WGN America's "Outsiders" returns Tuesday, January 24th with brand new Season 2...with Astronaut/Actor, Pete Freeland

By Laura Medina

http://www.wgnamerica.com/series/outsiders

WGN America has a good sense of humor about itself.

They know how they fill their airwaves, during the daytime, with "Cops" reruns then save their fresh tv series for primetime.

https://ql.mediasilo.com/#ql/585972dbe4b0b1a7ede63814

In a nifty crossover for their audience, WGN America is doing then airing "Cops" spoof promotional ads for their new, hot series, "Outsiders," with the second season premiering Tuesday, January 24th at 9pm, https://ql.mediasilo.com/#ql/585972dbe4b0b1a7ede63814.  Astronaut/Actor/Renaissance Man, Pete Freeland stars in this crossover "Cops" spoof/ad as Sheriff  Thomas Gray of the city/township of Blackburg, Kentucky.

For those wondering where the heck is WGN America is located, please go to http://www.wgnamerica.com/channel-finder?zip=08854.  Type in your zip code, it'll pull up the local channel for WGN America in your neighborhood.  For 90049, they're:

AT&T U-verse TV - Los Angeles - Digital

• Channel 180
• Channel 1180

Frontier Fios Pomona - Pomona - Digital

• Channel 68
• Channel 568

Time Warner Cable City of Los Angeles - Eagle Rock - Digital

• Channel 126

Time Warner Cable East San Fernando - San Fernando - Digital

• Channel 126

Time Warner Cable Sherman Oaks - Westchester - Digital

• Channel 25
• Channel 126

Time Warner Cable - Santa Monica - Digital

• Channel 126

DIRECTV Los Angeles

• Channel 307

DIRECTV

• Channel 307

DISH Los Angeles

• Channel 239
• Channel 4934
• Channel 5533
• Channel 9446

DISH Network

• Channel 239
• Channel 4934
• Channel 5533
• Channel 9446

For those in Charleston, South Carolina:

Charter Communications - Hickory - Digital - Hickory - Digital

• Channel 736
• Channel 82

Comcast Charleston / No. Charleston - North Charleston - Digital - North Charleston - Digital

• Channel 437
• Channel 71

WOW Charleston - Charleston - Digital - Charleston - Digital

• Channel 910
• Channel 105

DIRECTV Charleston SC

• Channel 307

DIRECTV

• Channel 307

DISH Charleston

• Channel 9446
• Channel 5533
• Channel 4934
• Channel 239

DISH Network

• Channel 239
• Channel 4934
• Channel 5533
• Channel 9446

The previous Wednesday night, WGN America with Ok! and Star Magazines, screen the first episode of the "Outsiders" second season.

In keeping with the spirit of the Appalachian locale, mentality, and food, snack bags of beef jerky and popcorn were there to snack on.  However since the screening is in Beverly Hills, there is cupcake galore.

Also keeping in with the "spirit" of the Appalachian heritage, WGN's "Outsiders" teamed up with Ole Smoky Moonshine for a special edition Ole Smoky Moonshine.

It's infused with ginger and ginseng, and housed in a commemorative mason jar.

Ole Smoky Outsiders Farrell Shine is inspired by the ‘Farrell wine’ featured in the show – which tells the story of the Farrell clan and their struggle for power and control in the hills of Appalachia, Kentucky – and contains similar ingredients.

“The Farrell Clan is steeped in tradition, and moonshine is certainly a significant part of their family ritual,” said WGN America’s EVP of marketing and promotions, Brian Dollenmayer.
“Ole Smoky serves as the perfect collaborator for us as we continue to generate excitement with fans everywhere for the upcoming second season of ‘Outsiders’.”

The collaboration includes a limited edition moonshine SKU, TV spots, digital media, and in-store POS.

In addition, fans will have the chance to win a trip to Tennessee with three guests by entering the ‘C’mon Live Like An Outsider’ sweepstakes.

The group will be flown to Gatlinburg where they will learn how to make moonshine at Ole Smoky’s distillery, and enjoy outdoor activities such as ATV riding, fishing, and hunting.

