The world is a bigger place now than ever before, and families and friendships that were formed years ago can still exist even if we’re living in different time zones or unable to meet up in person due to the pandemic.

Television is a form of visual storytelling that can not only bring friends and relatives together but can also allow them to travel to places and times that they might not normally see.

If you’re a TV fan, then you’ll no doubt be keeping an eye out for any developments in the world of television. One company that has been consistently creating award-winning television shows is Tiger Aspect, and their latest project is Charlie Pattinson Will Braun.

The show is based on Pattinson’s (Paddy McGuinness) real-life friendship with British screenwriter Charlie Will Braun. Born in London in 1914, Will came from a wealthy family who owned several newspapers and magazines in the U.K. He received his education at the prestigious Eton College, and went on to study English literature at Oxford University. Will then moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s and began working for Warner Brothers, eventually becoming a producer on the studio’s lot.

It was during this time that Will befriended the son of Warner Brothers’ co-founder, producer, and head of production, Jack Warner. Young Jack had just turned 16, and joined the U.S. Army after his family’s bakery was destroyed by fire during the Great Depression. He was soon sent to France, where he was an assistant to producer Herbert J. Seligman on the U.S. documentary short Reunion In Paris. While there, he befriended a fellow American named Pattinson and the two became fast friends. After returning to the U.S., Jack worked for his father’s studio, and in 1939 he and Pattinson founded their own production company, Jack Warner Productions. A year later, Will and Jack Warner formed a partnership to create Twentieth Century-Fox, with Jack becoming a major shareholder and president of the company. Fox and Warner subsequently merged to form Twentieth Century (TCF) in 1943.

During World War II, Jack Warner produced several documentaries for the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS), including The Battle of Okinawa: The True Story of an Epic Struggle that Changed the Pacific and the course of World War II. While working for TCF, Will met British actress Margaret Lockwood and they fell in love. The couple became engaged on New Year’s Eve 1945 and were married a month later. Lockwood became a United States citizen in 1949 and the couple moved to California, where they both enjoyed a long and successful career. (Interestingly, Will and Margaret have a great-grandchild named Charlie—the namesake of the TV character.)

Tiger Aspect’s latest offering is a dark, dystopian thriller that will remind viewers of Charlie St. Cloud and Philip Nolan’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The series premieres on Hulu this Thursday, May 29th, at 12:01 a.m. EDT.

If you’re looking for a new series to binge-watch this summer, then look no further. It might be the thriller saga you’re looking for!

What Is Tiger Aspect?

If you’re curious about Tiger Aspect, then you might want to start by reading our interview with series creator Paddy McGuinness. It contains a wealth of information about the show and McGuinness’ interesting life and career. One fact that bears emphasis is that Tiger Aspect is not just a television show, but also a registered trademark of the company. As McGuinness notes in our interview:

“Tiger Aspect is a mark that I have registered. It’s not something that I’ve created just for television. It is a name that is used for a number of different projects that I am involved in, including a film and a stage production.”

Other interesting facets of McGuinness’ interview include the fact that he is Irish and was born in Cairo, Egypt. He then moved to London at the age of two and grew up there. Besides being an accomplished writer, McGuinness has also produced films such as Cromwell Unleashed! and written numerous novels, including the bestselling Conclave trilogy. (If you’re interested in reading more, you can find a complete list of McGuinness’ works on his official website.)

The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale, which was created by George RR Martin and originally appeared on the small screens of Hulu and Amazon, has recently been adapted for the big screen. It was initially ordered by Netflix as a four-episode arc for the company’s prestigious House of Cards, but the episodes were later merged into a single two-hour film. (We were curious to hear Martin’s take on the merger. In a letter to fans, he said: “It has been great to see the show adapted for the screen. It gives me hope that audiences will one day get to see what my books are really about. Unfortunately, the episodes are not entirely cohesive. The material that was merged was done so at the request of Netflix and their legal department. I can only hope that one day they will reverse their decision and let the saga continue. In the meantime, I remain grateful to Netflix for the opportunity to tell this story.)

If you’ve never heard of The Handmaid’s Tale, then you’re in for a treat. The series is set in an alternate timeline, where being a woman means you’re condemned to celibacy and forced to live in a dormitory under the close watch of the National Guard. (Anyone who’s ever read Margaret Atwood’sThe Handmaid’s Tale will know exactly what kind of story this is.)

Violence is a theme that runs throughout the series. (Hint: It’s not pretty.) There is a lot of sex too, both in the series as well as the movie adaptation. The first season contains more than its fair share of intense scenes, and if you’re the type of viewer who can’t handle lots of shocking content, then you might want to skip this one. (It helps that the violence and sexual content are mostly off-screen. We don’t have to wonder what kind of treatment our heroes get from the villains.)

If you’re reading this, then you probably already have a good idea of how the series turns out, since you’ve probably watched at least some of the episodes. If you haven’t, then it’s high time you did, since the series is available on Netflix and contains some truly fantastic acting and storytelling. (It also has a fantastic soundtrack, which you can listen to on Spotify. If you liked the show, then you should also check out its companion album, which is filled with songs that were inspired by the series. We recommend it as a whole album, even though the individual songs aren’t bad either.)

One of the things that makes the series so special is that it manages to blend science fiction and historical fiction in a way that is completely seamless. It doesn’t read like a textbook or a history lesson, but it also doesn’t feel like pure fiction either. (This is a combination that is somewhat unique in today’s media landscape.) When an idea or a scene from the 1840s shows up in the context of the present-day, it isn’t something that happens all the time. It feels like something of a dream, or perhaps even a nightmare that we’re briefly transported to.

While the series is set in 20th century America, it still manages to feel relevant and urgent today. As the saying goes: The world is changed, but not by us. (Even if we’re not meant to believe it.)

Other TV Shows Inspired By Real Life

Aside from creating his own original television shows, Paddy McGuinness has also worked on several adaptations of real-life stories for TV. Here are a few interesting tidbits about them:

  • In 2007, McGuinness created A Touch Of Madness, an eleven-episode miniseries that was based on the tragic story of the Dunne family, who became famous for their role in the 1893 Wells Cathedral Disaster.
  • In 2010, he adapted John Rebus’s novel The Bunker for TV audiences, and it garnered him several awards including a BAFTA for best scripted drama series.
  • In 2013, McGuinness adapted Graham Green’s children’s novel Wayside School for TV audiences, and it was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe for best miniseries or motion picture.
  • In 2015, he adapted William Trevor’s novel The Spire for TV audiences and it was nominated for several Emmys, including best miniseries.
  • In 2017, he adapted Roddy Doyle’s novel The Galway Girl for TV audiences, and it was nominated for three WGA Awards, including best miniseries or motion picture. (The Galway Girl is set to be released in theaters on June 7th, 2020.)