Traveling through the television universe is never a dull ride.
Lately, it’s afforded me the opportunity to spot some major eye
candy in the form of well-known actors co-starring or
guest-starring in knockout roles.
Traveling through the television universe is never a dull ride. Lately, it’s afforded me the opportunity to spot some major eye candy in the form of well-known actors co-starring or guest-starring in knockout roles. Their celebrity may have originally soared elsewhere, but their presence in the following shows add depth to the series. Take a look at my picks – the dynamic dozen! – and why they stand out:
The Actor: Alec Baldwin
How We Remember Him: 1988’s “Working Girl.” The film made him a heartthrob before a series of dramatic roles, “The Hunt for Red October” among them, launched more Oscar-worthy work. A well-publicized marriage to Kim Bassinger didn’t hurt. His visibility tanked in the late-’90s until a recurring role on “Will & Grace” paved the road for more comedic roles.
Dejà vu’d: “30 Rock” (NBC). As network president Jack Donaghy, Baldwin’s comedic timing is pitch-perfect in the freshman series that deserves our attention. Paired with Tina Fey, this show about a show within a show is improving in its new Thursday time slot.
The Actors: Jacqueline Bisset, Larry Hagman and Brooke Shields
How We Remember Them: Bisset’s been an icon for more than 30 years. First came the hit films – “The Deep,” “The Greek Tycoon,” “Who’s Killing the Great Chefs of Europe” and “Rich and Famous.” The latter, about two writers torn by fame and celebrity, seemed to foreshadow the future – her own fame diminished after that. Hagman was the befuddled astronaut in the ’60s hit “I Dream of Jeannie.” And then came Dallas. Shields turned heads – and kept turning them – in the ’70s with “Pretty Baby,” “Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love.” A staple on magazine covers, she managed to keep NBC’s Must-See lineup at bay as the star of the ’90s hit, but critically panned, “Suddenly Susan.”
Dejà vu’d: “Nip/Tuck” (FX) Call it the season of celebrity stopovers. You’d think that after the likes of Rosie O’Donnell, Richard Chamberline and Catherine Deneuve, that that would be enough to lure viewers into the drama this year. Apparently not. The Bisset-Hagman-Shields troika created memorable recurring roles in the frothy cult hit. Bisset morphed into “James,” the mysterious woman who doesn’t bat an eye blackmailing loved ones or manning a black-market kidney-selling racket. Hagman delivered as aging tycoon looking for more than Viagra to keep things down South healthy and happy. Shields seemed to have come full circle – acting wise – playing a sexually charged woman here, this time an obsessive shrink.
The Actress: Candace Bergen
How We Remember Her: “Murphy Brown” anyone? She took home five Emmys for playing the titular character on CBS.
Dejà vu’d: “Boston Legal” (ABC). As Shirley Schmidt, she’s one of partners of the BL’s busy law firm. While series creator David E. Kelley tends to go over the top with this spin-off of “The Practice,” he’s managed to offer Bergen some of the most delicious dialogue. No crime in that.
The Actress: Sally Field
How We Remember Her: It’s hard to forget a two-time Oscar winner, or the myriad of roles she’s played on the big screen. But who can forget her heart-wrenching portrayal of mentally unstable mom Maggie Wyczenski in a recurring role on NBC’s “ER?”
Dejà vu’d: “Brothers and Sisters” (ABC). Field’s portrayal of Nora Holden Walker will certainly be remembered around Emmy time. And for good reason. She steals almost every scene she occupies – and in the best way.
The Actress: Shirley Jones
How We Remember Her: “The Music Man.” It certainly paved the way for a stellar career for Jones in the ’60s. She may never have thought that playing the mother of a pop singing group in TV’s “The Partridge Family” would make a mark in the ’70s, but it did – it also helped sell millions of record albums.
Dejà vu’d: “Monarch Cove” (Lifetime). Nothing like appearing in a soap opera to afford you the pleasure of becoming a blip on the pop culture radar again. Jones is a treat here.
The Actress: Cheryl Ladd
How We Remember Her: Kris Monroe on “Charlie’s Angels” (1977-’81). After replacing fallen angel Farrah Fawcett-Majors, nobody gave her a chance – until she was clad in a bikini.
Dejà vu’d: “Las Vegas” (NBC). Nobody gave her a chance – sound familiar? – but the minute Ladd came onto the scene in NBC’s hit series playing the wife of casino owner James Caan, she just reminded critics what others may have known all along: She could act.
The Actor: Ron Livingston
How We Remember Him: Jack Berger, “Sex and The City.” He wasn’t Mr. Big, but he was big enough to make viewers consider a permanent pairing between Jack and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker).
Dejà vu’d: “Standoff” (Fox). True, he’s not technically the co-star here – he’s the actual star – but this subpar series doesn’t do justice to Livingston. Still, he can still brighten any scene he occupies.
The Actor: Rob Lowe
How We Remember Him: Take your pick. There’s “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “About Last Night” and some other ’80s hits that made him the teen dream of cinema. A notorious sex-tape scandal in the late-’80s didn’t hurt his celebrity, but he’s now revered for helping make “West Wing” one of NBC’s stalwart dramas.
Dejà vu’d: “Brothers and Sisters” (ABC). As Sen. Robert McCallister, he’s young, he’s republican and he’s chasing Calista Flockhart’s conservative Kitty Walker. Thus far, the chemistry between Flockhart and Lowe sizzles and Lowe’s presence adds more opportunities for this new series to explore outside the emotionally reactive core of its central family.
The Actor: Edward James Olmos
How We Remember Him: Lt. Martin Castillo in “Miami Vice” as well as 1988’s “Stand and Deliver.”
Dejà vu’d: Commander William Adama in Sci-Fi’s re-imagined “Battlestar Gallactica.” It’s one of the most imaginative if not gritty shows on TV and Olmos fuels its addictive fires.
The Actor: Scott Wolf
How We Remember Him: Bailey Salinger in Fox’s grab-my-hanky mega-hit “Party of Five.” He faded into the background until the cult film “Go” showed him in a different light. Then came “Everwood” on the WB.
Dejà vu’d: “The Nine” (ABC). The series may still need time to attract viewers, but as Jeremy, one of “the nine” taken hostage in a bank robbery, Wolf does what he knows best: evoke pathos. Think I’m joking? Tune in. And grab a hanky along the way.
TIVO Alert
“Dexter,” 10pm Sunday, Showtime. Michael C. Hall is brilliant in this wonderfully executed series about a coroner who doesn’t mind taking the law into his own hands.
“2006 Billboard Music Awards,” 8pm Monday, Fox. Ludacris is set to perform in this two-hour music bonanza.
“My Boys,” Tuesday 10pm TBS. There’s some genuine laughs to be found in the new series about life, dating, not dating, hoping to date, understanding men, understanding your emotions and … I think you get the picture.
“Big Day,” 9pm Tuesday, ABC. Here’s the thing: This new series isn’t that bad at all. Using an entire season, the show chronicles one hectic day – the wedding day – of a soon-to-be-married couple played to winning ends by Josh Cooke and Marla Sakoloff. Cooke has spark. It’s a shame that viewers haven’t quite gotten that – yet. He shines in his previous series, “Four Kings” and, especially, “Committed.” Unfortunately, viewers weren’t committed to keeping them on the air. Let’s see if he can officially tie the knot here.
Greg Archer is an entertainment writer based on the Central Coast. He writes about television, film and being human. E-mail him at ga*****@sv**********.com or visit www.greg-archer.com.
