Last week FOX wisely unveiled it's new series Red Band Society a week before things got busy with premiere week. A fan of Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable and Wilson Cruz, I had planned to watch the series, but was out during's it's airing. FOX repeated the pilot later in week which thankfully I remembered to DVR.
The entire company is full of likable and talented young actors, but a stand out to me was actor Charlie Rowe. Charlie plays Lee Roth, the cancer survivor who leads the group of unlikely friends brought together by their commonalities and circumstance. The show had me from the first scene. Yes, it pulls at your heart strings, but with intelligence and wit. If you feel for the characters, it was not just because the writers gave them a challenge, but because the characters were so well written and performed.
Charlie hails from Islington, London, England and has been acting much of his 18 years. Some of you may remember him from his turns in The Golden Compass, Walking With Dinosaurs and the Neverland Mini-Series. Charlie shaved his head for the role and he transforms into a realistic, believable and likable anti-hero.
I suspect a long life for this hospital drama, I just hope the producers have a plan for it's teen cast. So many series beginning with a young cast end up throwing away the magic far too quickly. I remember how incredible the pilot for Glee was, smart, witty and so well written. Glee today seems so far removed from that great pilot that is sprang from. Executive Producer Steven Spielberg hasn't had the best luck with television shows the last few years, (Extant...) but hopefully Red Band Society breaks that trend!
Below: Charlie with co-star Nolan Sotillo
