not to watch anything on their main flagship station.
As for what will happen to the last two episodes, I don't know. My guess would be that the only way to get the shows aired or released would be to request FOX to give them to the fans. Just so everyone does know though, Jersey Films does not own the rights to AE and cannot distribute the tapes, so the only way for the public to get them would be through FOX.
If you have questions or would like to continue posting at this forum I would love to keep in contact with all of you. I will still be updating my site and putting all of the things that we love about AE up on the site.
Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if you have questions or just want to vent. Thanks everyone for your fight, especially Michelle, Anne Marie, Bev, Rory, Leanne, buccarroo, and other webmasters and all the campaigners who have worked so hard to save our show. Again it is with the utmost respect and regret that I have to deliver this news.
Thanks guys, and I hope we keep in touch.
~Shannon
As many of you know FOX has been unwilling to listen to the fans and are becoming rather irritated with us so those of us who are trying to give the campaign some sense of direction have decided to focus more on the WB than on FOX. In fact, the producers have asked us specifically to aim our campaign at the WB. That is not to say we should stop sending FOX letters, e-mails, phone calls, etc, but we need to remain polite and patient despite their negative reactions to us. As for the WB network, the producers of AE are going to pitch the show to the network therefore the WB needs to be made aware that there are many polite, congenial, and lovely fans already in place ready to watch AE on their network, therefore all of the Tea Bags should be sent to the WB address below:
President, Entertainment
Jordan Levin
The WB Network
Attn: The American Embassy
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg. #34R
Burbank, CA 91522
Phone: (818) 977-5000
e-mail: faces@thewb.com
President & CEO
Jed Petrick
The WB Network (at the above address)
Please be sure to put one of the above names on the letters and postcards to the WB otherwise they will be returned to the sender!
I have put together some resources that that might be helpful in our united campaign, so feel free to share the links, the information, the images, the letters, whatever it takes! Okay, here is the first thing that you need to do. You need to go and sign the petition at PetitionOnline "Bring Back The American Embassy" and then above are the links for the Postcard Campaign, and the addresses at The WB where you can mail your postcards are down above this paragraph. Remember that it took 26,000 letters to bring back Roswell, so sending just one or two letters will not be enough! Please buy a roll of stamps and use the entire roll and send as many as you possibly can to The WB Network.
9 April 2002In addition, I would ask that everyone e-mail, call and write, to their local WB affiliates and join Yahoo Saving AE or another group to find out the latest campaign details. You can of course always check back at this site for updates to the campaign and I will be updating several times a week, so please continue to come back!
I would also recommend writing daily or weekly e-mails to FOX and sending letters if you can. I have written a form letter that might help you if you want to use it as a resource for what you want to say to FOX about our favorite show. Here is the Letter. I hope that you find it useful and don't hesitate to send as many copies of it as you would like.
In addition, there is more information on ways to help the campaign by visiting Michael Cerveris official website to find more people to e-mail and more ways to help.
Okay more things that we can do to forward the campaign. I have found the addresses for the following networks that we can e-mail the networks about our campaign.
The WB e-mail: faces@thewb.com
ABC's e-mail: netaudr@abc.com
NBC's e-mail: nbcshows@nbc.com
CBS' e-mail: go to their website and fill out the Feedback form located at the bottom of the page.
UPN's e-mail: All I found were local affiliate stations...which could work!
E!Online's e-mail: Wanda@eonline.com
Entertainment Weekly's e-mail: ew_letters@ew.com
Entertainment Tonight Online's e-mail: et@pde.paramount.com
