Judgment Day
Written by Julie Martin
Directed by Clark Johnson
I have known Clark Johnson for many years, since the "Homicide: Life on the Street" days, when I was a lowly story editor (the best job for a writer in tv, ever, hands down) and he was a lowly actor. We tormented each other over the seasons. I didn't always appreciate his creative ad-libs. And he didn't always appreciate my not appreciating. In between writing, set coverage, and drinking heavily on Baltimore's Thames Street, I managed to get promoted to producer. Clark tried his hand at directing. New opportunites for driving each other crazy.
Fast forward several years to New York City, the set of "Kings." Clark had just arrived in town to direct my first episode, entitled "Judgment Day." The first thing he complained about was "that pig." In an episode depicting Solomon-like decisions by King Silas, from day one of breaking the story, I was convinced what the episode needed was a pig. Clark was convinced it was all about torturing him.
Which seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. What I had originally envisioned as a harmless, small-ish sized pig, quickly morphed into a four hundred pound hog. The Prop Guy (in charge of obtaining livestock, apparently, who knew) and everyone else with a conscience on our production team cursed my name. And rightly so. If you've every worked with a four hundred pound hog, never believe anyone who says they are trained. Four hundred pound hogs do what THEY want to do. Not what the trainer, the producer, the director, or the show runner want them to do. And if said hog decides to keep two hundred crew people and extras waiting while they think about their motivation, they do. If they decide they don't want to step hoof onto the set at all (after an elaborate lift/ramp rig has been constructed because pigs don't walk up stairs, apparently) they don't go. They keep everyone waiting. They let the clock roll out at many, many dollars per minute. They cause first ad's and line producers to get ulcers. Because a four hundred pound hog answers to no one.
Which is how we ended up with a hog (who after copiously relieving himself in the pristine lobby, slipped, fell and panicked) running wild through the hallways of the New York Public Library (our set for Unity Hall), pulling the trainer behind him, on a leash, like the poor guy was waterskiing on marble, sending crew members, actors, and lots of expensive equipment scattering in his wake.
And Clark just yelled: "Keep rolling. For God's sakes, keep the cameras rolling."
Which is what you do in TV. If the writer is enough of an idiot to insist on a pig in the show, the least you can do is keep rolling.
24 Comments
I absolutely want to see this episode. Guys, you're amazing and your job is great.
Thanks a lot!
This episode sounds great! Thanks for all the hard work!
This should be an exciting and off-the-wall episode. Of course in ancient and modern Israel/Gilboa pigs were unclean animals. You didn't touch them and you certainly didn't eat them. Jesus cast demons out into a herd of them.
Based on King Silas off-hand remark about having a butler hung in "Insurrection" for spilling coffee on his robe (or hanged as Rose corrected him "Clothes are hung") I expect to hear some rather Draconian sentences.
BTW any one want to post a topic on what should be done to the creeps who spam the forum with porn and other garbage?
this show is awesome!!!!
Hahahaha! That must've been an experience. I would've never known after watching the episode that the hog provided so much trouble.
Ian McShane... also involved with another WONDERFUL series canceled due to budget. Deadwood was incredible, but at $6M in production per episode it was unfortunately doomed.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - Don't let that happen with Kings! It's the only piece on television I'm willing to power on for.
What a great episode. The rivalry between Jack and David is shaping up nicely.
Will there be a proper ending to the show? Please don't leave us hanging.
I'm 100% stoked about this show. I particularly enjoyed everything about this episode...Jack's not so subtle invitation to his serviceman, Princess Michelle's avoidance of Paul Lash's advancements, and Katrina Ghents ill intentions.
This is such an imaginative series. I'm really excited NBC has taken a chance on this show. Like most 27 year olds, I'm out every Saturday night and therefore miss Kings...BUT, I DVR every episode (or watch it on Hulu).
I'm really hoping for a second season.
Please, give this show a chance.
