ROSWELL, N.M. – The aliens have returned! Maybe not returned so much as finally arrived on home video with the release of Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series on DVD. Startling enough, the show only lasted a season on NBC in 1996. It gained a large cult with an alternative history of America in the ’60s. “History as we know it is a lie” was the startling series slogan. John Loengard (Eric Close) went from plucky congressional aide to a member of the ultra creepy Majestic 12 run by Frank Bach (J.T. Walsh) to battle the alien menace. An equally bizarre transformation happens to his girlfriend, Kimberly Sayers (Megan Ward). She gets alien abducted and returned. The perky perfect sixties gal goes to dark side. Can he bring her back?
Megan Ward called up the Party Favors hotline for a brief chat about the series, being covered in cow guts, the late J.T. Walsh and Oscar host James Franco. Ward has been acting for over two decades in movies and TV shows. You might remember her from Encino Man, PCU, Freaked, The Brady Bunch Movie and Joe’s Apartment. She’s also been on Class of ’93, Melrose Place, Sleeper Cell and Party of Five. Currently she’s on call for General Hospital as Kate Howard. Even with such a busy career, she still remembers her time being probed by aliens.
“What I found important and moving about the initial script and a good first half of the season that it was as much about the aliens as it was about America,” Ward said. “These two young people reflected where the consciousness was in America. Finding out the truth about the aliens and the conspiracy to conceal them by the government changed them. And it’s the same thing that happened to America…becoming wiser and the American dream slipping through their fingers with the different historical events that happened. It was the human aspect of the show, not just the alien and conspiracy aspect that made the show special.”
The show comes off as a twist of X-Files, The Invaders and Mad Men. Although that last part wouldn’t happen for over a decade. Maybe the aliens saw into the future? In an odd coincidence Mad Men‘s John Slattery gives a non-credited performances as a newscaster in a Dark Skies episode. We didn’t have time to talk about Roger Sterling’s appearance. We did address how Dark Skies had outline for all five season that went from the early ’60s to modern times which would have been the future a decade ago. I asked if she got excited guessing the time period of an upcoming script.
“In the very end is when they sped it up a lot,” Ward said. “In the beginning it was over those few years of significant events from assassination of JFK, Beatles coming to America, Mississippi Burning, and astronaut missions. There really was this sort of compact amount of events during the time. It was an amazing time in history so it was ripe for the producers to start the show during that time.”
The pilot excited her from the page. This was not the normal TV show that had a hour-long pilot script with potential for 99 more episodes.
“It was probably the most dynamic and interesting script I had ever read,” she said. “It really set itself up from the get go with a cover letter from John Loengard to really get you to buy it. I didn’t see any of the tricks along the way because the read itself was compelling. The fact that it was a two hour pilot meant it was a full length movie where you could tell a full story versus the selling points for a new show. It was its own story that ended with ‘Ok, now what happened’ versus ‘I get what this show is about.’ That was exciting to participate in.”
The pilot movie got plenty of buzz with Tobe Hooper directing and Bill Butler as director of photography. The man who brought America The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the cinematographer that captured Jaws weren’t the usual pilot season tag team. What did she think of seeing them on set?
“Wasn’t that cool?” Ward acknowledged. “It was great. I knew exactly who they were. I was so pleased because it further impressed me to the quality of what this show could be. You knew that hey were going to shoot it well. There was a scene where the ball light is presented in front of her. She’s reaching out and being compelled to touch it and go to Hive. This was such a Tobe Hopper moment. Normally during filming even if there are special effects, you don’t hear anyone talking or throwing directions. He started directing me about what that ball meant. It was really a lightbulb in the actor’s hand. He just started throwing out, “Man, It’s so trippy. It’s so weird” in his hippie speak. It was such a defining moment of “Yes, I worked with Tobe Hooper.” It was really great.”
Because of the digital video effects used on the show, it was hard to tell if she got gooped up. Enquiring minds had to know if she was coated in alien goo.
“I think I did get covered in something,” she admitted. “I also had to do all the casts and make the molds ahead of time. They had to make my puppet that got encased inside some sort of resin or gel. Eric managed to get away with very little special effects stuff. I was the one who was probed, things up my nose, and coughing stuff up. I had all the difficult special effects stuff. But once you do it, you get yourself through it. It’s not as nasty as working with cockroaches or jumping in pits of cow organs – which I’ve done in my past.”