“There is a tremendous connection between the Outsiders and Ole Smoky’s fan base,” said Meg Bruno, VP of marketing, Ole Smoky.

“Creating a co-branded 360° campaign with the team at WGN America seemed like a natural fit for our company.”

Ole Smoky’s Outsiders Farrell Shine will be available from January 24 in conjunction with the second season premiere of Outsiders. The campaign will run until April 30.

The basis for "Outsiders" came from the most boring of conversations.  The creator/writer/producer, Peter Mattei's friend was talking about mountain top mining where it's easier for a company to shave off the top than it is digging deep into the mountain.

Due to colonial immigration of the Scot-Irish during the formation of the United States, these Scot-Irish families settled and made these isolated mountains their home.  From there, among the isolated mountains, they grew into "clans" and formed their own culture, their own laws, then, forget dialect, their own language.

Growing and forming in isolated environment, this separation from mainstream society, eventually, causes clashes between the working class "townies" down the hill and the isolated clan, the fictional Farrells.  This is the formation of the general tension.

What sparks then further fuels the flames is the discovery of coal in the Farrell Clan's land and a dying coal-mining town yearning for more coal-mining jobs.  That is the town's heritage and culture.

It's fighting for keeping the pre-Industrial Scot-Irish hunting and gathering versus a coal-mining town that does nothing but coal-mining.

What keeps this drama "a drama," from a comedy is that the creator/producer, Peter Mattei doesn't do broad, generalizing strokes of the clans whose ancestors first settle this land.  He treats their isolated, clannish mountain culture with history and respect. These are not "hillbillies" or a joke to be point and laugh at.

The fictional Appalchian family clan, The Farrells, kept their Scottish/Celtic warrior martial art skills and their holistic wisdom, and to some extent, their Gaelic/Celtic Druid religious belief and rituals.  The Farrells' steadhold on their ancient Celtic/Gaelic ways, further intensified by the Appalachian Mountains' isolation, only increased their distrust of the mainstream "townies." Which, in return, only increases ignorance and fear by the "townies;" who are also clinging onto their own culture tied to economics and jobs.

Not all of "Outsiders" Farrell Clan are so afraid of the outside, mainstream world.  Hasil, played by Kyle Gallner, is a young Farrell bursting with curiosity then fell in love with a townie, who's African-American.  This obviously changes both their paths.

Another Farrell who knows there's a bigger world out there is Asa Farrell, the rightful heir to the Farrell Clan throne.

Restless and curious ten years ago, Asa (Joe Anderson) traveled to the West Coast where he learned in the real world, that money and cooperating with the authorities do matter, especially for family business prosperity.  Something that the cashless Farrell Clan doesn't understand.  Treated like a stranger upon his return, with his new family. Asa's worldly knowledge may or may not save the Farrell Clan.

Peter Mattei made sure there are strong, dominant women characters in "Outsiders."

Gwin, played by Gillian Alexy, is an Appalachian Lady MacBeth, a woman who marries for power.  She literally marry the old man, while fanning the flames with his son, who's the same age as her.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Haylie Grimes, the mining company executive determined to shave off the mountain top for more coal, more jobs.  She's the one who's really running the town of Blackburg.

According to Peter Mattie, what really drives the series, overall, is what the characters truly desire in life and how about they do, attaining it.  This is what makes the show compelling as it earns intellectual cultural respect among the growing viewership.

A character who does good for good things makes for a boring story.

What most call conflicts is what the writers/producers, Peter Tolan and Peter Mattei say drives a good story and fleshes out characters, preventing them from becoming one-liner, cliché jokes.

A many character in "Outsiders" have to be ornery in order to carry out good deeds, like David Morse's  Big Foster, aka Foster Farrell the 6th, a "Appalachian Mountain King Lear."  Steadfast to the ancient ways, Big Foster doesn't give a shit about what's popular, specially when it comes from the outside world.  He's about doing whatever it takes to protect his large, insular family and their way of life then yield to sell out.  His steadfastness may his disappearance but he's among good people...

If prestige is what you seek, WGN America's "Outsiders" is execute produced by Paul Giamatti.

WGN America's "Outsiders" is a mountain saga set in the present day and how an isolated extended family deal with changing times.