ABC is heading towards the homestretch of this press tour by unveiling Eastwick, the new TV series based on the John Updike novel that spawned at least two movies, and giving us a promo reel that copy-cattishly features the same theme music as True Blood.
But it also features Canadian Paul Gross as Darryl Van Horn, the latest version of a character eternally popularized by Jack Nicholson.
“There are many different kinds of devils, and we’ll unfold that as it goes and you’ll see that my powers are sort of limitless, but Jack Nicholson’s like Mount Rushmore, I can’t mount him,” Gross jokes.
The TV series can almost be described as an update of the ‘80s film, with a touch of Desperate Housewives mixed in. It stars Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price and Jaime Ray Newman as the three witches who become friends almost overnight when they each find a magical coin and toss it into a fountain at the same time.
"Obviously we wanted to appeal to a similar audience, but it’s very different than Housewives,” says creator and executive producer Maggie Friedman. “In Season 1, the theme is really about empowerment; it’s the women discovering who they are, coming into their power, and it’s also about seduction with Darryl coming to town.”
The “town,” by the way, is filmed on the Warner Bros. lot in the exact same location Gilmore Girls took place, revamped by a the same set designer who worked on Deadwood.
If you’re hoping Gross revamps his ‘80s style hair after the pilot, you’re in luck. He couldn’t chop off the longish locks before because of a film commitment, but trust me — he cleans up nicely.
Eastwick begins this fall on Wednesdays, 10 p.m. ET, Citytv/ABC.
Amber is currently reporting live from the TV Critics Press Tour in L.A. Check out complete coverage here. amber@tvguide.ca
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