While in the Austin area shooting AMC’s upcoming Western saga “The Son,” Pierce Brosnan lived life in the ATX to the fullest. It was his first time in Austin, and he told Austin Monthly that he “couldn’t have been happier” to be here.
Well, that sure was illustrated by his Instagram feed throughout the five month shoot, as outlined by Austin.com. But on Saturday, April 8, the Texas tale premieres on AMC at 8 p.m. CST.
Based on the novel by Philipp Meyer, “The Son” is a sweeping family saga that spans 150 years and three generations of one Texas family. The ten-episode, one-hour drama traces the story of patriarch Eli McCullough, played by Brosnan. Viewers will witness his good-natured innocence turn to calculated violence, as he loses everything on the wild frontier, setting him on the path to building a ranching and oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege. Henry Garrett, Zahn McClarnon, Paolo Nunez and Sydney Lucas also star.
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Shot this past Summer in the Texas Hill Country, it only made sense to premiere at SXSW. The two-episode screening was followed by an extended Q&A with Brosnan and writers Philipp Meyer and Kevin Murphy.
The man also known as Remington Steele (and James Bond, of course) talked about why he chose to return to TV after just over 30 years.
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And when it came to getting in character, Brosnan credited Governor Perry as one of the inspirations for his tough talking Texas accent. Though the Hollywood Reporter was not impressed, calling it “so strange and instantly inconsistent.”
That brings us to the reviews, which seem to be mixed. Fans at the SXSW screening posted positive responses while the critics seem perplexed by the series.
“The premiere was amazing,” @trinityjohnston123 posted.
“Great story, great acting, all filmed in the great State of Texas,” said @jeffreyhartsock.
Meanwhile Indie Wire says “The Son” has potential but “needs to be a bit quicker on the draw” while EW is intrigued by the possibilities of the series. “The Son will rise — if it can live up to its ambitions,” their review says.
But it’s the Deadline and Variety reviews that completely contradict each other.
Deadline says, “Pierce Brosnan series rides nicely into AMC’s Western tradition” but Variety casts doubt, including the following statement in their review.
“For AMC, which boldly dove into the genre world with “The Walking Dead” to great success, it’s unfortunate that they haven’t quite figured out how to master the Western.”
You can see for yourself if the show is everything YOU want it to be when it premieres Saturday, April 8, at 8pm on AMC.
And keep your eyes peeled for Austin area actors in the background. Many local actors were cast in minor roles and as extras and stand-ins. This includes Austin.com pal Danny Trevino who talked to us about acting in Austin earlier this year.
Featured image courtesy of AMC Networks.
If you would like to read more about movies, TV, celebrities and other entertainment, you can check out Dani Dudek’s website ATXgossip.com.
