Wizard's Keep - Your online portal for Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Click here to be taken to the OFFICIAL SITE

The Lone Gunmen - Pilot Episode (March 4, 2001)

Our beloved trio of geeky hackers and conspiracy theorists from The X-Files finally have a show of their own, and it looks to be a success if the pilot is any indication of what viewers can expect.

The episode begins with the Gunmen infiltrating E-COM.com in an attempt to steal the new Octium IV chip before it can be released to the masses and wreak havoc in the private lives of unknowing American citizens everywhere. I loved this whole Pentium IV spoof. In case you hadn't heard, the Pentium III microprocessor chip is rumored to enable the government to track what computer users do online. Anyway... Langly causes a scene at E-Com's celebration festivities where he loudly claims (much to the embarrassment of the main speaker) that the new Octium IV chip contains an internal modem that allows the company (and their government sponsors) to eavesdrop on their customers' online whereabouts. This stages a diversion for the E-Com security agents while Frohike and Byers sneak into a "CIA-esque" top-security control room and try to steal the Octium IV prototype.

Unfortunately, the group's progress is upstaged by a freelance hacker who sabotages Frohike and Byers' laughable attempts at espionage and sets them up to take the fall for "him" as he enters the security chamber (which is satirically similar to a scene out of "Mission Impossible"), kisses a haplessly dangling Frohike on the mouth, snags the chip and hastily exits the building after disposing of HER disguise in a waste basket. The wannabe infiltrators are then treated to a free "full cavity search" and are sent walking stiffly on their way.

When the trio returns to their base of operations, they discover that their building was bugged, which accounts for the freelancer's inside information regarding their plans. Byers then gets a telephone call informing him that his father has just died in a car accident where he supposedly fell asleep at the wheel. After the funeral, Byers and crew are approached by a man who claims to have worked with Byers' father for the government. He then takes the Gunmen to the scene of the accident and suggests that Byers' dad was murdered and his death made to look like an accident. After many delicious plot twists and turns, we later discover that Byers' father is still alive and conveniently "played along" with his assassin's original plan, knowing that he would be killed if his would-be-murderers discovered that he was still alive. The bit about how the assassin slipped on a slick patch of damp carpet and accidentally shot himself was hillarious.

Events further unravel to reveal that a secret government agency known as "The Overlords" is behind a plot to crash a fully loaded 747 into the World Trade Building. The Overlords plan to blame the crash on terrorists in an attempt to generate a bigger budget for military spending (of course). Byers' dad reluctantly accepts his son's offer to help stop this and father and son board the suspected jet while Langly and Frohike provide computer intelligence support back at the LG base. A tense 15 minutes later, it looks like Byers and Son will be blown all over Manhattan (no pun intended). Frohike then steps out for some help via Yves Adele Harlow--the beautiful freelancer who stole the Octium chip--as only the Octium IV has the processor speed capable of defeating The Overlords' remote-control system used to pilot the jet into downtown Manhattan. Frohike threatens to reveal the woman's true identity if she refuses to help, so she of course comes to help him and Langly save the day.

As for the downside of things, the dialogue was weak at times, and the mood music was too prevalent during the scene where Byers and his father have their closing conversation in the airport terminal. I also found it a big stretch that Frohike found Yves still at the firing range in time to save the day--which seemed like six hours after Langly encountered her there earlier. Sure, as the athletic "looker" of the show, she has to stay on top of her marksmanship, but geez! I just hope the producers don't try to "Beverly 90210" the show too much. This isn't Temptation Island, after all (thank God).

Overall, I really enjoyed the show. The episode was a nice blend of comedy and suspense. It might not be as serious as your typical X-Files episode (which expertly blends horror and suspense), but it isn't intended to. I think Chris Carter finally found a new series that isn't upstaged by The X-Files (definitely a hard act to follow), but instead works alongside it. It's refreshing to see a series that doesn't take itself too seriously and I have sincere hopes that The Lone Gunmen will assume a solid weekly air slot of its own by the end of the month.

The Lone Gunmen stars Dean Haglund as Langly, Tom Braidwood as Frohike, Bruce Harwood as Byers, Zuleikha Robinson as Yves Adele Harlow, and Stephen Snedden as Jimmy Bond (who makes his debut appearance on the series next week). The series airs Sunday nights on FOX at 9pm Eastern through the month of March while The X-Files takes a temporary hiatus.

--Randy Price, Wizard's Keep staff

The Lone Gunmen - Series Preview (February 25, 2001)

The Lone Gunmen premieres Sunday, March 4th on FOX at 9pm Eastern. It will air the full month of March at this time until The X-Files resumes its normal airtime slot on April 1st.

In the meantime, the following interview (courtesy of The Vancouver Province and FANDOM.com ) taken with three of the four main stars of The Lone Gunmen should keep your appetite whetted. Keep in mind that this interview was first published on March 9th of 2000--back when The Lone Gunmen was being considered as a possible replacement for The X-Files in the event that Chris Carter and David Duchovny didn't sign-on for an 8th season. At that time, the actors were getting ready for the pilot episode. An entire series was hopeful, but wasn't in the formal plans back then...

Look out Hollywood, the Lone Gunmen are taking aim at prime time TV. Those wacky, paranoid geeks that help Mulder and Scully crack conspiracies are spinning off into their own show. That's great news for the three Vancouver-area actors who portray Byers, Frohike and Langly: respectively, Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood and Dean Haglund. We tracked down the trippy trio and got them to dish on the show and life as the wildly popular conspiracy guys.

