FOX PRESS RELEASE: From writer/creator Tim Kring (“Heroes,” “Crossing Jordan”) and executive producers Peter Chernin (TERRA NOVA) and Katherine Pope (TERRA NOVA) comes TOUCH, a preternatural drama in which science and spirituality intersect with the hopeful premise that we are all interconnected, tied in invisible ways to those whose lives we are destined to alter and impact. Through masterful storytelling, the series follows a group of seemingly unrelated characters – beginning with a former firefighter tormented by his inability to save a dying woman, an Iraqi teenager who will go to great risks to help his family, a gifted singer whose actions at a karaoke bar save lives thousands of miles away and a British businessman desperately trying to retrieve a key piece of information from his lost mobile phone – who affect each other in ways seen and unseen. At the center is MARTIN BOHM (Kiefer Sutherland, “24”), a widower and single father, haunted by an inability to connect to his mute, severely autistic 11-year-old son, JAKE. Caring, intelligent and thoughtful, Martin has tried everything to reach his son who shows little emotion and never allows himself to be touched by anyone, including Martin. Jake busies himself with cast-off cell phones, disassembling them and manipulating the parts, allowing him to see the world in his own special way. After multiple failed attempts at keeping Jake in school, Martin is visited by social worker CLEA HOPKINS, who insists on doing an evaluation of the Bohms’ living situation. Although new at her job, Clea sees a man whose life has become dominated by a child he can no longer control. She believes his attempts to communicate with Jake are just wish fulfillment, and determines that it’s time for the state to intervene. But everything changes when Martin discovers that Jake possesses a gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can, the patterns that connect everything. Jake is indeed communicating after all. But it’s not with words, it’s with numbers. And now he needs Martin to decipher their meaning and connect these numbers to the cast of seemingly unrelated characters whose lives they affect. Along the way, Martin will be guided by BORIS PODOLSKY, a discredited aging professor who offers Martin a compelling but unorthodox theory about Jake and his rare ability. Whether it be chance, coincidence, timing, synergy or fate, there are events that touch us all, as part of an interconnected, dazzlingly precise universe. TOUCH is a production of 20th Century Fox Television, Tailwind Productions and Chernin Entertainment. The series is created and written by Tim Kring. Kring, Francis Lawrence (“Water for Elephants”), Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, Kiefer Sutherland and Suzan Bymel (“The War at Home”) are executive producers. Lawrence will direct the pilot.
Tune in to FOX tonight for a special presentation of Kiefer Sutherland’s new series, Touch. I’m a huge Kiefer fan so I was thrilled to hear that he was teaming back up with FOX for Touch, and even more thrilled when I watched the pilot. The premiere episode of Touch is phenomenal. The only negative thing that I have to say about the show is that I only got to see one episode, and I desperately need to have more Touch in my life. You are going to feel the same way. FOX is just teasing us with this special presentation of the pilot; new episodes are not set to air until March. Nothing pleases me more than an all-around perfect pilot. In television land most people will give a show one chance and if they don’t see anything there, they will move on. I don’t believe that we are going to see too many people walking away from this show. The entire cast is fantastic in this pensive drama.
Touch is about a father, Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland), trying to connect with his mute, severely autistic 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz). The show focuses on patterns, numbers, relationships, and the idea that everything you do touches the lives of others. “If you tied a red thread around every ankle the thread would stretch and tangle but never break.” Touch is the ultimate portrayal of cause and effect.
In this first episode we witness several stories from around the world unfold and although each one is unique, they all connect in the end. It is a brilliant concept when you see it played out. Sons of Anarchy star, Titus Welliver, guest stars as well as Karen David, David de Lautour, and Shak Ghacha.
Martin’s ability to properly take care of his son is questioned by social worker, Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Jake has a habit of wandering off to climb a cell tower. She wants Jake to be evaluated to make sure that he is getting all of the help he needs. Martin lost his wife and he is doing his best to care for his son.
Martin meets up with Professor Arthur Teller (Danny Glover) from the Teller Institute, and Arthur helps Martin understand the unique way that his son sees things. As the series progresses I can only see Arthur becoming more heavily involved in Martin’s life. Martin’s short time with him helped him relate to his son more than he could imagine.
Visit FOX’s website to learn even more about the series and characters. I just wanted to write a quick review to express my love for this new series. If the succeeding episodes are as incredible as the pilot, this will be another huge hit for FOX, Kiefer, Tim Kring and everyone else involved. Watch Touch tonight on FOX after American Idol.
TOUCH
Series Premiere Advance Review
“Pilot”
Touch Special Preview Wednesday Night, January 25 at 9/8c after American Idol on FOX
January 25, 2012
By Lena Lamoray