Airs: Monday 8:00 PM on ABC Family (60 mins)
Status: New Series
Premiered June 20, 2005
Show Category: Drama

Wildfire follows eighteen-year-old Kris Furillo (Genevieve Cortese) who, after serving time at a teen detention center, is given the opportunity to start a new life. Her talent with horses is recognized by a volunteer and local trainer (Greg Serano), who arranges a job for her at the Ritter's family run ranch. Thrown into a completely new environment, Kris must learn to deal with the challenges of fitting in, while trying not to disappoint the one family willing to give her a chance. The Ritters are facing challenges of their own even as they reach out to help Kris. Patriarch Henry Ritter (Dennis Weaver) and his daughter Jean (Nana Visitor) are in a critical stage of their battle to save the ranch from financial ruin. Micah Alberti, Andrew Hoeft, James Read, Ryan Sypek, and Nicole Tubiola also star.

Wildfire is produced by Lions Gate Television in association with Piller² and The Segan Company. Michael Piller (The Dead Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager) and Lloyd Segan (The Dead Zone, The Bachelor, Boondock Saints, Bones) are executive producers.

The two-hour pilot, which will kick off the series, was produced by Preston Fischer (Las Vegas, Living With The Dead) and directed by Steve Miner (North Shore, Smallville) from a teleplay by Michael Piller and Shawn Piller (The Dead Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager) and story by Michael Piller and Christopher Teague. Rounding out the ensemble cast are Andrew Hoeft, James Read, Ryan Sypek and Nicole Tubiola.



This did great for ABC Family.


From ABC Family:

ABC FAMILY ORIGINAL SERIES 'WILDFIRE' POSTS HIGHEST SERIES PREMIERE IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHANNEL


ABC Family Delivers Highest Rated 2Q In the History of the Channel
In Primetime and Total Day With Key Adult Demos

June 2005 Was ABC Family's Highest Rated and Most Watched June Ever


Burbank, CA (June 22, 2005) — The ABC Family original scripted drama WILDFIRE delivered the highest series premiere in the history of the channel with a 1.7 HH rating, Monday, June 20 (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). It was also the highest delivery in the history of the channel with Adults 18-49 (0.7 rating), Women 18-49 (1.1 rating) and Female Teens 12-17 (4.0 rating). The series ranked fifth among all basic cable in the time period with households and Women 18-34 and fourth with Women 18-49. Versus year ago time period programming, Wildfire increased the key demos of Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 by 75% (0.7 vs. 0.4) and households by 113% (1.7 vs. 0.8).

ABC Family delivered its highest rated and most watched second quarter in the history of the channel in primetime with Adults 18-49 (0.5/476,000) and most watched 2Q on record with Adults 18-34 (222,000). Year-to-year ABC Family delivered a 25% double-digit increase with Adults 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.4).
In total day, ABC Family had its highest rated and most watched second quarter with Adults 18-49 (0.3/265,000) and most watched 2Q on record with total viewers (629,000) and Adults 18-34 (136,000). Year-to-year, ABC Family is up 20% in HH (0.6 vs. 0.5), 10% in total viewers (629,000 vs. 572,000) and 50% in both Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 (0.3 vs. 0.2).

June was ABC Family's highest rated and most watched June in primetime in the channel's history in key adult demos including Adults 18-49 (535,000) and Adults 18-34 (254,000). Year-to-year ABC Family again posted double-digit increases with Adults 18-34 (0.5 vs. 0.4).


ABC FAMILY RATINGS

Additional 2Q '05 Highlights

· In 2Q '05, Gilmore Girls led ABC Family to a first place finish weekdays 5:00-6:00 PM versus all basic cable with Adults 18-49 and 18-34 (0.5).

· April and May 2005 ABC Family delivered its largest April and May audiences in total day in the history of the channel in 000's, in households, total viewers, Adults 18-34 and Adults 18-49.


