Big American network TV series return to Vancouver this summer, with most scheduled to start filming new seasons during the second week of July. Early scripts have been written, standing sets have been unpacked or are under construction in studio, scouts are out looking for Vancouver area filming locations, stunt teams are mapping out sequences and some cast are in town already for wardrobe fittings and read-throughs.
Start dates are subject to change but should be within a few days of what’s on the Production Lists.
Monday, July 7th – The 100, Season 2: Who survived the season finale? Clarke (Eliza Taylor) has been captured by the mountain men and locked in a white room in government safe house Mount Weather. How many of the original 100 are left standing after the epic battle with the Grounders? We don’t know the fate of bad-boy Bellamy (Bob Morley) or good-boy Finn (Thomas McDonell) but I’m betting these fan favourites will survive. Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) has gone off with her Grounder lover Lincoln (Ricky Whittle). Up on the Ark, Chancellor Jaha (Isaiah Washington) sacrificed himself and is floating in space but Abby (Paige Turco), Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) and others from the Ark crash-landed in what looked like a particularly beautiful part of Pitt Meadows. How will everyone re-unite? The 100 returns on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. this Fall on The CW and Thursdays on Netflix in Canada. The season two premiere is set for October 22nd.
Tuesday, July 8th – Supernatural, Season 10: Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles)’s a demon. What else needs to be said about the season nine finale? The SPN Family can look forward to more Fraser Valley sightings of Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), as well as losing-his-stolen-grace angel Castiel (Misha Collins) and King of Hell quipster Crowley (Mark Sheppard), who both will be series regulars in the tenth season. But what of the Impala? Can Dean stomach any demon touching his Baby, even himself? [Update: The new demon — Jensen Ackles — flew into Vancouver two weeks early to begin director’s prep for the first filmed episode as he has done in previous seasons.] Supernatural returns on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. this Fall on The CW with the season ten premiere set for October 7th.
Wednesday, July 9th – Once Upon a Time, Season 4: Frozen is coming to Storybrooke and casting is underway for Elsa the Ice Queen, her younger sister Anna and ice-cutter Kristoff [Update: EW reports Georgina Haig (Fringe’s Etta Bishop) cast as Elsa. TVLine reports Elizabeth Lail cast as Anna and Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff Plus Elizabeth Mitchell returns to Vancouver in an unidentifiedf Frozen role]. What does this mean for the Charmings (newlyweds and new parents Josh Dallas & Ginnifer Goodwin) and their baby son Neal? And for their grownup daughter Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and her faithful suitor Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), aka #CaptainSwan, who embraced in the season finale? Fans of Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin), aka #RumBelle, enjoyed a happy few months rejoicing in their favourite couple’s wedding in the woods. Not so for shippers of Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) and Regina (Lana Parrilla), who didn’t get their happy ending when Emma unknowingly brought back Robin Hood’s lost love Maid Marian from the past to Storybrooke. Things seem dire for #OutlawQueen and for #SwanQueen, with Regina blaming Emma for destroying her new-found happiness. How evil will the Evil Queen get? Showrunners Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitcz sure know how to giveth and taketh away. Once Upon a Time returns on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC and CTV this Fall in two eleven-episode blocks, with the season 4 premiere to air Sunday, September 28th.
Wednesday, July 9th – Arrow, Season 3: Team Arrow — Oliver (Stephen Amell), Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), Diggle (David Ramsey) and Roy (Colton Haynes) — won its epic battle with Slade’s Mirakuru-fueled Deathstroke Army but not without casualties. Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) is dead. Thea Queen (Willa Holland) left town with her Dad, Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), who returns as a series regular in season three. As did Sara/The Black Canary (Caity Lotz), who symbolically handed over her black leather jacket to sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy) before getting on a boat. And what of their Dad? Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) collapsed on the docks, fate unknown. With Slade Wilson incarcerated, have we seen the last of the Island flashbacks? Casting is underway for Oliver’s Hong Kong backstory. [Update: Brandon Routh (former Superman) joins as The Atom. TVLine reports Karl Yune cast as Oliver’s Hong Kong handler Maseo Yamashiro and Devon Aoki as his wife Tasu, a martial arts expert.] Arrow returns Wednesdays at 8 p.m. this Fall on The CW and CTV with the season three premiere slated for October 8th.
Friday, July 11th – The Flash, Season 1: Central City assistant police forensics investigator Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) becomes super fast, aka the Flash, after a freak explosion at STAR labs. [Update: Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People) joins the DC Justice League as Firestorm.] Central City Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) is a surrogate father to Allen and his daughter Iris West (Candice Patton) his best friend and potential girlfriend. Other main characters include Central City Detective Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett), Central City Police Captain David Singh (Patrick Sabongui), bioengineering expert Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), lab tech Cisco Ramon(Carlos Valdes) and STAR labs scientist Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh). The Flash will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. this Fall on The CW with its season premiere set for October 7th.
Mid-season American network series: FOX’s Backstrom gets off to an early start filming its first season this Thursday (June 26th) and ABC’s The Whispers [is expected to start shooting its first season on July 21st]. [And The CW’s iZombie starts filming its first season on August 25th].
Last day of prep! Cast read thru this afternoon, & day one of production starts tomorrow on #Backstrom! pic.twitter.com/r9FURKChVZ
— Kevin Hooks (@KevHooks) June 25, 2014