Created by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, ’12 Monkeys’ is an American science fiction television series. The drama first premiered on Syfy on January 16, 2015. It stars Aaron Stanford as James Cole and Amanda Schull as Dr Cassandra “Cassie” Railly, who plan to time travel in order to stop the disastrous plan of an enigmatic organization called “Army of the 12 Monkeys”. It is based on the 1995 film of the same name which stars Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Christopher Plummer, which is based on the French novel, La Jetee, by Chris Marker. The series is executive produced by Richard Suckle, Charles Roven, Natalie Chaidez, Jefferey Reiner, David Grossman, Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas.
12 Monkeys Plot: What’s it about?
Set in the year 2043, it follows a scavenger named James Cole who gets recruited by a group called “Project Splinter”. This team contains a scientist which is led by a physicist named Katarina Jones. They are assigned to work together and travel back in time to the year 2015. This is the year when a deadly virus was released by the “Army of the 12 monkeys’. They have to stop that virus which is to be the cause of the plague that leads to the destruction of the humankind. In the original timeline, more than billions of people have died due to it.
Cole travels to 2015 timeline and comes in contact with a virologist named Dr Cassandra “Cassie” Railly. It is a part of his mission to meet her because, in the future timeline, he comes upon a recording that she had made after the viral outbreak of the virus. This makes her a pivotal character in the events to come. He also meets a math genius named Jennifer Goines. Jennifer’s father has been assigned to kill the brutal high-ranking members of the 12 monkeys, Olivia, Pallid Man as well as Cassie’s ex-boyfriend named Aaron Marker. Cole also has to handle a guy named Theodore Deacon and his best friend named Jose Ramse in the future timeline. Ramse and Cole are ex-members of the dangerous pack of scavengers led by Theodore. Meanwhile, Cassie and Cole have to reveal the whereabouts and name of the mysterious person who is leading the Army of the 12 monkeys. He is referred to as “The Witness”.
By the fourth season, Cassie and Cole get engaged and they make a plan to stop Olivia from freeing the Red Forest. Cassie hesitates to turn off the time machine because by doing so she would lose Cole. She has two options: either to save humanity or their relation, but in the end, she has to save the world. They both exchange goodbyes with each other and everyone returns to their original year. Jones surrenders to the radiation poisoning and Cole tries to erase himself from the timelines. There is also a dramatic fight sequence, the winner of which has the power to save or destroy the world.
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12 Monkeys Cast: Who’s in it?
Aaron Stanford plays the role of James Cole, the time traveller. He has played Pyro in the second and third instalments of the ‘X-men franchise’ and is also known for his work in ‘Nikita’ and ‘Travelers’. Amanda Schull appears in the role of Cassandra Railly. She is known for her roles in ‘One Tree Hill‘, ‘Pretty Little Liars‘, ‘Suits‘ and ‘Murder in the First’. Kirk Acevedo plays the character of Jose Ramse. His best-known works include ‘Fringe’, ‘Band of Brothers’, ‘The Thin Red Line’ and ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’. He also played the role of The Dragon in the sixth and seventh season of ‘Arrow‘.