Additional June Highlights

· The basic cable premiere (June 19, 3:00 – 7:00 PM) of HARRY POTTER & THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, was basic cable's most watched program in the time period delivering over 1.9 total viewers. The premiere ranked No. 2 with Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 (0.9). The encore of the movie (7:00 – 11:00 PM) delivered over 2.2 million total viewers, making it the fourth most watched program in the time period among all basic cable.



Here is the show's page at TV.com:

http://www.tv.com/wildfire/show/7281/summary.html&full_summary=1


I'm glad it's a hit for ABC Family. I taped it Monday night but haven't watched it yet. It does look good though and hell, it's just nice to have something new to watch in the summer with all of the reruns and stupid reality shows. I will watch this before the new episode on Monday night. I just thought I'd let everyone know though that it is airing again tonight for people that missed it the first time.

I watched the premiere, and I thought it was great. Like you, I'm excited for a new show that will air through the summer as opposed to watching all the same ones over again. But yeah, the show was good, and I can't wait to see it again tomorrow night. Plus, it has horses.. and I love horses, so I'm definately there .

Wow. Great for the premiere. I have no time to check it out though.

I'm an animal lover too. When I was a kid I used to be obsessed with horses. Now I'm not anymore and am obsessed with movies instead. But I still love animals of all kinds, including horses.

Anyway, my parents watched this Saturday night when it aired again and they loved it. I had taped it and they wanted me to watch it before the new episode tonight. So I just got done watching it a little bit ago. I thought it was great too. I'd give it an 8/10 (B+). I'll be watching it for sure.

I could relate to the main character's plight and would have done the same thing. I could never let an animal just get sent away to be murdered. I couldn't live with myself if I did. I wouldn't care if I had to pay the consequences as long as I saved the animal's life.


My only real complaint is that the close-up riding shots where you see the person's face and not the horses are so fake looking. You can tell they aren't really riding. But I can overlook that since the rest of the show is very solid.

Agreed. They kept focusing on Kris's face bouncing up and down as opposed to a full shot of her and the horse.

I also didn't like the fact that helmets weren't worn while Kris and Matt and all the others on the farm, for that fact, were riding. I mean.. riding high strung Thoroughbreds is dangerous.. not something you'd do without a helmet.. especially for someone who only learned to ride at a prison camp. Just a pet peeve I guess.




Tonight's episode was okay, too. I didn't like it as much as the premiere. I thought this one was less horse-centric and more teen soap opera with the Dani-Kris fighting over Matt thing. The ending was touching though, even though I saw it happening from the beginning.

I thought Monday's new episode was another solid one. Her punching the other girl made me think "How The O.C." though :razz:. Yeah, it did have quite a bit to do with the other teens, but I thought it mixed that and the stuff with the horse well. Not everyone would be pleased if it was just about her and the horse, and not everyone would be pleased if it was just about her and the other teens, so they have to mix them to reach a wider audience. I thought they did a good job. And I'm sure we'll get more horse stuff on upcoming episodes. It made sense that we didn't have as much on this episode considering the plot situation.


I think this will air the first two episodes next Monday night. They are airing the pilot for sure at 7:00 and then another one so I'm sure it's the second episode. It likely wouldn't have a new episode on since it's July 4th.

Anyway, I recommend checking it out or at least taping the first two episodes (the first episode is two hours long). It's kind of like The O.C. if it wasn't lame and had a girl and a ranch instead.

That's true. I still like the show a lot, though, and look forward to the future episodes.


What's crazy is the girl who plays Kris is 32 (according to imdb). She plays an 18 year old in the show, and while I thought she was a bit older, I never imagined she was that much older.

HOLY CRAP! 32? WOW! I never ever expected that. I figured maybe 22. But if you see Daniel Letterle in CAMP and then find out how old he is you'd be shocked. He's like 25! And Benjamin McKenzie on The O.C. is I think 29.