She was the romantic interest in the cockroach heavy Joe’s Apartment. Arcade had her starring with Seth Green, John De Lancie (Q) Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story) and Chef Chris Cosentino’s favorite cuts. The film was about a kid getting sucked into a video game.
“My character escapes one of the levels through a portal that was a dry ice infused, organ rich, bubbling pond. They literally took innards from the grocery store and had them floating on top. At the end of the scene, I had to jump into it. That’s how dedicated I am to my craft.”
Oddly enough Megan Ward was not a star of Hot Dog…The Movie. She was extremely dedicated on Dark Skies since it wasn’t an easy shoot compared to a sitcom.
“What was difficult about this show was physically accomplishing it,” Ward said. “It was so demanding because we had the Sixties time period. We had historical events. We had action. We had aliens and special effects. It was very challenging show to get all of that in with integrity and authenticity in a regular episodic show. We had an 80 hour week. It was more about getting it done and surviving it because we were so ambitious.”
The 4:30 a.m. call times weren’t the only things taxing Ward’s stamina. “A lot of what Kim did was give the emotional perspective on where they found themselves in the situation. It was a very draining experience,” she said.
But even with the lack of sleep and hitting extreme emotional notes, Ward got pumped up by the historical moments on the set.
“It was quite exciting to say, ‘What event do we get this week?’ When we got the Beatles event, that was so much fun,” she said.
Her favorite location was a simple place. “We were on the beach, It was cold and we were shooting in the dead of winter, but it was so refreshing to be out of the grittier locations and muddy farms,” she confessed.
The ultimate question about working in a show that covered so much of the ’60s; what was her favorite hairstyle?
“I liked my big hair,” she said. “It got too big at times. Some of the stuff I look back and go, ‘That was wrong.’ We always joked that my hair was a helmet and I just needed a chinstrap. it would have been easier if we had.”
J.T. Walsh brought the goods to the series as the mysterious military man. He was a solid actor who had appeared in over 70 movies and TV shows. He seemed destined for a long career like Charles Lane with his ability to project the no nonsense authority figure. It was a shock when he passed away in 1998 of a heart attack at age 54. What was Walsh like at what turned out to be the end of his career?
“He was great,” Ward testified. “He was tough. He knew who he was. He knew what he was doing. He was really wise and smart. He had no patience for time wasted. He could be difficult if he was unhappy with the length of time something took to shoot or if there was some confusion. He was never that way to me. I really looked up to him. I was a young actor and I knew I had a lot to learn. I appreciated working with an actor of his caliber and experience because I always felt very safe with him in a scene. I didn’t have to think for him. He always inspired me as an actor. It was fun to work with him. It was challenging to work with him in the way actors dream of. It was a pleasure and we miss him a lot.”
Was Walsh’s no nonsense attitude part of him or merely him tapping into the characters he was constantly cast as?
“I don’t know,” Ward said. “The truth of the matter is that actors can only play a part of themselves. I think it just zeroed in on who he was. He was a wonderful storyteller. He had this other side to him that you would see once and a while. When it came to the work, he was fairly disciplined. He wanted to get it done and get it over with – which is a good thing. But you had to be careful around him because you could set him off. He could get upset very easily. He wasn’t as kind to other people on the show as he was to me.”
The boxset for Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series has commentary tracks along with a documentary about the series featuring producers & creators Bryce Zabel and Brent Friedman. For a show that was filled with government secrets; was she shocked to learn information about the show from the bonus features?
“It’s interesting looking back on something where you have so much more information than at the time,” she said. “It’s funny that being on the set 80 hours a week and being the female lead of a show, you’d think I’d know everything going on. But you don’t know that much unless you’re intentionally included on information.”
Did she know that the producers had sped up their outline when they knew NBC didn’t want to renew the series?
“I knew that Kim’s role had changed through the course of the end of the season,” Ward said. “I was really uncertain how she’d come back since she ended as a villain.”
There was no hint to her that the season ending episode would be the last.
