Entertainment
Ed Westwick's New Show Is Certainly Intriguing
If you thought Chuck Bass was the baddest character Ed Westwick could possibly play, wait until you get a load of his character in ABC's new drama Wicked City .
Among ABC's massive debut of new looks at the networks' upcoming line-up comes the first trailer for the series starring Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick as Kent, who's... well, an insane serial killer with necrophiliac tendencies, to put it simply. Wicked City features Westwick as Kent, a serial murderer who has his own set of unique needs. He seems charming and attractive at first, which sort of makes you feel a bit like this could be something like Fifty Shades of Grey— you know, if Christian Grey killed people on the side, or something. I did say "something like"!
But then, you enter Kent's own version of the "playroom," and that's where the similarities stop. (Beware, you might just lose your lunch, because things get gross.)
Despite how dark the plot is, though, Wicked City seems intriguing for a few reasons: It's a crime drama set in the '80s, there will be no lack of action, and it's Ed Westwick's first television role since Gossip Girl ended in 2012. The three-minute-long trailer provides a lot to digest, though, so let's take a closer look at what could very well be your new favorite show.
It's Got A Fifty Shades Of Grey Vibe
All that we know from the official plot synopsis is as follows,
Wicked City follows a unique case set in a noteworthy era of L.A. history, starting with a murder case from 1982 centered on the rock ‘n’ roll, cocaine-infused revelry of the Sunset Strip. Alliances are formed between detectives, reporters, drug dealers and club-goers to solve a serial murder case.
However, the trailer proves that there's a lot more to it — and that's where the vibe differs from Fifty Shades.
Kent is behind the mentioned "serial murder case." He calls in to a radio station to request a song for a woman, who he then takes to his special spot for what seems like a sexy occasion but quickly turns into a stab fest. What he then does with the bodies is pretty...how should I put this? Enough to get him committed to the insane asylum from American Horror Story: Asylum, or worse (aka, he's a necrophiliac). One day, he meets a woman that he thinks will be his next victim, but something about the fact that she's a mother makes him put his necrophiliac tendencies on hold for the moment, as he attempts to have a relationship with this living woman.
Let's Talk About Ed Westwick
It was just the other day that I was wondering what happened to my Gossip Girl babe. Turns out, he was filming this pilot — and the more I think about it, the more I think he might actually be the perfect person for a role like this. I came into this trailer with fresh eyes, not knowing anything about the show, and I found him to be his usual charming self. When all hell broke lose in his blood-spattered car, I was all like...
...but it works. I mean, he is a serial killer who has sex with his victim's dead bodies, but he is also hot.
It's Got That The Fall Vibe
If you haven't seen The Fall , your first step is to block out a week of your life, and open Netflix. It stars Jamie Dornan as a killer of women who is chased by a badass don't-take-crap-from-no-one-especially-men detective, played by Gillian Anderson. It's a compelling thriller in that the entire time the viewer is aware that the killer is Dornan's Paul Specter, which makes the show more about these two characters and when their paths will eventually cross. The same seems to be true for Wicked City. It's one giant cat and mouse game.
Where Do I Know This Woman From?
Her name is Erika Christensen, and you might not instantly recognize where she's from. She's been around since the '90s, but she's not a major contender for the spotlight. She knows a thing or two about creepy roles, having played the lead creeper in Swimfan, starring Bring It On's Jesse Bradford, as well as Flightplan with Jodie Foster. Though, you might now her best for her role on Parenthood, playing Julia Braverman-Graham.
This Might Make Us All Sexually Confused
TV and movies have tried to make certain dark subjects like vampires (The Vampire Diaries), werewolves (Teen Wolf), fairies (True Blood), witches (The Secret Circle), aliens (Roswell), angels (The Messengers, Constantine), ghosts (Patrick Swayze in Ghost), zombies (Warm Bodies), even serial killers (Dexter), strippers (Magic Mike) and male prostitutes (Hung). But necrophiliacs?
I doubt that Wicked City is trying to make something so gross sexy, but it does feel confusing that Ed Westwick is still hot when he's playing such a psychotic dude. What does it mean?!
Wicked City doesn't have a premiere date yet, but it should be some time soon.
