J.J. Abrams is on a roll. The 46-year-old director and producer is behind not only some of the biggest hits in theaters – including the new summer blockbuster “Star Trek Into Darkness” – but also some of the best shows on television.
So if you loved the new “Star Trek” movie starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Benedict Cumberbatch, here are six more amazing projects from Abrams and production company Bad Robot:
1) ALIAS. Abrams reinvented the spy drama with this ABC series, which ran for five seasons (2001-2006) and made Jennifer Garner a star. Loaded with action, suspense, fascinating character relationships, and an intriguing set of on-going story arcs, “Alias” is a terrific ride and worth a few weeks of binge-viewing. Some of the plot twists may give you whiplash, and the whole thing kinda flies apart at the end. But it’s definitely worth a watch.
2) LOST. Before he became a big-time movie director, Abrams might have been best-known for his work on what should go down in history as one of the best shows of the past decade. He produced “Lost” for ABC for its six-season run (2004-2010), and directed that legendary, $10 million pilot episode. Regardless of what you think of that ending, “Lost” was definitely must-see TV.
3) SUPER 8. Written and directed by Abrams, this 2011 film nostalgically follows in the footsteps of childhood classics like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” Set in the summer of 1979, the story follows a group of young teenagers who are making their own small-town Super 8 movie. After they witness (and accidentally film) a terrible train derailment, the friends are caught up in the escape of a dangerous alien creature held captive by the U.S. government.
4) PERSON OF INTEREST. One of the best shows on TV right now, this unusual procedural follows a former CIA operative (Jim Caviezel) and a tech genius (Michael Emerson) who use an advanced computer system to help people in trouble. “The Machine” taps into cameras, phones, and more all over the country, and can predict when someone is going to be involved in a violent crime. The only problem: the heroes never know if their target is going to be a victim or a perpetrator.
5) ALMOST HUMAN. (Working Title) It may not be out yet, but this new FOX police drama looks to be just about the coolest thing under consideration for the new fall season. Set 35 years into the future, the story is about an L.A.P.D. police detective (Karl Urban) who is partnered with a highly-evolved, human-like android (Michael Ealy). What does it mean to be human? Can you trust an artificial life form to have your back? FOX has just announced that the series has been picked up for next season.
6) STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. Can J.J. do for “Star Wars” what he did for “Star Trek”? The new Trek movies have reinvigorated a 45-year-old franchise many thought was done. George Lucas tarnished his own legendary science fiction brand with the prequel trilogy, but has wisely handed over the reins. Abrams – himself a life-long “Star Wars” fan – has been tapped as director to kick off the third trilogy in 2015. Here’s hoping for Pure Awesome.
Learn more about “the mystery box” and the way J.J. Abrams’ creative brain works in this video of his fascinating 2007 TED presentation!