"Witchblade" (2001) TV series 2001-2002

Creators:

Marc Silvestri
Michael Turner
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

12 June 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Action

Tagline:

A new force of justice hits the streets of New York

Plot:

Based on the comic with the same title, this series follows the adventures of police detective Sara Pezini...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Chosen One | New York City | Bullet Dodging | Psychosis

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Yancy Butler	...	Det. Sara 'Pez' Pezzini (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
David Chokachi	...	Det. Jake McCartey (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Anthony Cistaro	...	Kenneth Irons (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Will Yun Lee	...	Det. Danny Woo (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Eric Etebari	...	Ian Nottingham (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Lazar Rockwood		(20 episodes, 2001-2002)
John Hensley	...	Gabriel Bowman (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Kathryn Winslow	...	Vicky Po (15 episodes, 2001-2002)
Nestor Serrano	...	Captain Bruno Dante (10 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Directed by
Neill Fearnley		(5 episodes, 2001-2002)
James Whitmore Jr.		(4 episodes, 2001-2002)
Paul Holahan		(3 episodes, 2002)
David Jackson		(2 episodes, 2001)

Series Writing credits
Ralph Hemecker		(15 episodes, 2001-2002)
Richard C. Okie		(14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Marc Silvestri		(11 episodes, 2001)
Michael Turner		(11 episodes, 2001)
Jorge Zamacona		(4 episodes, 2002)
Bruce A. Taylor		(3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Roderick Taylor		(3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Larry Barber		(2 episodes, 2002)
Paul Barber		(2 episodes, 2002)

Series Produced by
Ralph Hemecker	....	executive producer (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Dan Halsted	....	executive producer (14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Vikki Williams	....	producer (14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Brad Foxhoven	....	producer (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
Marc Silvestri	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
Larry Barber	....	consulting producer (12 episodes, 2002)
Paul Barber	....	consulting producer (12 episodes, 2002)
Connie McKinnon	....	associate producer (12 episodes, 2002)
David Wohl	....	producer (12 episodes, 2002)
Jorge Zamacona	....	consulting producer (12 episodes, 2002)

Series Original Music by
Joel Goldsmith		(14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Fawn		(2 episodes, 2002)
Gerald McMahon		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
David Moxness		(21 episodes, 2001-2002)
James Gardner		(2 episodes, 2002)

Series Film Editing by
Gordon McClellan		(9 episodes, 2001-2002)
Mike Lee		(7 episodes, 2001-2002)
Rob MacKinnon		(2 episodes, 2002)

Series Casting by
Jeff Block		(13 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Production Design by
Franco De Cotiis		(23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Ugo Serrano		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Cheryl Toy		(1 episode, 2002)

