Harper’s Island once looked much different

First let me start out by saying that there will be quite a few potential spoilers in this post. So, if you’re not interested in learning a bit about what might happen later in Harper’s Island, you may want to tread carefully.

I say that there are “potential” spoilers here because, as you will soon find out, this show’s changed quite a bit since the original screener came out sometime last year. Out of any screener I’ve seen in the past few years or so, I don’t believe I’ve seen as many major casting changes as there were with this show. So, with the cast changed so much, who knows what’s happened to the story, since it looks as though most of it had to be entirely re-shot!

Here are the noticeable casting changes as seen from the screener:

Uncle Marty
Now: Harry Hamlin
Then: Bill Pullman

In the screener, we’re treated to about 15 minutes of the pilot episode, including five minutes or so of a montage of clips from throughout the series — yes, the entire series, it appears. Within these scenes are what appears to be all of Uncle Marty’s scenes, including his fall through the wooden bridge. However, in the screener the bridge is much higher and over a river, so it’s possible they just changed their mind on how Marty would die and, when they had to call for a re-shoot, Pullman declined. Otherwise I have no idea why they’d recast the spot.

And who is that with Pullman’s Uncle Marty, above? That would be:

Henry Dunn
Now: Christopher Gorham
Then: Ryan Merriman

and

Trish Wellington
Now: Katie Cassidy
Then: Samantha Noble

The casting changes didn’t end there:

Sheriff Charlie Mills
Now: Jim Beaver
Then: Bill Dow

Speaking of Sheriff Mills, here’s one of those potential spoilers I was talking about, from the screener, here Sheriff Mills lets his daughter in on a little secret:

Here are two more casting changes for you:

Tom Wellington
Now: Richard Burgi
Then: No idea

Hunter Jennings
Now: Victor Webster
Then: Some other handsome dude

Want a few more potential spoilers? If the general story sticks with what the screener showed, then I can tell you who appear to be among the final people making a last stand late in the series: Christopher Sullivan, Jimmy Mance, Henry Dunn, Joel Booth, Trish Wellington (I think) and Abby Mills.

And then there’s this scene, with someone putting Henry Dunn in a compromising position. Is that J.D.?

There’s actually a few other moments, including an exploding boat and then poor Chloe Carter looking locked up in some sort of half-submerged cage (while carrying her engagement ring). Whether all of these things wind up making it to this retooled and recast series remains to be seen.

Oh, and by the way, we’ll have to resort to finding out on Saturdays now. Bummer.

Clacked by Keith McDuffee
on Apr 29, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT