'House' work
-
- August
- 7
With the release of the second and final season of “Rome” on DVD today, I thought it was as good a time as any to plumb the “House”-ing of the networks’ fall lineups, which could have a great effect on “Rome’s” stars.
The success of Brit actor Hugh Laurie as everyone’s favorite cranky Yank doc on Fox’s House has paved the way for a number of his countrymen (and women) to get their shot at prime time on this side of the pond:
Kevin McKidd, so moving as the emotionally constricted Lucius Vorenus on “Rome,” stars as time-traveling reporter Dan Vasser on NBC’s Journeyman.
Ray Stevenson — every bit his match as his good-hearted sidekick, Titus Pullo — is a Long Island detective who tangles with the living dead on “Babylon Fields,” which has been picked up by CBS.
The character who comes closest to curmudgeonly House, though, is borderline nutcase Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis), a Los Angeles cop wrongfully imprisoned for murder on NBC’s “Life.”
“Life” is one of those “Count of Monte Cristo”-style revenge fantasies, in which Crews winds up not only with his freedom and his old job but a huge settlement and a multimillion-dollar home, thereby illustrating what I’ve long suspected: That while money can’t buy happiness, it can sure make misery comfortable.
It would be unfair to pass judgment on preview tapes of “Journeyman” or “Life.” (I haven’t seen frame one of “Babylon Fields.”) But I would nonetheless like to make a case for Stevenson, McKidd and Lewis as American TV stars. All three have the necessary acting chops, looks and charisma. And yet all three are quite different.
Stevenson is capable of marrying machismo to tenderness. McKidd, who could be Daniel Craig’s brother, riffs on tormented hubby Vorenus in “Journeyman,” playing a guy caught between reclaiming the fiancée he lost and holding on to his increasingly baffled wife.
Lewis, a titian-haired beauty, is harder to pin down, which may be why stardom has eluded him. He should’ve become a big star on these shores after playing Maj. Richard D. Winters, the quintessential American hero, in HBO’s “Band of Brothers.” That performance would’ve been the highlight of many careers, but he followed it up with a poignant performance as the cold, abusive Soames Forsyte in PBS’ “The Forsyte Saga” — a turn so brilliant that it totally reinterpreted the story. You have to be a very good actor indeed to do that.
I don’t want to let this topic go, however, without remembering the ladies. While the men of “Rome” have snagged series’ leads, Polly Walker, the bewitching Atia, has a supporting role on CBS’ Cuban-American drama, “Cane,” a throwback to “Dallas” and “Dynasty.”
Anyone who’s followed the voluptuous Walker’s career — she turned up recently as a tigress of a mother on PBS’ “Miss Marple” — knows she deserves better than the fourth female lead. On “Cane,” she at least plays one of her trademark temptresses, with a Southern accent.
Here’s hoping she gets to unleash both her inner Vivien Leigh and Joan Collins.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 at 12:58 pm by Georgette Gouveia.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Share and Enjoy: del.icio.us Digg Reddit Google StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! | 
Print
| 
Email
Well before being HOUSE.
he was playing second fiddle to Rowan Atkins in the Black Adder serious.
to coin a brit term.
"brilliant"
Damian Lewis's performance as Richard Winters in Band of Brothers was incredible (and my all time favorite) and he somehow managed to make viewers feel sorry for the very unsympathetic Soames in The Forsyte Saga; but his most brilliant film performance (so far) was his Oscar-worthy portrayal of the title character in Lodge Kerrigan's film "Keane"; I highly recommend it. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with the eccentric character of Detective Charlie Crews on LIFE this fall on NBC!
LOVE HUGH LAURIE!!! I have yet to miss a HOUSE episode and I hope it runs for 10 years or so!
AMAZING ACTOR!! I have my fingers crossed that he wins the Emmy this time after being snubbed last year. GRRRRR!!!