Introduction

The Peripheral is an American science fiction television series created by Scott B. Smith. Produced by Amazon, it is loosely based on the 2014 book of the same name, written by William Gibson.

Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy serve as executive producers, along with Athena Wickham, Steve Hoban, and Vincenzo Natali. Set roughly a decade in the future, with new technology that has changed society in subtle ways, a gamer is delivered a connection to an alternative reality as well as a dark future of her own.

Outline

Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternative reality as well as a dark future of her own.

Cast

• Main:
  • Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher
  • Gary Carr as Wilf Netherton
  • Jack Reynor as Burton Fisher (ex-military)
  • JJ Feild as Lev Zubov
  • T’Nia Miller as Cherise Nuland
  • Louis Herthum as Corbell Pickett
  • Katie Leung as Ash
  • Melinda Page Hamilton as Ella Fisher
  • Chris Coy as Jasper Baker
  • Alex Hernandez as Tommy Constantine
  • Julian Moore-Cook as Ossian
  • Adelind Horan as Billy Ann Baker
  • Austin Rising as Leon
  • Eli Goree as Conner Penske (ex-military)
  • Charlotte Riley as Aelita West
  • Alexandra Billings as Inspector Ainsley Lowbeer

• Recurring:
  • David Hoflin as Daniel
  • Hannah Arterton as Dee Dee
  • India Mullen as Mary Pickett
  • Miles Barrow as Macon
  • Gavin Dunn as Edward
  • Moe Bar-El as Reece
  • Chuku Modu as Carlos
  • Harrison Gilbertson as Atticus
  • Duke Davis Roberts as Cash
  • Claire Cooper as Dominika Zubov
  • Poppy Corby-Tuech as Mariel Raphael
  • Amber Rose Revah as Grace Hogart
  • Ned Dennehy as Bob
  • Ben Dickey as Sheriff Jackman
  • Anjli Mohindra as Beatrice

Production

Development

In April 2018, a TV series adaptation of William Gibson’s novel The Peripheral was announced by Westworld creators Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan for Amazon with a script-to-series commitment. It was announced in April 2019 that Joy and Nolan had signed a first look overall deal worth around $20 million a year at Amazon Studios, and the project received a series order in the middle of November 2019, with Joy and Nolan executive producing under their overall deal. Beyond Joy and Nolan, executive producers include Athena Wickham, Steve Hoban, and Vincenzo Natali. The show has hour-long episodes, developed by Kilter Films, through Amazon Studios. Warner Bros. Television is also co-financier and producer, with Scott Smith as writer. Smith created the series, while also serving as showrunner and executive producer. Natali directed the show’s pilot. On 30 March 2021, Greg Plageman joined the series as executive producer and replaced Smith as showrunner.

The series’ first season had a budget of around $175 million.

In February 2023, Amazon Prime Video renewed the series for a second season. On 18 August 2023, the second season of The Peripheral was scrapped due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Casting

In October 2020, it was announced that Chloë Grace Moretz was cast in the lead role of Flynne Fisher, with Gary Carr also joining the main cast. In March 2021, Jack Reynor joined the series in a main role. The following month, Eli Goree, Charlotte Riley, JJ Feild, Adelind Horan, T’Nia Miller, and Alex Hernandez were added to the main cast. In June 2021, Louis Herthum, Chris Coy, Melinda Page Hamilton, Katie Leung, and Austin Rising joined the cast in recurring roles. In July 2021, Alexandra Billings joined the cast in a recurring role.

Filming

Principal photography for the series began on 03 May 2021, in London, England. Filming moved to Marshall, North Carolina on 24 September. Production on the series wrapped on 05 November 2021.

Release

The Peripheral had its world premiere on 11 October 2022, at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, before its debut on 21 October 2022, on Amazon Prime Video. As with other Amazon shows, the episodes aired at midnight Eastern, so technically the release dates were the day before for the Pacific audience. The first season had 8 episodes and ended with a cliffhanger, with Lisa Joy stating, “I would love to have season 2 and season 3 and all the seasons in the world to explore this amazing, amazing novel.”

The Peripheral Series

• Episode 01: Pilot.
• Episode 02: Empathy Bonus.
• Episode 03: Haptic Drift.
• Episode 04: Jackpot.
• Episode 05: What About Bob?.
• Episode 06: Fuck You and Eat Shit.
• Episode 07: The Doodad.
• Episode 08: The Creation of a Thousand Forests.

Trivia

• The primary southern town that it was shot in is Marshall, NC.
  • It is about 30 minutes NW of Asheville.
  • The bridge that she crosses in the opening and that’s featured often also connects to an island.
  • The river is the French Broad and the island is Blannahassett Island.
  • A high school was built on it in 1925 and was later used as K-8. It’s now an Art studio and exhibition space for local artists.
• There is a hidden scene after the credits of the last episode.
• Although they never share a scene together, Chuku Modu (Carlos) and Eli Goree (Conner) both appeared in CW’s The 100.
  • Chuku starred as Dr. Gabriel from 2019-2020 & Eli stared as Wells from 2014-2017.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Vincenzo Natali … (4 episodes, 2022)
  • Alrick Riley … (4 episodes, 2022)
• Producer(s):
  • Jamie Chan … producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Sara Desmond … producer / producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Steven Hoban … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Vincenzo Natali … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Jonathan Nolan … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Noreen O’Toole … producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Halle Phillips … producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Greg Plageman … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Alrick Riley … co-executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • James W. Skotchdopole … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Scott B. Smith … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Crystal Whelan … co-producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Athena Wickham … executive producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Jay Worth … producer (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Phil Booth … co-producer (7 episodes, 2022)
  • Lisa Joy … executive producer (7 episodes, 2022)
  • Bronwyn Garrity … co-executive producer (4 episodes, 2022)
  • Margot Lulick … executive producer (3 episodes, 2022)
• Writer(s):
  • William Gibson … (based on the novel by) (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Scott B. Smith … (created for television by) (8 episodes, 2022)
  • Scott B. Smith … (written by) (5 episodes, 2022)
  • Scott B. Smith … (teleplay by) (2 episodes, 2022)
  • Scott B. Smith … (story by) (1 episode, 2022)
  • Jamie Chan … (written by) (2 episodes, 2022)
  • Greg Plageman … (teleplay by) (1 episode, 2022)
  • Greg Plageman … (written by) (1 episode, 2022)
  • Bronwyn Garrity … (story by) (1 episode, 2022)
• Music:
  • Mark Korven … (8 episodes, 2022)
• Cinematography:
  • Stuart Howell … (4 episodes, 2022)
  • Roberto Schaefer … (4 episodes, 2022)
• Editor(s):
  • Andrew Groves … (5 episodes, 2022)
  • Naomi Sunrise Filoramo … (3 episodes, 2022)
  • Spencer Koobatian … (1 episode, 2022)
  • Shaun Lavery … (1 episode, 2022)
  • Asher Pink … (1 episode, 2022)
• Production:
  • Amazon Studios
  • Big Indie Pictures
  • Kilter Films
  • Warner Bros. Television
• Distributor(s):
  • Amazon Prime Video (World-wide, 2022)(VOD, video)
• Release Date: 21 October 2022 to 02 December 2022.
• Running Time: minutes.
• Rating: 15.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)