By Valerie Milano
Pasadena, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/15/20 – From Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios and created by Roberto Benabib (Weeds, The Brink, Ally McBeal), 68 Whiskey is the first scripted follow-up to Paramount Network’s smash hit Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, cable’s #1 original series for the past two summers.
68 Whiskey blends intense drama with cheeky humor and follows a multicultural band of Army medics stationed in Afghanistan on a base nicknamed “The Orphanage.” Together, the medics navigate a dangerous and obviously unpredictable world, relying on friendship, various vices, and, occasionally, a profound sense of purpose to carry them through.
Two of the show’s characters are introduced in very interesting ways during the series premiere entitled “Buckley’s Goat”. As an example, Sgt. Cooper Roback (Sam Keeley)—who was engaged in intercourse in a supply bunker in the opening scene—is shown fighting in a bare-knuckle boxing match just a few more minutes into the show.
Although the series is set in Afghanistan, it was filmed in Santa Clarita, CA. “It actually mimics the part of Afghanistan where the show is set very well. Almost scarily well — frighteningly well,” Benabib shared on Tuesday during the Television Critics Association press tour.
68 Whiskey also stars Gage Golightly as Corporal Durkin, Jeremy Tardy as Staff Sergeant Davis, Cristina Rodlo as Sergeant Alvarez, Beth Riesgraf as Major Sonia Holloway, Lamont Thompson as Colonel Harlan Austin, Nicholas Coombe as Private Petrocelli and Derek Theler as Sasquatch.
68 Whiskey premieres tonight – Wednesday, January 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network.