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Crisis in Six Scenes

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Crisis in Six Scenes
Promotional poster
GenreComedy
Created byWoody Allen
Written byWoody Allen
Directed byWoody Allen
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No.of episodes6
Production
Executive producerErika Aronson
ProducerHelen Robin
CinematographyEigil Bryld
EditorAlisa Lepselter
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
ReleaseSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)

Crisis in Six Scenesis an Americancomedytelevision miniseries written and directed byWoody AllenforAmazon Studios.[1][2][3][4]Allen wrote and directed six episodes for the half-hour series, marking the first time he has done so for television.

The series premiered onAmazon Prime Videoon September 30, 2016,[1]to generally unfavorable reviews.

Cast and characters

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Main

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Guest

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Episode #1.1"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
A middle-class suburban home- all seems well until a dangerous intruder enters in the dead of night.
2"Episode #1.2"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
An intruder causes terrible panic and tension in a usually placid household.
3"Episode #1.3"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
Because of an armed intruder, after a home invasion, a married couple's life is turned upside-down.
4"Episode #1.4"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
Romantic alliances fray and conflict in the suburban home reaches a boiling point.
5"Episode #1.5"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
A middle-class husband and wife put their lives in jeopardy carrying out a dangerous assignment.
6"Episode #1.6"Woody AllenWoody AllenSeptember 30, 2016(2016-09-30)
Finally a resolution but not before chaos, surprising disclosures, police and guns come into play.

Production

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Development

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The deal with Allen was seen as giving Amazon a possible advantage in its competition withNetflixand television networks. The series was announced within days of Amazon winning theGolden Globe Awardfor thecomedy-dramaTransparent,another original series.[5]Allen had last written new material for television in the 1950s, when he wrote forSid Caesar.[4]

In a May 2015 interview, Allen said that progress on the series had been "very, very difficult" and that he had "regretted every second since I said OK".[6][7]Allen has said of the series, "I don't know how I got into this. I have no ideas and I'm not sure where to begin. My guess is thatRoy Price[the head of Amazon Studios] will regret this. "[2][3][8]

Casting

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In January 2016, it was announced that the series would star Allen,Elaine MayandMiley Cyrus,and that shooting would begin in March.[9]In February 2016, it was announced thatJohn MagaroandRachel Brosnahanhad joined the cast.[10]In March 2016,Michael Rapaport,Becky Ann Baker,Margaret Ladd,Joy Behar,Rebecca Schull,David Harbour,andChristine Ebersolehad joined the cast of the series.[11]

Filming

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For approximately three weeks in early 2016, filming for the six episodes took place at 508 Scarborough Road, inBriarcliff Manor, New York.[12]

Reception

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Critical response

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Onreview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,the series holds an approval rating of 18% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Woody Allen's filmmaking skills prove a poor fit for the small screen inCrisis in Six Scenes,a talk-heavy, unfunny, and overall disengaged production buried below numerous superior offerings. "[13]OnMetacritic,the series has a score 44 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]

Rodrigo Perez fromThe Playlistgave the series a D+ on an A+ to F scale, and described it as "nearly unwatchable".[15]Robert Bianco ofUSA Todaywas more positive, writing "Crisisis not Allen at his peak, nor at his most serious and contemplative as an artist.Crisisis a bauble, a light comedy that starts very slowly and builds to a satisfyingly funny conclusion. "He also praised the performances of Allen and May, stating" Not only is it great to see them performing so well together, it’s just a nice change of pace to see a comedy about two married senior citizens where the casting is age appropriate and the story is not built around senility or mortality. "[16]

TheLos Angeles Timeswrote: "This isn’t Allen at his wittiest or wildest--his career is almost by definition a thing of peaks and valleys, and he can be satisfying and frustrating within a single film. But he has a voice, and he has not yet lost it. Anyone susceptible to that sensibility will find many familiar pleasures here," and further stated "as the work that has returned Elaine May to public view, it can only be welcomed, with rose petals and trumpets. And it does well by her."[17]TheNew York Timesstated: "In recent years, Mr. Allen's movies have swung wildly in quality, alternating real highs with definite lows.Crisissits in between. It's closer to the low end, but for fans of a certain earlier strain of his work, its shambling, amiable vibe may seem comfortingly familiar. "[18]

