The Beast on WCHS-TV8

		Wednesday, Feb 08, 2012 09:22:11 PM

	THE BEAST

	FRANK LANGELLA as Jackson Burns

	JASON GEDRICK as Reese McFadden

	PETER RIEGERT as Ted Fisher

	NAVEEN ANDREWS as Tamir Naipaul

	HARRIET SANSOM HARRIS as Mrs. Sweeny

	APRIL GRACE as Sonya Topple

	WENDY CREWSON as Maggie Steech

	ELIZABETH MITCHELL as Alice Allenby


	PROGRAM CONTACTS & FAQ

	PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The Beast
This program has completed its run and is no longer seen on WCHS-TV8

Jackson Burns (Frank Langella, "Junior," "Dave," "Dracula") is an iconoclastic media mogul who's built a 24-hour broadcast news organization that's like no other. Unlike your run-of-the-mill news service, his team of dedicated reporters not only cover the stories but are themselves covered as part of the story. Cameras in the halls, the cars, behind closed doors - everywhere - document the process at World News Service (WNS) - a.k.a. "The Beast" - and the feeds from those cameras are broadcast live to the world via the Internet, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To Jackson, journalists have lost objectivity, while honesty and veracity have fallen by the wayside. He feels that he must turn the cameras on his reporters to ensure their credibility and guarantee that the public gets the whole truth. For magazine reporter Alice Allenby (Elizabeth Mitchell, "The Linda McCartney Story," "Nurse Betty," "Frequency"), WNS is a frightening product of technology that crosses the line of propriety into voyeurism and sensationalism. But Jackson wants Alice on his team, and whatever Jackson wants.

Among the WNS staff that fuel the flames of "The Beast" are Reese McFadden (Jason Gedrick, "Murder One," "The Last Don"), a reporter whose thirst to open the public's eyes to the truth is starting to take a toll on his own well-being; Ted Fisher (Peter Riegert, "Local Hero," "Gypsy," "Animal House"), a newsperson of unrivaled experience but whose temper has cost him many jobs; Tamir Naipaul (Naveen Andrews, "The English Patient," "Mighty Joe Young"), a producer whose innate curiosity and disarming personality allow him to track stories that others would overlook; Maggie Steech (Wendy Crewson, "The Santa Clause," "Air Force One"), who keeps "The Beast" running with her unparalleled ability to juggle numerous tasks; Mrs. Sweeny (Harriet Sansom Harris, "Nurse Betty," recurring on "Frasier"), the primary manager of Jackson Burns' chaotic life and whose edgy wit and brutal honesty keeps the WNS staff in tow; and Sonya Topple (April Grace, "Finding Forrester"), a reporter who is bound and determined to become a star.

In the premiere episode, "The Price," Jackson entices Alice with promises of more freedom, access and resources than she could ever dream of. But Alice struggles to decide how far she's willing to go, when presented the chance to broadcast live the execution of a death row inmate. Meanwhile, Reese and Tamir find themselves in hot water with the FBI after they put together a live, on-air interview with the fugitive friend of media bomber Bobby James.

"The Beast" stars Frank Langella as Jackson Burns, Jason Gedrick as Reese McFadden, Peter Riegert as Ted Fisher, Naveen Andrews as Tamir Naipaul, Harriet Sansom Harris as Mrs. Sweeny, April Grace as Sonya Topple, with Wendy Crewson as Maggie Steech and Elizabeth Mitchell as Alice Allenby.

Guest starring are Gary Werntz as Harry, Ian Paul Cassidy as Ryan, Michael Reilly Burke as Jeremy Blithe, Rodney Eastman as Cotter Barkley, Tom Everett as Rory Carmichael, Scott Paulin as Agent Miller, Kieu-Chinh as Penelope, Sulo Williams as techie 1, Obba Babatunde as Mr. Lowry, Mark Pellegrino as Bobby James, Cater Lee as Chicago newscaster, Eduardo Garcia as Spanish newscaster, Robert Pike Daniel as British newscaster and Oanh Nguyen as techie 2.

The premiere episode, "The Price," was written by Kario Salem and directed by Mimi Leder.

"The Beast" was created by Kario Salem ("Don King: Only in America," "The Rat Pack"). Ian Sander ("Profiler," "Ali: An American Hero," "I'll Fly Away"), Kim Moses ("Profiler," "Ali: An American Hero"), Kario Salem and Mimi Leder ("Pay It Forward," "ER," "Deep Impact," "The Peacemaker") serve as executive producers. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Tony Krantz, co-chairmen of Imagine Television, are also executive producers. "The Beast" is from Imagine Television in association with Touchstone Television Productions, LLC.

This program carries a TV-14,S,V parental guideline. Due to a realistic portrayal of capital punishment, viewer discretion is advised.

Also Visit:

Please note, this is a local TV station in Charleston-Huntington, WV. If you live outside the Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia television viewing area, please contact the local TV station in your area.