Sunday, March 5th marks the launch of E!’s new scripted series, The Arrangement, starring Josh Henderson, Christine Evangelista, and Michael Vartan.
This new drama follows an up-and-coming actress, Megan (played by Evangelista), as she begins her relationship with heartthrob a-lister, Kyle (Henderson) and his best friend, mentor, and guru, Terrence (Vartan). Part of the entanglement is the “Institute for the Higher Mind” a mysterious, self-help, “cult-like” organization.
Although many compare the premise to the “TomKat” relationship and Scientology, the team behind the show deny any connection. Executive Producer Jonathan Abrahams stated at the NBC Universal Cable Press Day that he found inspiration from many self-help organizations, including 12 step programs.
When it came to casting, Abrahams said he was terrified, especially looking for the Kyle character. Josh entered the room, and by the first line, Abrahams knew he was right to fill this role, “he’s incredibly good looking, yet he’s not your typical action hero who’s shut down emotionally. He really has access to his vulnerabilities – he can sing, he can dance, he’s an incredibly athlete – I envy him on every level.”
Vartan, who is best known from Alias and Never Been Kissed, was excited to take on the role of someone “creepy”, “Most of my stuff has been the good-guy, y’know the husband, the boyfriend. And this was an opportunity in my career to really play someone completely different.”
The real world similarities may be too much for audiences to separate at first, but Abrahams insists that as the show progresses, “you’ll quickly discover these characters are their own”. Henderson conquers, “Kyle West is 5, 6 different people in one character” and Vartan echoes the sentiments, arguing that the thing he loves about the show is the characters and their relationships.
Check out the trailer for The Arrangement below, and catch the series premiere March 5 on E!