It’s been nearly three months since Lost ended and I’m still finding Easter eggs. My latest discovery: Sawyer’s purgatorial stint as a police detective may have foreshadowed Josh Holloway’s next career move!
News that NBC is taking another stab at rebooting the ’70s private-eye classic The Rockford Files—sans Dermot Mulroney in the title role—has revived talk that Holloway would look great in James Garner’s iconic (gum)shoes. And for the first time, that chatter appears to be spreading beyond my office!
A Peacock source tells me that the former Lostie’s name has been mentioned in connection to the project, but the insider stresses that there are no serious talks going on at this time. Meanwhile, House exec producer David Shore—who is shepherding the reboot along with Steve Carell’s Carousel Prods and Peter Berg’s Film 44—concedes that Holloway is a “viable choice,” but adds that “it’s too premature” to start naming names. A rep for the actor declined to comment for this story.
“NBC is still high on the project,” adds Shore. “They would like it to happen. Peter Berg’s involved producing and possibly directing and we will be looking for a new lead.”
The first attempt to revive the franchise crashed and burned last spring when the completed pilot received a thumbs-down from NBC execs.
“[It] looked like it was shot in the ’70s,” one source bemoaned to NYMag.com’s Joe Adalian. “You didn’t even know it was the current day until Jim pulled out his cell phone. It looked like Stephen J. Cannell directed it himself.”
Source: The Ausiello Files at Entertainment Weekly.com
I couldn't agree more. I just want Joe in something solid and soon. He played an agent so well in "Thought Crimes" that i've been dying to see him cast as a cop ever since. Also a huge fan of Josh as well.
ReplyDeleteI grudgingly agree that he probably will have a larger following from his show. I've yet to sit down and watch Lost so I just don't know the actor or how well he does at his job or if he'd be right for this particular one. I loved him in his episode Vegas and he did great at playing a detective. I think he'd make an excellent Rockford. But again it is opinion and I'm cool knowing not everyone agrees. :) My first response was 'wah, don't diss my guy!' I'm dying for JF to get another role. It's been a long, dry spell for his fans.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I can't agree with you more that Dermot Mulroney was just a flat-out bad choice. Second, and please don't think I'm being argumentative here, anyone who has a basic cable genre show as his big TV credit isn't going to have a fan base bigger than his total viewership. That's why when compared to Josh Holloway ( from ABC's "Lost" which brought in gargantuan demo ratings and really big household ratings) Flanigans fan base is quite small in comparison. Third, and lastly, I also agree that Flanigan deserves at least an audition. He's got the chops. He's just not THE guy. Again, like you said, my opinion.
ReplyDeleteYour opinion. I personally don't know Holloway from Jim Bob. Joe Flanigan has a big following, far more than a 'small, cult following'. I think the folks at NBC would be very wise indeed to let the man try out for the part. Their first casting was very off.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing that over and over again and it just doesn't fly. Flanigan has a small but loyal cult following and will bring no juice to the role. Sure, he could play the character but he won't bring in viewers. Rockford is a big project and it needs a bigger star. That's why Holloway is the right choice. He'll bring the swagger and the attitude just as much (if not certainly more) than Flanigan but, just as importantly, he'll bring buzz and fans with him. Not just any fans either. He'll bring the coveted 18-49 demo that advertisers love. That's the juice that Holloway brings to this project that your guy just can't match.
ReplyDeleteJoe Flanigan = Rockford.
ReplyDeleteIf Holloway is going to be Rockford then Ken Leung has to be Angel.
ReplyDeleteThat man is too beautiful........
ReplyDeleteI've said a thousand times on a thousand posts that reviving "The Rockford Files" is just a stupid, misguided, shortsighted idea. I may never again be so willing to eat my words. Josh Rockford RULES!
ReplyDelete