Terry Morrow: 'Paranormal Activity' masterminds behind ABC's 'The River'

Bruce Greenwood wrestles with a snake during "The River," a new mystery shaping up on ABC.

"The River" (debuting 9 p.m. Tuesday, ABC) looks to be this season's answer to "The X-Files" and "Lost."

A sprawling new sci-fi mystery set against the backdrop of the Amazon River, the show's pedigree is a who's who of cinematic hits: Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Television's Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, and showrunner/executive producer Michael Green ("Heroes," "Kings"). Executive producer Oren Peli and Jason Blum were behind the "Paranormal Activity" movies.

"The River" has a style close to the "Paranormal Activity" films, with a single camera following a lot of the story.

"The River" follows the Cole family, whose patriarch (a TV adventure hunter played by Bruce Greenwood) goes missing on the river. In a quest to learn what happened, his wife, son and daughter trek out to the middle of nowhere with a camera crew and make startling discoveries.

Dad's disappearance may not be as simple as they thought. And what's lurking on their dad's ship after the sun goes down?

Though "The River" will devote itself to the main mystery of the disappearance and how it happened, it also will have standalone episodes that allow new viewers to get involved, the producers say.

Given the credits behind the "The River," it's not surprising the show started out as an idea for a movie.

"It was just going to be about a missing documentary crew that has gone missing in the rainforest and filming the rescue mission to find them," says Peli, "and I developed this idea with a couple of my producing partners, and we just put it aside and went on to produce other films.

"Then I had a meeting with Steven Spielberg, and he told me, 'Hey, we should do a TV show together,' and I'm thinking, 'OK. Sure, whatever you say.'"

Shot in Hawaii, "The River" takes place on a fictitious area of the Amazon River. However, aspects of the story are based on fact.

"We're sort of culling from real legends and lore of that region in the Amazon," says Estrin. "So there's, for as many episodes as we are blessed to have, we've got spooks and scare things for a week to week basis based on real stuff from down there, real scares."

The cast includes Joe Anderson ("The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2"), Leslie Hope ("24") and Eloise Mumford ("Lone Star").

Other highlights for the week of Feb. 5-11. All times Eastern. Listings subject to change. Check local listings:

SUNDAY

-- "Absolutely Fabulous" (6 p.m. BBC America). In Series 3, Patsy moves to New York and Adina goes to a commune. Will our boozing duo really part ways forever?

-- "Super Bowl XLVI" (6 p.m. NBC). It's the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem. Madonna will perform at halftime. There's a little something for everyone.

-- "The Voice" (10 p.m. NBC). The second season launches with the "blind audition" rounds, in which judges Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green pick their teams based on only what they hear — not what they see.

MONDAY

-- "Smash" (10 p.m. NBC). Debra Messing headlines this musical-drama about the backstage dealings behind staging a major Broadway musical. Katharine McPhee (of "American Idol") and Megan Hilty are rivals going after the same role.

TUESDAY

-- "NCIS" (8 p.m. CBS). Who would have ever guessed this would be written: "NCIS" reaches its 200th episode, with a "parallel universe" type of twist.

-- "The Real Housewives of Orange County" (9 p.m. Bravo). Season seven starts off with the women welcoming — with knives, no doubt — the newest housewife: an actress-turned-stay-at-home-mother of four (Heather Dubrow) who is married to a plastic surgeon. You know what that means: face lift discounts for everyone!

-- "Jersey Couture" (10 p.m. Oxygen). As a new season begins on this reality series, the styling business is eyeballs-deep in customers, and the women running it need help. But they're fearful the owner may not want to hire an assistant.

WEDNESDAY

-- "American Idol" (8 p.m. Fox). The Hollywood Rounds begin — and a lot of crying and heartache ensue.

-- "Person to Person" (8 p.m. CBS). This revival of an interview series that Edward R. Murrow originally hosted will spotlight newsmakers and celebrities in long-form chats.

THURSDAY

-- "Grey's Anatomy" (9 p.m. ABC). Valentine's Day has the doctors tied up in knots in the emergency room: a little girl is ill because of the chocolates she's eaten, and a boyfriend who was cashing in after his girlfriend is hit by a car.

SATURDAY

-- "Cupid" (9 p.m. Hallmark Channel). In this romantic comedy, Joely Fisher plays Eve, a busy TV talk show host who gets an arrow shot through her heart, metaphorically, of course. Jamie Kennedy co-stars as the man working for Cupid Incorporated.

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