Prepare To ‘FlashForward’ In 17 Minutes

Let’s get something straight: FlashForward is not Lost, but the mysterious, action-packed new ABC drama will certainly fill that Island-shaped hole in your heart until February 2010, if not longer.

Based on the Robert J. Sawyer science fiction novel by the same name, the gist is this: citizens of the world inexplicably black out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, causing infinite amounts of helicopter-exploding chaos and mind-bending confusion. (The jury’s still out on whether Twitter also crashes.)

During the collective blackout, everyone experiences a “vision” of their lives six months down the road; visions which are either disturbing, or aspirational, depending on who you ask.

Joseph Fiennes leads up the talented ensemble cast - including Sonya Walger, John Cho, and Dominic Monaghan - as FBI Agent Mark Benford, a recovering alcoholic who ambitiously decides he’s the guy to crack the case.

Watch the first 17 minutes of the pilot below, and tune in to ABC tomorrow night at 9 PM to see how it all plays out.

Three More Random Notes:

That is indeed Los Angeles’ 110 Freeway in the opening. Producers had to shut it down intermittently over the course of three days to shoot those scenes. As if LA traffic weren’t bad enough already.

No, you yourself did not black out: Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is sitting in the conference room. He’s a close friend of creator Brannon Braga.

The kangaroo is meaningful, and it will return.

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