Allen's reaction

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Allen himself had openly expressed severe misgivings about the project,[2][3][8]and denounced the series, stating that it would conclude with one season.[19]At the2015 Cannes Film Festival,Allen said in reference to the show, "It was a catastrophic mistake. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm floundering. I expect this to be a cosmic embarrassment."[20]

References

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  1. ^abLittleton, Cynthia (August 7, 2016)."Amazon Sets September Comedy Push, Reveals Title for Woody Allen Series".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on August 8, 2016.RetrievedAugust 7,2016.
  2. ^abcWeinstein, Shelli (January 13, 2015)."Woody Allen to Create His First Television Series for Amazon".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on January 13, 2015.RetrievedJune 18,2015.
  3. ^abcSteel, Emily (January 13, 2015)."Amazon Signs Woody Allen to Write and Direct TV Series".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on January 20, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 13,2015.
  4. ^abJurgensen, John (January 13, 2015)."Woody Allen to Create TV Series for Amazon Studios".The Wall Street Journal.Archivedfrom the original on February 17, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 13,2015.
  5. ^Levin, Gary (January 14, 2015)."Amazon momentum builds with Woody Allen series".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on January 14, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 14,2015.
  6. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 14, 2015)."Woody Allen Cannes Interview: 'Irrational Man' Director On His Life & Movies".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on March 7, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 21,2020.
  7. ^Goodman, Jessica (May 15, 2015)."Woody Allen Regrets Doing Amazon Series".The Huffington Post.Archivedfrom the original on May 18, 2015.RetrievedMay 15,2015.
  8. ^abMassa, Antonia (January 13, 2015)."Amazon Signs Woody Allen to His First TV Show".Bloomberg News.Archived fromthe originalon January 13, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 13,2015.
  9. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 25, 2016)."Woody Allen Amazon Series: Woody, Miley Cyrus & Elaine May To Star".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on February 22, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 21,2020.
  10. ^Hipes, Patrick (February 24, 2016)."John Magaro & Rachel Brosnahan Join Woody Allen's Amazon Series".Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 25,2016.
  11. ^Petski, Denise (March 16, 2016)."Woody Allen Amazon Series: Michael Rapaport, Becky Ann Baker & More Join Cast".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on August 3, 2016.RetrievedAugust 5,2016.
  12. ^Taliaferro, Lanning (March 8, 2016)."Woody Allen Filming on Scarborough Road".Patch.Archivedfrom the original on October 21, 2016.RetrievedOctober 19,2016.
  13. ^"Crisis in Six Scenes (2016)".Rotten Tomatoes.Archivedfrom the original on March 7, 2021.RetrievedMarch 27,2021.
  14. ^"Crisis in Six Scenes reviews".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 30,2016.
  15. ^Perez, Rodrigo (October 4, 2016)."Woody Allen's Amazon Show 'Crisis In Six Scenes' Is Nearly Unwatchable [Review]".The Playlist.Archivedfrom the original on September 13, 2017.RetrievedMay 11,2017.
  16. ^Bianco, Robert (September 26, 2016)."Review: 'Crisis in Six Scenes' is a shiny, familiar Woody Allen bauble".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on May 16, 2022.RetrievedJune 12,2024.
  17. ^Lloyd, Robert (September 29, 2016)."Review: As a TV series, Woody Allen's 'Crisis in Six Scenes' offers many pleasures of a Woody Allen movie".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on February 22, 2024.RetrievedJune 12,2024.
  18. ^Hale, Mike (September 29, 2016)."Review: 'Crisis in Six Scenes,' a Mere Ghost of Woody Allen Past".New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on February 6, 2024.RetrievedJune 13,2024.
  19. ^Galloway, Stephen (May 4, 2016)."The Woody Allen Interview (Which He Won't Read)".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2018.RetrievedMay 4,2016.
  20. ^Zeitchik, Steven (May 15, 2015)."Cannes 2015: Woody Allen sings a bleak tune".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2020.RetrievedJune 18,2015.
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