Series Set Decoration by
Caroline Gee		(14 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Costume Design by
Vicki Graef		(9 episodes, 2001-2002)
Lisa Martin		(5 episodes, 2002)
Suzette Daigle		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Cliona Furey	....	key hairstylist / head of hair department / ... (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Burton J. LeBlanc	....	assistant makeup artist (22 episodes, 2001-2002)
Sandra Moore	....	makeup artist (14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Sheilagh McGrory	....	prosthetic makeup assistant (4 episodes, 2001)
Kevin Hutchinson	....	special makeup effects artist (3 episodes, 2001)
Teresa Buccione	....	assistant hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Renee Chan	....	key hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Kelly Kavanagh	....	second assistant head of department (unknown episodes)
Tim Mogg	....	key makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Mason Cooper	....	post-production supervisor (22 episodes, 2001-2002)
Michael Wray	....	unit production manager (14 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Johnson	....	first assistant director (7 episodes, 2001-2002)
Marcel Saumure	....	second assistant director (7 episodes, 2001-2002)
Karl Irvine	....	second assistant director (5 episodes, 2002)
Felix Gray	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 2002)
Ricky Friedman	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2002)
David Carruthers	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Daniel Pace	....	assistant art director (22 episodes, 2001-2002)
Dar Higden	....	set dresser (12 episodes, 2002)
Peter Fletcher	....	property master (5 episodes, 2001-2002)
Robert E. Cross	....	property master (5 episodes, 2002)
Kevin Pierson	....	property master (2 episodes, 2002)
Rossana DeCampo	....	key scenic artist (unknown episodes)
Jason Graham	....	first assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Alexandra Hooper	....	set decoration buyer (unknown episodes)
Sean Kirby	....	lead dresser (unknown episodes)
Arlene Lott	....	first assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Shelley Silverman	....	first assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Jeremy Simser	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Kevin Howard	....	sound effects designer / supervising sound editor / ... (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Paul Shubat	....	sound re-recording mixer (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Steve Foster	....	sound re-recording mixer (14 episodes, 2001-2002)
Rob Hegedus	....	dialogue editor (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
Erv Copestake	....	sound mixer (12 episodes, 2001-2002)
Kevin Banks	....	sound effects editor (6 episodes, 2001)
Doug Johnston	....	production sound mixer / sound mixer (2 episodes, 2002)
Jason MacNeill	....	first assistant sound editor (unknown episodes, 2001-2002)
Stephen Barden	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Alek Bromke	....	adr assistant (unknown episodes)
Richard Calistan	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Ed Poty	....	adr editor / adr recording engineer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Mike Kavanagh	....	special effects key (unknown episodes)
David Loveday	....	animatronics / effects property builder (unknown episodes)
Laird McMurray	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)
Stani Veselinovic	....	on set key (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Anthony 'Max' Ivins	....	visual effects supervisor (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
Adam Avitabile	....	visual effects supervisor (unknown episodes)
Mark S. Driscoll	....	visual effects producer: LOOK! Effects Inc. (unknown episodes)
Christopher Ivins	....	digital compositor: LOOK! Effects, Inc. (unknown episodes)
Danny S. Kim	....	3D compositor / creative director (unknown episodes)
Hudson Shock	....	Flame artist (unknown episodes)
Tefft Smith	....	digital artist (unknown episodes)
Isabel Vandernoot	....	digital compositor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Louis Paquette	....	assistant stunt coordinator / stunt actor / ... (5 episodes, 2001-2002)
Ken Quinn	....	stunt coordinator (3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Ho Chow	....	stunt double (2 episodes, 2001)
Nick Alachiotis	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eric Bryson	....	assistant stunt coordinator / stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Randy Butcher	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Wade Eastwood	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Steve Lucescu	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
John MacDonald	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Christopher McGuire	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Daryl Patchett	....	stunt double: Eric Etebari (unknown episodes)
Robert Racki	....	stunt double / stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Jeanette Roxborough	....	stunt double: Yancy Butler (unknown episodes)
Jennifer Vey	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Tammaro	....	camera operator (11 episodes, 2001-2002)
William Engel	....	grip (11 episodes, 2001)
Bruce Macaulay	....	still photographer (11 episodes, 2001)
Vanessa Ireson	....	first assistant camera (10 episodes, 2002)
Dianne L. Haggarty	....	best boy / grip (unknown episodes)
Melanie Jeffrey	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Chris Kalbfleisch	....	second assistant camera (unknown episodes)
J.P. Locherer	....	director of photography: second unit (unknown episodes)
Andris Matiss	....	Steadicam operator (unknown episodes)
Adam Quinn	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Jaclyn Young	....	second assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Tina Gerussi	....	casting: Canada (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
Barbara Miller	....	executive in charge of casting (8 episodes, 2001-2002)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Denison	....	costume supervisor (6 episodes, 2002)
Debbie Williams	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Karen Renaut	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 2002)
Robyn Rosenberg	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 2002)
Sharon McDonell	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Bill Oliver	....	first assistant editor (6 episodes, 2002)
Dale Gagne	....	first assistant editor (4 episodes, 2002)
Steven Bray	....	post-production assistant (unknown episodes)
George Lohin	....	second assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Mason Cooper	....	music supervisor (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Rich Chadock	....	music editor (12 episodes, 2002)
Joel Goldsmith	....	theme music (12 episodes, 2002)
Derek Syverud	....	music clearance (12 episodes, 2002)
Neal Acree	....	composer: additional music (unknown episodes)
Kaz Kim	....	music coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Ian C. Harris	....	driver: daily (1 episode, 2001)
Bruce McLean	....	transportation coordinator (1 episode, 2002)
Marco Sousa	....	picture car captain (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Karen Chandler	....	first assistant accountant / second assistant accountant (23 episodes, 2001-2002)
Brad McIlroy	....	on-set caterer (22 episodes, 2001-2002)
Alan Chu	....	consultant (13 episodes, 2001-2002)
David Woods	....	assistant to writer (11 episodes, 2001)
Brett Miller	....	assistant location manager (3 episodes, 2002)
Amy Barrie	....	assistant production coordinator: second unit (unknown episodes)
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	armorer (unknown episodes)
Stephanie Lee Berger	....	weapons handler (unknown episodes)
Hakan Coskuner	....	adr dialogue coach (unknown episodes)
Mike Edmund	....	co-operative education production assistant (unknown episodes)
Annika Flick	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Dan Gosse	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Morgan Hunwicks	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
R. Emerson John	....	script supervisor: second unit (unknown episodes)
Melissa Kirby	....	assistant: Yancy Butler (unknown episodes)
Chandra-Li Paul	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Solar Paul-Clapson	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Allyson Peacock	....	security officer (unknown episodes)
Vanessa Pickering	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Dana Ramsay	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Patricia Schweers	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Adrian Sheepers	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Sue Sparling	....	payroll accountant (unknown episodes)
Erik Sudmals	....	second assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Sarah Turner	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Willem Wennekers	....	story coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Blade TV Productions
• Halsted Pictures

Distributors

• Turner Network Television (TNT) (2001-2002) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• V8 (2001-2003) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Cinema Sound Design  sound post-production
• Hand Prop  props supplied by

Runtime:

60 min | USA:60 min (23 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Blade TV Productions

Trivia:

During the second season of the show, production was halted so that star Yancy Butler could seek treatment for alcoholism. When she completed the treatment, the show was cancelled.

Quotes:

Sara Pezzini: Every day above ground is a special day.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Witchbabe: The Erotic Witch Project 3 (2001) (V)

Witchblade had it all.

Witchblade was like a comet, briefly appearing in the sky and then gone before you knew it. The show was stellar. The writing, acting and production values were way off the curve for a television series. The complex relationships between the characters were fascinating and raised issues beyond the stories and the story arc itself was compelling. The climax of the first season was one of the most audacious moves I have seen in a story and I couldn't wait to see how they would play out the rewritten stories and then bam(!) the powers that be started messing with the show and then canceled it without resolving any of the questions. For something of that quality, critical acclaim and following to be canceled like that and then not be issued in DVD is mind boggling. I have not watched the network the show was on since then and still miss the series.