Crisis in Six Scenes
Crisis in Six Scenes | |
---|---|
| |
Genre | Comedy |
Created by | Woody Allen |
Written by | Woody Allen |
Directed by | Woody Allen |
Starring |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 6 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Erika Aronson |
Producer(s) | Helen Robin |
Editor(s) | Alisa Lepselter |
Production company(s) |
|
Release | |
Original network | Amazon Video |
Original release | September 30, 2016 |
Crisis in Six Scenes is an American television miniseries written and directed by Woody Allen for Amazon Studios.[1][2][3][4] Allen wrote and directed six episodes for the half-hour series, marking the first time he has done so for television. It is available exclusively on Amazon Video.
The series premiered on September 30, 2016,[1] to generally unfavorable reviews. Allen said in May 2016 that the series will consist of only one season.[5]
Plot
The series is set in the 1960s during turbulent times in the United States. A middle class suburban family is visited by a guest (played by Miley Cyrus) who turns their household completely upside down.
Cast
Main cast
- Woody Allen as Sidney Munsinger
- Miley Cyrus as Lennie Dale
- Elaine May as Kay Munsinger
- Rachel Brosnahan as Ellie
- John Magaro as Allen Brockman
Guest stars
- Becky Ann Baker as Lee
- Joy Behar as Ann
- Lewis Black as Al
- Christine Ebersole as Eve
- Gad Elmaleh as Moe
- David Harbour as Vic
- Margaret Ladd as Gail
- Michael Rapaport as Trooper Mike
- Rebecca Schull as Rose
Episodes
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode 1" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
2 | "Episode 2" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
3 | "Episode 3" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
4 | "Episode 4" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
5 | "Episode 5" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
6 | "Episode 6" | Woody Allen | Woody Allen | September 30, 2016 |
Production
Development
The deal with Allen was seen as giving Amazon a possible advantage in its competition with Netflix and television networks. The series was announced within days of Amazon winning the Golden Globe Award for the comedy-drama Transparent, another original series.[6] Allen had last written new material for television in the 1950s, when he wrote for Sid Caesar.[4]
In a May 2015 interview, Allen said that progress on the series had been "very, very difficult" and that he had "regretted every second since I said OK".[7][8] Allen has said of the series, "I don't know how I got into this. I have no ideas and I'm not sure where to begin. My guess is that Roy Price [the head of Amazon Studios] will regret this."[2][3][9]
Casting
In January 2016, it was announced that the series would star Allen, Elaine May and Miley Cyrus, and that shooting would begin in March.[10] In February 2016, it was announced that John Magaro and Rachel Brosnahan had joined the cast.[11] In March 2016, Michael Rapaport, Becky Ann Baker, Margaret Ladd, Joy Behar, Rebecca Schull, David Harbour and Christine Ebersole had joined the cast of the series.[12]
Filming
For about three weeks in early 2016, filming for the six episodes took place at 508 Scarborough Road, in Briarcliff Manor, New York.[13]
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 19%, based on 43 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Woody Allen's filmmaking skills prove a poor fit for the small screen in Crisis in Six Scenes, a talk-heavy, unfunny, and overall disengaged production buried below numerous superior offerings."[14] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the series has a score 44 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[15]
Rodrigo Perez from The Playlist gave the series a D+ on an A+ to F scale, and described it as "Hamfisted and nearly unwatchable."[16]
Allen himself had openly expressed severe misgivings about the project.[2][3][17] At the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, Allen said in reference to the show, "It was a catastrophic mistake. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm floundering. I expect this to be a cosmic embarrassment."[18]
Cast reaction
In January 2018, Rachel Brosnahan stated she regretted working on the series, stating; "Honestly, it's the decision that I have made in my life that is the most inconsistent with everything I stand for and believe in, both publicly and privately. And while I can't take it back, it's important to me, moving forward, to make decisions that better reflect the things that I value and my worldview."[19][20]
References
- 1 2 Littleton, Cynthia (7 August 2016). "Amazon Sets September Comedy Push, Reveals Title for Woody Allen Series". Variety. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 Weinstein, Shelli (January 13, 2015). "Woody Allen to Create His First Television Series for Amazon". Variety. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Steel, Emily (January 13, 2015). "Amazon Signs Woody Allen to Write and Direct TV Series". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
- 1 2 Jurgensen, John (January 13, 2015). "Woody Allen to Create TV Series for Amazon Studios". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
- ↑ Galloway, Stephen (May 4, 2016). "The Woody Allen Interview (Which He Won't Read)". Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ↑ Levin, Gary (January 14, 2015). "Amazon momentum builds with Woody Allen series". USA Today. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ↑ Mike Fleming Jr. "Woody Allen Cannes Interview: 'Irrational Man' Director On His Life & Movies - Deadline". Deadline Hollywood.
- ↑ Goodman, Jessica (May 15, 2015). "Woody Allen Regrets Doing Amazon Series". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ↑ Massa, Antonia (January 13, 2015). "Amazon Signs Woody Allen to His First TV Show". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
- ↑ Mike Fleming Jr. "Woody Allen Amazon Series: Woody, Miley Cyrus & Elaine May To Star - Deadline". Deadline Hollywood.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (February 24, 2016). "John Magaro & Rachel Brosnahan Join Woody Allen's Amazon Series". Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (March 16, 2016). "Woody Allen Amazon Series: Michael Rapaport, Becky Ann Baker & More Join Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ↑ Taliaferro, Lanning (March 8, 2016). "Woody Allen Filming on Scarborough Road". Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manor Patch. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Crisis in Six Scenes (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Crisis in Six Scenes reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ↑ "Woody Allen's Amazon Show 'Crisis In Six Scenes' Is Nearly Unwatchable [Review]". theplaylist.net. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ↑ Massa, Annie; Soper, Spencer; Palmeri, Chris (January 13, 2015). "Amazon's Woody Allen Hiring Underscores Video Risk". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ↑ Zeitchik, Steven (May 15, 2015). "Cannes 2015: Woody Allen Sings a Bleak Tune". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ↑ Feinberg, Scott (January 17, 2018). "Rachel Brosnahan Says She Regrets Working With Woody Allen". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ↑ Crucchiola, Jordan (January 17, 2018). "Rachel Brosnahan Says She Betrayed Her Own Convictions By Working With Woody Allen". Vulture.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.