I don’t know about you guys, but I am psyched about Ed Westwick’s new show Wicked City . This Brit was so perfect as smarmy prep school kid Chuck Bass that I’m sure he’ll be perfect as a smarmy, murderous guy from Los Angeles named Kent Grainger. Shot as a 10-episode anthology, the show looks like it will be full of sex, murder, and intrigue, but I have to wonder — is Wicked City based on a true story? The promos make it seem as such, but sometimes I feel like networks do that to drum up interest for a new television show.
In 1982 when the show is set, L.A. was the murder and serial killer capital of the country, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Kent Grainger (Westwick) and Betty Beaumont (Erika Christensen) were based on a couple of real-life murderers. In fact, some have speculated that the killer couple is inspired by Doug Clark and Carol Bundy. The pair were serial killers in 1980 in Los Angeles, and they quickly became known as the Sunset Strip Killers (that's also where much of the show takes place).
Bustle reached out to ABC to see if that was truly the inspiration behind the tale, but were told "the show is not based on a true story." Still, it's sure to be an interesting show either way. I’m sure that Wicked City’s writers will come up with plenty of ideas for the season. That being said, there are a few things that I can’t wait to see in Wicked City.
1. Erika Christensen At Her Swimfan Best
I’m on the older side of the millennial demographic, so I saw this movie in theaters, but if you have never seen Swimfan, you need to go out and find it on Netflix or HBO GO or Amazon Prime or wherever you can get it. A riff on Fatal Attraction, Swimfan is twisty and weird and it wonderfully features an out-of-her-mind Erika Christensen as a girlfriend who makes a guy’s life a living hell after they hook up. That guy is Jesse Bradford from Bring It On, and his other girlfriend is Shiri Appleby. So 2000s, I know. Christensen’s last gig was Parenthood, so I’m glad she’s reverting back to her crazy stalker days to play single mother Betty in Wicked City.
2. Ed Westwick As A Grown-Up Chuck Bass
For better or for worse for Westwick’s career, he will probably always be known as Chuck Bass. I think that this Kent character is who Chuck Bass would be 20 years after graduating from college. Let’s pretend he couldn’t get a job, couldn’t get over the death of his dad, and he lost Blair. What would Chuck Bass do? Well, he would probably be so bored with everything that he would start sleeping around and murdering people.
3. The 1982 Set Design & Clothing
While the 1990s are having a resurgence on the runway (I think I saw JNCO jeans the other day), the 1980s will never die. A time of truly heinous taste and way too many colors, it’s nice to go back and revisit the clothing styles of the past, if only to make sure that they don’t come back.
Though Wicked City may not be a specific true story, there’s sure a lot to work with to make it a must-see television show, and I can't wait for its premiere.
Images: Eric McCandless/ABC; Giphy (3)
