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May 12, 2014
 

NIELSENWAR 2014-15 Trailer Review: FOX’s “Hieroglyph”

 

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HIEROGLYPH:  Midseason TBD on FOX

THE FACTS:  Ancient Egyptian fantasy-adventure, given a direct-to-series order by FOX.  The series creator is Travis Beacham, a screenwriter of Pacific Rim and the remake of Clash of the Titans, and let’s pretend that’s something to boast about.

WHAT IT’S SAYING:  There will be mystery, magic, palace intrigue and broadcast network levels of sex and violence.

WHAT IT’S REALLY SAYING:  Do people really want to watch DaVinci’s Demons without the paycable sex and violence?  Although the historical period is different, Hieroglyph appears to be very much the same sort of show (there’s even a mysterious Book that the hero has to track down, presumably to save the world).

THE OUTLOOK:  We don’t know yet when Hieroglyph will air, but it seems unlikely to create much of a stir wherever it surfaces.  (It appears to be very much like a somewhat more expensive version of BBC America’s Atlantis.)  The short trailer doesn’t do much more than provide a glimpse of the setting and genre, and fails to suggest there’s anything very interesting going on in this trip down well-traveled territory.



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."