DEAN HAGLUND A.K.A. LANGLY

Q. Where's the pilot going to be shot?
A. In Vancouver, since we were all starting to look too sexy with our buff bodies and tans that we were getting in L.A.

Q. You're not afraid of rain these days, are you?
A. Only acid rain and what happened to that? I thought David Suzuki said the Gulf Islands were supposed to be dead now unless we took drastic actions! Did we take them?

Q. What do you think the show should be called?
A. Hmmmmmm. How about, I Told You If You Make that Face it Will Stay That Way?

Q. What will your own show mean to your popularity?
A. The show will mean, when entering a large event, I will no longer be asked, "Are you with the band?"

Q. Will we see you walking next to Bruce Willis or John Travolta down a red carpet at a movie premiere anytime soon?
A. Yeah, that's right. I am starring in a picture with John Travolta and Bruce Willis called That Long Haired Guy Killed the General's Daughter and He Can See Dead People.

Q. What's in your new contract?
A. Well, I fought hard, it was quite a battle with Business Affairs, but I worked it so I only have to mention my last name at the security gate to get in.

Q. How would you describe your personal style?
A. Biker from Mensa.

Q. What are some traits you and Langly share?
A. Unkempt hair. Unclean linen.

Q. Will you do nudity?
A. Only if nudity will respect me in the morning.

Q. What is the weirdest thing someone has written about you in say an Internet chat room?
A. You want weird? YOU WANT WEIRD? Oh, baby, you don't know the meaning of weird until you have seen the things I have seen. Thus, I can't really judge what the weirdest means anymore.

Q. If you could start one rumour about yourself what would it be?
A. That I am that deep voice you hear when you dial the wrong number.

Q. What rumour would you start about the other two Gunmen?
A. They are the women's voices that say 'Telus' and 'Next stop, Metrotown.'

Q. What's your favourite conspiracy theory?
A. That Monica Lewinsky was a CIA operative on a mission to distract the public from the fact that the government was completely useless.

Q. If the moon walk was staged, how do you explain pictures and film footage of the astronauts experiencing weightlessness?
A. They turned the camera upside down. Try it at home.

Q. Is it true that, in the pilot, there will be a strong female role, a theorist who stimulates your intellects as well as your ... ?
A. As my what? Could you finish the question please. I am bad with double entendre. I can barely handle single entendre.

Q. Any idea on who will play that role?
A. I think I will. It's a chance to expand my acting range to play a woman who I lust after.

Q. Who else would you like to play that role?
A. I think we should rotate the entire cast of 90210 through the part. They've got the time.

Q. Finish this sentence: If I were Chris Carter the first thing I would do is ...
A. Go surfing!

TOM BRAIDWOOD A.K.A. FROHIKE

Q. Shooting The X-Files in L.A. hasn't made you afraid of the rain, has it?
A. I'm born and bred in the rain. I'm a water baby.

Q. What's the show going to be called?
A. Don't know but I think The Lone Gunman would be good. Our name is originally singular whose mythology derives from the lone gunman referred to in the Kennedy assassination.

Q. What did you do to celebrate when you found out the show was a go?
A. I called my wife at home, sat on the balcony of the hotel in L.A., watched the sun set and went to bed at 10 p.m.

Q. What's the difference between Hollywood you and Vancouver you?
A. About a 2 1/2 hour plane ride.

Q. Will we see you walking next to Bruce Willis or John Travolta down a red carpet at a movie premiere?
A. I don't think so. Maybe we'll be hired to clean the carpet if we're lucky.

Q. What is one trait you share with Frohike?
A. Bad taste in clothes.

Q. What's one trait you don't share?
A. I'm better looking than my character.

Q. Will you do nudity?
A. Pity the poor viewing audience ...

Q. What's the weirdest thing someone has said about you or Frohike in, say, an Internet chat room?
A. Don't follow the chat rooms much. But a young female fan at one of the conventions wondered if I wore boxers or briefs.

Q. If you could start one rumour about yourself what would it be?
A. That I can act ...

Q. What rumour would you start about other Gunmen?
A. That they think I can act ...

Q. What's your favourite conspiracy theory?
A. Gas prices ...

BRUCE HARWOOD A.K.A. BYERS

Q. When you heard about the pilot, did you do anything wild and crazy to celebrate?
A. No. A pilot is a pilot --which is good -- but not a series. I take it one step at a time.

Q. Are you now considered A-list party material?
A. Nope.

Q. Will we see you walking next to Bruce Willis or John Travolta down a red carpet at a movie premiere anytime soon?
A. Nope.

Q. What will be in your new contract? A bigger trailer, champagne? What do you get now?
A. Sorry, private information.

Q. How would you describe your personal style?
A. Well, I don't wear suits (like Byers) if I can help it. I prefer relaxed and pretty unstylish clothes.

Q. What's one trait you share with your on screen persona?
A. Bookishness.

Q. What is one thing you and your character don't share?
A. Extreme paranoia.

Q. Will you do nudity?
A. Why would anyone want me to?

Q. What would surprise an X-Files fan to find out about you?
A. X-Files fans are hard to surprise!

Q. If you could start one rumour about yourself what would it be?
A. That I was taller and better looking.

Q. What rumour would you start about your other two Gunmen cohorts?
A. That they said I was taller and better looking.

Q. Who is funnier, Jerry Lewis or Jim Carrey?
A. Robin Williams.

Q. What's your favourite conspiracy theory?
A. That the JFK assassination was a suicide.

Q. If the moon walk was staged, how do you explain pictures and film footage of the astronauts experiencing weightlessness?
A. Invisible strings.

Q. How do you explain crop circles and Ricky Martin?
A. They both describe concentric circles.