Seven Days (TV series)
| Seven Days | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Christopher Crowe Zachary Crowe |
| Starring | Jonathan LaPaglia Justina Vail Don Franklin Sam Whipple Nick Searcy Norman Lloyd Alan Scarfe Kevin Christy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 66 |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 45 min (per episode) |
| Original release | |
| Network | UPN, Spike TV |
| Release | October 7, 1998 – May 29, 2001 |
- For other meanings of Seven Days, see Seven Days (disambiguation).
Seven Days was a science fiction television series produced by UPN based around the premise of time travel.
The plot follows a secret branch of the United States' National Security Agency who have developed a time travelling device based upon alien technology found at Roswell, which they use to go back in time and avert disasters. The title refers to the fact that the Backstep Project only possesses the ability to go back seven days due to limitations imposed by the alien fuel source. As the fuel source is limited, there is a strict mandate that they only Backstep for events relating to "National Security".
Because the show was about time travel, it was unusual in that it could both dramatize a catastrophic event and have its characters prevent it in the same episode.
Three seasons of Seven Days were produced. All three seasons (with the exception of a single episode) have been shown in North America, but the series remains virtually unseen anywhere else in the world. Only half of the first season has ever been shown in the UK. In Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway and Sweden all three seasons have been shown, and the show was quite popular in Italy where it was shown in Sunday prime time. All seasons had been shown in Spain and Israel too, but in a very untimely schedule that prevented a wide audience.
The series was filmed in California, USA during season one, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada during seasons two and three.
In May 2001 the series was cancelled despite Paramount's interest in purchasing further episodes. There were reports of intense disagreements between series stars Jonathan LaPaglia and Justina Vail.
A number of the episodes are now unlikely to be shown in the U.S. in the near future due to the events of September 11, 2001. Plots unlikely to be shown include the following.
- Terrorists bombing the White House (pilot episode).
- Terrorist launching a bio-terrorist strike on Washington.
- A religious fanatic releases a genetically engineered variant of ebola in an airport (second episode).
- Islamic rebels take control of a communications center and use it to convince aircraft to attack U.S. military bases (ninth episode).
- Nuclear terrorists destroy Washington D.C. (fourteenth episode, season 3).
- Missiles destroying the Pentagon.
In 2003, Spike TV picked up the show and ran it as part of its Fall 2003 lineup.
As of December, 2004, it is airing at 10:00 AM (ET/PT) on Spike TV in the U.S.
As of January, 2006, it no longer airs on Spike TV in the U.S.
Cast List
- Lt. Frank Bartholomew Parker (Jonathan LaPaglia), a military ex-CIA operative who was brought out of a secret CIA mental institution to be the project's chrononaut. He's divorced and has a son he doesn't see often.
- Dr. Olga Vukavitch (Justina Vail), a Russian doctor who worked in the Russian version of the Backstep Project. She likes Frank but always keeps him at arms' length.
- Capt. Craig Donovan (Don Franklin), military advisor and backup chrononaut. Also an old friend of Frank.
- Dr. John Ballard (Sam Whipple) (seasons 1-2). The resident genius on the Backstep Project. He won a tropical island in a poker match in Las Vegas and got married but he's not sure with whom, since he was a little drunk at the time. So he took some time off to straighten things out.
- Nathan Ramsey (Nick Searcy), security chief. He opposes Frank becoming chrononaut, and is highly opionated.
- Dr. Isaac Mentnor (Norman Lloyd) (seasons 1-2, guest appearances in season 3), a scientist with a shadowy past.
- Dr. Bradley Talmadge (Alan Scarfe), chief of the Backstep Project.
- Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley (Kevin Christy) (season 3). A young physics prodigy that Ballard appointed as his replacement.