“A producer can’t really tell an actor that it looks awful that the network isn’t supporting us and returning my calls. It wouldn’t be good for an actor’s morale to know all that ahead of time.
Last year James Franco became a sensation for his short tenure on General Hospital. His clips shown on Talk Soup didn’t hint he’d cut off his arm in quest of an Oscar. What was Ward’s opinion of the star of His Royal Highness
“It’s funny because my character actually introduces James Franco, but we’re never on screen together because I had a scheduling conflict,” Ward admitted. “So I had to shoot all of my stuff the day before his character arrives. He came in the next day. My character introduces him to the town of Port Charles where General Hospital takes place. I’m in some other room and everybody is going into the room where he is. Our storylines never coincided again. He plays an artist and my character’s a fashion editor. She hosted an art show featuring his character’s art which is how he came to town. That was the closest I got to James Franco.”
Now that Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series has been released; Ward is eager to see a few other of her shows on DVD.
“I have two. One is Four Corners which was a short lived series I did with Ann-Margret and Sonia Braga. I’m so proud of it. Such a great, cute family drama. There was only five shows so they cut it down to a TV movie. So I don’t think that will ever happen. The one I really want to come out is Class of ’96 which was a show about a freshman class. It was in 1992 when Fox went seven nights a week. It was very sentimental and thoughtful with really great characters. We did 17 of those shows. I’m trying to get Shout! Factory to do that one.”
I WROTE THAT
Will the press quit playing the game of guessing who wrote O – the novel about Obama running for re-election. I wrote it. I’m Anonymous. I was keeping it on the down low since I don’t need the Secret Service all in my business. Why break my silence? I’m hearing all these big name political writers hinting they might have done it. But they won’t say it was them. And they can’t it because it’s me. You might as well take a silver Sharpie and write my name on the spine. I was quite upset that my editor did force me to rework the original title: “O: The Erotic Journal of a President Campaigning from DC for a Little AC.”
JUST GIVE OUT THE TROPHIES
This year’s award season has me rather bored. It’s a relief that they’ve moved up the Oscars to Feb. 27 from its old date in April. There’s no sparkle or glamor this year. Did people show up at the Golden Globes wearing cords? There’s no nasty blood feuds being played out in public. For a bunch of dramatic people, it’s too calm. Does everyone now live in fear of opening up their yaps and getting shot down like Mickey Rourke on The Wrestler‘s failed run for glory? Why isn’t James Franco trash talking Colin Firth? A little speech issue is more award worthy than cutting off your arm with a Swiss Army knife?
The only film I’m rooting for is Restrepo since we did cover Sebastian Junger in the column. It’ll keep Party Favors as the good luck charm for Best Documentary winners.
DVD SHELF
Black Panther revives the African superhero using Marvel Knights animation to bring movement to Reginald Hudlin’s reboot. The director of House Party had taken over the series in 2005. A few years later he became President of Entertainment for BET. The channel asked him to develop his version of Black Panther as a network cartoon. Like previous Marvel Knights projects, they bring the panels alive. John Romita, Jr’s original art gains motion. Although since this was a done for a TV show, there’s more in these six episodes than the first six comics. There’s a whole subplot involving Black Panther and the X-Men’s Storm. They are a natural fit since she’s also from Africa. The events covered deal with Prince T’Challa (Dijmon Hounsou) winning a tournament in Wakanda. His prize is the role as the new Black Panther. His first gig in the new job – fight against Klaw, the guy who killed the previous Black Panther. There’s a major battle as Klaw invades Wakanda with a team of super villains. Lot of good explosions in the exotic location. Stan Lee has a vocal cameo. The bonus features include a documentary about making the series, a music video and a trailer.
Matlock: The Sixth Season serves up more sweet Southern justice. “The Witness Killings” gives an unexpected sour homecoming for lawyer Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith). Turns out his relatives hate him for going to Atlanta instead of being the town lawyer. He’s given his chance to practice in hometown as locals are being murdered. “The Marriage Counselor” has the professional therapist get killed. Turns out the guy has been “helping” his clients by seducing the wives. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) gets his freak on. “The Picture” brings back Don Knotts as the neighbor. Although I get major rush with the arrival of Doug McClure on “The Outcast.” Matlock retires when he screws up a case. Will he ever return to the bar or will we drink to his demise? The big finale is “The Assassination” with a local mayor getting plunked. There’s plenty of killing for a movie length episode. This was the final season the series aired on NBC and shot in Los Angeles. Next season moved the show to ABC and Wilmington, NC.
