Early Edition

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{{Infobox Television | show_name = Early Edition | image = Image:EarlyEdition.jpg | caption = | format = Science fiction, Drama | camera = | runtime = 60 minutes | creator = Ian Abrams | developer = Bob Brush | executive_producer = Bob Brush | starring = Kyle Chandler
Shanesia Davis-Williams
Fisher Stevens
Kristy Swanson
Billie Worley
Myles Jeffrey | narrated = Kyle Chandler | country = United States | network = CBS | first_aired = September 28, 1996 | last_aired = May 27, 2000 | num_episodes = 90 | website = | imdb_id = 0115163 | tv_com_id = 263 }}

Early Edition was a television series on CBS that ran from September 28, 1996 to May 27, 2000.

1 The story
2 A sense of purpose - and 'timing'
3 Supporting characters
4 Cancellation and legacy
5 Trivia
6 Cast
7 Episode guide
8 External links

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The story

The show dealt with the life of Gary Hobson (Kyle Chandler), a Chicago man (initially a stock broker, later the owner of McGinty's bar) who mysteriously received newspapers (specifically, the Chicago Sun-Times) a day ahead of time, effectively giving him knowledge of the potential future. His newspaper apparently gets delivered by an orange tabby cat, no matter where he goes every morning, except on some special occasions. He would then try to prevent tragedies described in 'tomorrow's' Sun-Times from occurring, whereby story text and headlines in the newspaper change to reflect the outcome of his actions.

Within the course of the series, Gary discovers that a few people share his gift of receiving the newspaper "early". The only people, besides Gary, who know about his gift are his parents; his friends Chuck Fishman (a former fellow stock broker) and Marissa Clark (the blind former receptionist at the brokerage); and, Erica and Henry Pagett, a single mother and her son (Gary gives Erica a job at McGinty's) though he certainly tried to tell a few people such as his attorney and various police officers (Episode 407/408 - Fatal Edition). On some occasions, he is given the ability to wake up in another time (such as in the early 1900s) to change the past. People who encounter Gary often strongly suspect (or know) that he has a secret, but do not know what specifically it is.

During the course of the series, it is never clearly stated where the paper comes from. In one episode, Gary meets the group of people apparently responsible for giving him (as well as others) the Paper. Nothing much is revealed about them except that they have some sort of supernatural abilities, such as being able to mysteriously appear at any location.

In season four, episode 420 - "Time" (series finale that aired a few episodes early) it is briefly explained why Gary started receiving the paper. Apparently, he was given the responsibility by Lucius Snow (the man who received the paper before Gary), when he saved his life as a child. At the end of the same episode, Gary passes on the responsibility of the paper to a young girl named Lindsey Romick who had just lost her grandfather. We'll never know if or when she will receive the paper.

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A sense of purpose - and 'timing'

The show began with Hobson being divorced by his wife, and 'stuck in a rut' on the job. Once he begins to receive the 'early edition' of the Sun-Times at the hotel he resides at after being thrown out by his wife, he slowly gains a sense of purpose as a sort of 'superhero' by way of seeking to prevent as many disasters as possible each day. The 'down side' of the situation was that, in his nearly-obsessional devotion to saving people, he rarely had time for his own personal life. Hobson's fortuitous assumption of ownership of McGinty's Bar/Grill in downtown Chicago gave him a stable platform from which to carry out his newfound purpose.

The show rarely dealt with a common theme of 'time-travel' dramas: the theory that changing the 'past' (i.e., the present events altered by Hobson) produced potentially adverse consequences in the future. More often, it seemed to be a subtle display of the butterfly effect (i.e., one change, however small, rippled to affect situations far removed from it).

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Supporting characters

Image:Early Edition.jpg The show's two key co-stars were Fisher Stevens as Chuck (1996-1998), and Shanesia Davis-Williams as Marissa (1996-2000).

It can be argued that the show was at its strongest during Stevens' two seasons. Chuck was an 'anti-type' to Gary, being a somewhat cynical, wisecracking realist in contrast to Gary's growing idealism. In early episodes, Chuck seeks to parlay the advance knowledge provided by the newspaper into windfall profits (e.g., sports betting and stock-market 'insider trading'). Over time, however, he begins to take a role in helping (and backing up) Gary as a problem-solver.

Davis-Williams may have performed an overlooked artistic service, in portraying a blind person able to cause one to totally overlook her blindness. Marissa often was the voice of reasonable conscience, skillfully balancing Gary's earnest idealism against Chuck's skeptical realism.

Other regular characters in the series included Detective Crumb; Erica Paget and her son Henry; Detective Toni Brigatti; and, the new waiter at McGinty's (Patrick Quinn). Stevens also supplied opening narration and 'voice-overs' during his time on the show.

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Cancellation and legacy

After May 27, 2000 (the end of its fourth season), CBS decided to end the run of this series, much to the dismay of fans. The series has been syndicated, airing most recently on i: Independent Television (formerly PAX TV). No DVDs of the series have been released.

Fans of the show have stayed devoted to it in true "cult TV" fashion, sometimes referring to themselves as "EELs" (Early Edition Lovers). "EELFests" have been held for fans to gather in and around the Chicago locations of the show.

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Trivia

The location used for exterior shots of McGinty's is an actual old firehouse in Chicago. As is stated and seen on the show, the building is at 228 W. Illinois St., near the corner of Illinois and Franklin, adjacent to a line of the Chicago 'L'. The building was empty as of September 2004.

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