mrhan

The good news: Cinemax is bringing back its terrific action drama "Strike Back" for another season.

The bad news: it'll be the last one.

The third Cinemax season of "Strike Back" wrapped up a couple of weeks ago in terrific fashion, and on Friday night the channel finally began airing the original British-only season with Richard Armitage, under the title "Strike Back: Origins."

Now Cinemax, Sky and Left Bank have agreed to produce one more season, with much of the production team (including frequent director Michael Bassett) intact. The returning cast has yet to be announced, but I can't imagine a circumstance under which they'd do another year without both Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton.

On the one hand, I'm disappointed that these next 10 episodes will be the last for the series. On the other, it's better to go away before we get sick of you. A four-year run (five if you count the Armitage episodes) is a really respectable one for an efficient, surprisingly effective bit of pulp fiction like this.

"Strike Back" was Cinemax's first real dip into the waters of original programming, done as a co-production with the Brits. It was followed by another UK collaboration in "Hunted," which ended prematurely because Cinemax and the BBC had different expectations for it. (Frank Spotnitz is still working on a spin-off project about Melissa George's character.) Now Cinemax has started making shows entirely on its own, whether in a similarly pulpy vein ("Banshee," which really grew on me over its first season) or something a bit more highbrow (Steven Soderbergh's "The Knick," an upcoming drama starring Clive Owen as a doctor at a New York hospital in 1900). Especially after the experience with "Hunted," I assume the goal is for Cinemax to have complete control of its shows going forward, which leaves "Strike Back" as a vestige of an old plan.

Sad it's going. Excited to see just how much mayhem the boys can get into before they're done, one way or the other.


http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-wat...r-final-season

I can't wait. I really liked last season.

thelwig14

I am good with this.

They have made two flawless seasons and I am from the Brit school of thought and end while you are ahead.

I have total faith that they won't do a goofy Charles Dance Africa season again.

DJariya

We did sort of discuss in the season finale thread. The news was posted there.

But, I will chime in a little here. From what I understand, Cinemax is changing the way they are developing & producing their shows. Strike Back is co-produced by Left Bank Pictures and Sky One in the UK. Cinemax wants full control of their shows now and Banshee was their 1st foray into full development. They also have another show starring Clive Owen called "The Knick" that will come out sometime next year as well.

dex14

Cinemax’s ‘Strike Back’ To Go On Hiatus After Sullivan Stapleton Off-Set Injury

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/stri...iatus-cinemax/

DJariya

Whoah!!! That sucks for Sullivan and also sucks that the show could be postponed until 2015.

But, his health and well being is priority. I'd rather see the show take a long break and let him fully heal than rush to come back.

Deftones

woah, that sucks ass. wonder what kind of injury it was

DJariya

It says it was off set. So unless he was hit by a car or truck, it was probably a recreational activity.

There are plenty of things that can potentially get you into trouble in Bangkok.

dex14

Come on... he lives out the life of his character. It was a sexual fiasco.

davidh777

Hope he recovers OK.

Geofferson

6 months isn't too bad. Hoping for a speedy recovery.

DJariya

For all we know, he could have broken his leg or ankle. That kind of injury already would take months to heal. This show is extremely demanding physically for him and Winchester, so it would definitely not be something he could rush back from.

creekdipper

They should have simply explained that the character was captured and forced by a vengeful villain to have a TG operation and replaced him with Gina Carano for the remainder of the final season.

They'd reap a ton of publicity, and Winchester could finally consummate the bromance. Win-win!

DJariya

http://m.deadline.com/2014/03/meet-3...t-leading-man/

Sullivan Stapleton suffered a concussion in Bangkok and is recovering right now at home in Australia. He can't fly and hasn't been able to do any press for 300.

He says he will soon be able to get back to work on Strike Back. The article says he's going to be available for new jobs in the fall. Sounds to me that Strike Back won't be delayed.

davidh777

That doesn't sound too bad, all things considered.

DJariya

Agree, I'm actually relieved it was only a concussion instead of maybe a broken leg, arm, ankle or torn ligaments.

I don't think he needs 6 months to recover. Hopefully he'll get back to work sooner.

dex14

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ekg124IOvIM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Deftones

too bad it got pushed back to 2015, but looks awesome.

DJariya

Cool little teaser.

Hopefully it comes back in the Spring. Would rather not wait until Summer 2015.

Also, I read that Sullivan Stapleton sustained his concussion falling off a motorcycle taxi or as they call them in Thailand (Tuk Tuk)

mugwump

It cracks me up that Stapleton and Winchester keep up their fake accents even during promo spots so as not to confuse viewers. I've been rewatching the previous seasons all summer and can't wait for this to come back.

Defiant1

For Winchester at least, it's not quite a fake accent. He is bi-dialectal, a person who is natively able to speak in two different accents of the same language. John Barrowman and Gillian Anderson are two others with this ability.

DJariya

http://deadline.com/2014/09/strike-b...4-cast-838807/

Holy shit!!

Michelle Yeoh, Will Yun Lee and even Dustin Clare from Spartacus have joined the cast for the final season.

And even Adrian Paul from Highlander!! They are loading up the cast.

Preterite

Holy shit, indeed! Yeoh should be awesome in this!

I'm still expecting the final episode to reveal that Stapleton's character has contracted a fatal STD heretofore unknown to science.

Deftones

No official date, but Cinemax has said that this will be airing in the "summer."

DJariya

Here is the plot summary for season 4 according to the Cinemax press release. Sounds sick. Can't freaking wait.

DJariya

Sullivan Stapleton was cast in the NBC Pilot called "Blindspot" It's in consideration for next season. I'm guessing they took these jobs because they are potentially much bigger paychecks since they are network shows.

Here's the plot synopsis:


Philip Winchester was also cast in another NBC Pilot called "Endgame" also in consideration for next season