What’s Up Next for Alcatraz

The cast and creative minds of the new FOX drama Alcatraz paid a visit to WonderCon last weekend, filling in the audience – as best they could – on what to expect for the few remaining episodes of the show’s debut season. But first, a clip from the season finale (that will air for two hours tonight) was screened that revealed what to expect between Rebecca (Sarah Jones) and her grandfather.

Then moderator Natalie Abrams from TV Guide introduced the panelists, including cast members Jorge Garcia, Sarah Jones, Parminder Nagra, Jonny Coyne and Robert Forester as well as Executive Producers Jennifer Johnson and Daniel Pyne and co-creators Steven Lillien and Bryan Wynbrandt.

Of course the first question posed to the co-creators was how the show came to light with Steven explaining that he and Bryan were kicking around stories for a new show. “We wanted to do a hybrid, a strong procedural mixed with a great mythology. One night I had a dream (where I was) walking around Alcatraz and I was the only one there. (When I woke up I) ran out of the room, (sent an email to Bryan) and the next morning (we started kicking) the story around. We spent the rest of the afternoon tossing around ideas (including) that they all came back here, none of them had aged and they were back doing the things that, in their genetics, they were built to do.

Jorge Garcia, Sarah Jones and Parminder Nagra

Then Jorge was asked that he has gone from one large scale mystery to another so how confused does he get with the mythology? He joked that “I just go with the flow and lets them (pointing to the creative minds) do their part and I do my part”.

Sarah was then asked if doing an anthology (series) was something she was looking for after appearing on Justified and Sons of Anarchy? She shared that she “kind of fell into it. I remember (getting) a call to come in and read for (the role of Rebecca) and I my first thought was I’m not (going) to get this (role) because I’m not the J.J. Abrams type. I’m not Jennifer Garner or Evangeline Lilly but I’d love to be in it; and it worked. It was just kind (of) a…happy little happenstance”.

Then Parminder was asked if she (has been) frustrated that most of her scenes have been in flashbacks, but she shared that “I love it; to be honest…my character (was) put into the 60’s (and) it totally blew open the door for what was going to come. I have absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed (the flashbacks) and it’s been (an) amazing experience”.

Jonny, who plays the dastardly Warden, was then asked if he knew that the warden was going to be in on “it” (as in the disappearances) with him answering that “in the first three episodes I knew that something dark was going on with him”.

Jonny Coyne and Robert Forrester

Lastly, the creative minds were asked if they could give any details about what to expect in the last, remaining episodes. For the most part they were cryptic so as not to spoil the season finale, but they did share the following:

• Questions about the blood-letting from Tommy and if he is the source of the “magic” blood will be answered in the season finale; in fact, you will have answers as to whether Tommy is the source or not;

• There are more of the 63’s back than one at a time; and the longer they are back, the harder they will be to find;

• There will be an important “wink” to whether the Warden, who in the pilot was reported as being dead (like all of the prisoners at Alcatraz), but that may not be the case;

• They will open the mysterious door in the underground section of Alcatraz for which the Warden has been keeping secret with the co-creators saying “we’re going to enter that door and see what’s behind it”;

• They will answer a lot of questions that were raised in the first 12 episodes, but will still leave with the viewers with some big questions;

• None of the prisoner’s names used in the show are names of actual Alcatraz’s prisoners, but there are similarities; and,

• The season finale will feature a reproduction of the famous car chase scene from the legendary film “Bullet” and the co-creators shared that it took them 3 days to film what took them 9 days to shoot in the film, using the original route in their recreation.

The two-hour season finale of Alcatraz will air tonight at 8 PM on FOX. Make sure you are there for the ride!