Freakonomics brings the theories of Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from the best selling book to the screen. This is a magazine style adaptation of the book with an all-star documentary team creating the segments. Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) ponders if fancy naming your kid matters. Why We Fight‘s Eugene Jarecki distills the radical relationship between crime rates and abortion. Jesus Camp‘s Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady follow high schoolers that have a chance to make money for good grades. Does cash turn bad grades into Harvard ready GPAs? Client 9‘s Alex Gibney’s piece on cheating in Sumo wresting could have been expanded into its own movie. There’s a lot of shocking revelations spinning out of a simple case of people letting their friends share in the paydays. Did you know the police in Japan will report your homicide as natural causes if they don’t have an immediate murderer? Don’t die in Tokyo. The film comes off as a great start to a continuing TV series. There needs to be more exploration of their odd theories. I knew Dubner from his previous life as a guitarist in the Right Profile and an entertainment writer. Strange to see him now in this role. Although nothing in this film is as freaky as his hair back in the ’80s. This is a must see for people who like odd connections.
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer explores what the hell happened to the former governor of New York. How did a guy on the political rise allow himself to become ruined by a prostitution scandal? He’s not completely ruined since he got his own show on CNN. This isn’t a single narrative. We get a view from Manhattan from the view of hookers, investment bankers and Spitzer. The movie explores how this guy was supposed to be a hero. Director Alex Gibney has become the documentarian who has a way of distilling the most complicated of characters and scandals. He’s done it with Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Casino Jack and the United States of Money and Taxi to the Dark Side. He’s created a team that rivals 60 Minutes at its prime. There is more information here than your average news network that reduces coverage to cartoonish pundits screaming opinion disguised as referenced facts. It’s hard to say that the Sheriff of Wall Street was set up. He knew he was marked. Spitzer upset wealthy people and their corporations. He went after AIG before it needs nearly $200 billion of our money for their outrageous business practices. His enemies do have their say in the film. They were ready to pounce when Spitzer’s vice was revealed. Spitzer allowed himself to be destroyed. The film makes us realize that you have to be a monk if you wish to rally against dangerous players. If you need to see prostitutes, why not go visit Bunny Ranch where it is legal?
Down Terrace is a British family crime comedy that reminds you why it stinks to work for relatives. Bill and Karl swear there’s a rat in their operation. They get sprung from jail and immediately sniff around for the cop lover. They run their operation out of Brighton. Oddly enough, Bill and Karl are played by a real life father and son team. There’s a bit of natural truth in their bickerings. It captures the charm of The Sopranos without so much marina sauce on the action. Down is my favorite English crime flick since Sexy Beast. This deserves a spot in your overlooked film night.
Clover sticks Elizabeth McGovern (The Bedroom Window) in a tricky racial situation. She marries Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters and Oz) which seems fine. She doesn’t quite get along with Ernie’s daughter. But it’s nothing beyond the normal stepmom friction. There’s no time for things to ease out since Ernie drops dead. She’s legally the child’s sole guardian now. His side of the family isn’t happy that Elizabeth wants to raise the daughter. Will anyone let her be a mom? This Hallmark TV movie is much more masterful in the treatment of the subject than a Tyler Perry film. Zelda Harris is fantastic as the girl trapped in the middle of a family loyalty struggle.
Erich Segal’s Only Love brings together the charming couple of Rob Morrow and Marisa Tomei. This is a nearly three hour-long Hallmark presentation that goes for the sentimental. Rob Morrow is a doctor who reunites with a lost love (Life Force‘s Mathilda May) when she needs his help with a deadly tumor. Decades before, the duo had survived a war in Africa. Now he has to find a way to stay focused and professional. He can’t afford to destroy his marriage and kill his old flame. Luckily he’s married to Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) so it’s not that tempting to cheat on her. This is a perfect DVD to give the wife while you retreat to you hidden fortress to watch exciting college basketball action. Morrow and Tomei need to play a married couple again.
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