Julie Martin - the writing for JUDGEMENT DAY was superb. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed KINGS, nor how much I hope it continues. So many things I want to know about the characters and where the plot threads are going. The scenes between the two brother kings in the "dungeon" are absolutely delicious. The pilot was fabulous and of course your cast is outstanding. It's like watching updated Shakespeare. I haven't had a show to watch as "appointment television" since West Wing went off the air. Please let us know if there is anything we can do, anyone we can call, email, petition, etc. to keep the show on the air. This is the kind of television writing that will keep me from turning off my set and heading back to my comfortable chair to read. All the best to you.
I'm hoping for a second season, as well! Please don't cancel it NBC! Give it a chance.
I by chance saw the first episode and enjoyed it so much was telling my friends at work and they were starting to watch it and were also enjoying it. One day I tuned in and the advertisement said it had moved to Saturday-that already passed.
There is a program manager who is trying to get me fired because I followed the rules and did the right thing. This is a guy who I spent much of my personal time getting him out of many tight situations.
There has to be a show about people who do the right things...about people who try to do the right things, who's souls cannot be bought in a world where so few people when faced with to do the right thing or save themselves from losing face.
There will be highs and lows. But the life that is lived no matter how short, it the better one to have.
There are many good qualities of this program and I hope it can find the audience it deserves.
Well, at least the pig kept things exciting! Ha ha.
this is an excellent show, i really enjoy the bible tie-ins that you can pick up on if you know the stories.
but on this pig business i can help you out. you see i work on a hog farm in beautiful rural southern Illinois.. well beautiful with the exception of a large hog farm. I laughed, pigs do what they want the real trick is convincing them that what you want and what they want are the same thing. also pigs are built like a wedge so once they get their heads in a hole that is they way they are going, lol i can just see (don't take this in a bad way) you urban people trying to keep a 400lb beara from destroying everything.
I hope that this show continues, i really enjoy it.
Put more Pork on your Fork!
Love this show! I did a FaceBook blog and post to try and get my friends into it. Can't wait till June for new episodes. This show is smart and sexy...thank you for bringing back interesting TV!
I love this show! Please don't cancel it! I can not wait until June. I can see myself being a Kingee? You know, like a trekie but devoted to Kings!
Dont get Cancelled! Finally a great show on TV...Dont get cancelled we love you!
really hope this show continues - too bad NBC has initially decided not to pick up a second season... but they should reconsider!
This a fantastic show. Next to Lost, my favorite. I really hope they reconsider giving it a chance to capture an audience...
New fan just watched all 7 released episodes. Loved all of them. give me more.
I caught on to this show about a month ago on Hulu. I've caught up, now I can watch it each week. I then turned my fiancee on to it... and several family members. Every one of them has loved it.
Now I hear it's not been renewed? Seriously? NBC can't pull one of the bazillion Law and Order spinoffs for this show? If you'd put it up on Wednesday night, 10PM/9 Central timeslot, it'd win hands down.
Heck, I've watched LOST on ABC since the first episode, and given the choice, I'd watch Kings over Lost any day of the week.
I have no idea what can be done, but NBC is missing a huge market with this show by not giving it legs in a good time slot.
NBC is incredibly foolish for pulling the plug on this show. Due to my community service commitments I am rarely able to watch the tv show when it's originally broadcast. As such, I catch up with the show on Hulu. This, in my opinion, is one of the better drama shows to come along in quite a period of time.
It's truly too bad that NBC would rather show re-runs and/or mindless reality shows than a series that could be truly developed if given time. It's truly a shame. It's also no wonder, with poor decisions like this, why NBC is in the position it is in.
This is an intelligent, well-written show, that takes place somewhere outside our day-to-day reality. I love this show. I'll never watch another show on NBC again if it's not renewed. Networks are making a big mistake in staking there money in cheap programs instead of putting quality product out there. It takes a little time to build a fan-base when the show is more complicated. But the fan-base remains much more loyal...
Sad.
My husband and I love this show. It has been a long time since we have been this excited over a television show. We truly hope to see this show in a second season, could we start a petition?
THAT is really funny! I was fully unprepared to start laughing that hard. I had to catch my breath. Thanks for sharing this story!