TV: Jason Schwartzman in HBO’s Bored to Death / Tim Roth in Fox’s Lie to Me
Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Spun, Coconut Records) will play an aging Brooklynite/alcoholic writer who experiences a nasty breakup and finds himself in the position of a Philip Marlowe-ish gumshoe in the new HBO series Bored to Death. Written by former New York Press columnist and novelist, Jonathan Ames, the half-hour comedy will go into production this September. Seth Gordon, director of The King of Kong, will work as a consultant on the show.
Schwartzman’s character “takes out an ad pretending to be a private detective and starts taking cases — solving some and making others worse.” You may remember that back in 2004 Schwartzman starred in the failed Fox sitcom, Cracking Up, from writer Mike White (The School of Rock). Ames also began developing a semi-autobiographical pilot for Showtime the same year, but it was never picked up. Based on the logline, it’s easy to picture Schwartzman making the role and premise into an irreverent hit.
HBO also has the series, Hung, in development from creator/director Alexander Payne and weeks ago I took a look at the pilot script for Cocaine Cowboys, the rumored series for HBO from Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay.
via Hollywood Reporter / Buzz Sugar
The iffier logline belongs to Lie to Me, a one-hour drama for Fox starring Tim Roth as a “scientist/human lie detector, skilled at reading the human face, body and voice to uncover the truth in criminal and private investigations.” Shades of House: the character’s talent/gift makes it difficult for him to maintain personal relationships.
As long as Lie to Me isn’t peppered with computer-generated eyeball schematics of various suspects in the vein of Robocop, we’ll check it out. Variety reports that the material is inspired by the real life science and life long studies of psychologist/deception specialist Dr. Paul Eckman. Brian Grazer is exec-producing the show, which has been picked up for 13 eps, and begins shooting in August.
Exclusive: P.I. Lucas to Be New Love Interest for Cuddy on House
Sources tell me the new character on House, private detective Lucas, has a crush on one Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein)! Apparently, love, like Legionnaires’ disease, is an infection that travels through the air—and the contagion is spreading through Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital!
As you may remember, Lucas (played by Six Feet Under’s Michael Weston) is the character being introduced for a multiepisode arc this season to act as a foil for the doctors and possibly be the main character in a House spinoff. In the meantime, however, it looks like he’s going to be another side in the love polygon surrounding Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie).
Is it just me, or is charming, blue-eyed rogue House not going to take too kindly to some charming, blue-eyed rouge moving in on his very favoritest hottie hospital administrator?
It’s OK, though, because if you ask me, persnickety and passionate House is the best kind of House there is. What do you think of this development? Do you think jealousy will finally drive House to declare his intentions to Cuddy? Post your take in the comments!
Cynthia Watros Talks Fear, Itself
Libby is back! And she’s not in Santa Rosa Mental Hospital this time, but rather on NBC’s new anthology series Fear, Itself.
I sat down with the lovely Cynthia Watros (Lost’s dearly departed Libby) to discuss her special episode, which airs tonight. (Set your TiVo!) I’ve seen it, and can tell you that Cynthia gives a stunningly freaktastic performance as a woman who hires a private detective (Eric Roberts) to investigate her husband’s wandering eye…But it all turns out to be so much more.
In Monday’s Watch With Kristin Show, I’ll share with you Cynthia’s take on the latest happenings on Lost and whether she’ll return, but for now, click in for some Fear-ful chatter…
For those who haven’t yet checked it out, what is Fear, Itself?
It’s a 13-show anthology series on NBC. My episode is directed by Brad Anderson, and Eric Roberts is in this episode. This episode is about what these people are about at the beginning and then, as the show progresses, you realize they’re not exactly what they seem to be. And there is an interesting relationship with the house.
The title is interesting.
Yes, the fear surrounds all of these episodes. It is about what people have inside them that can ultimately come out, if they’re insecure or if they’re put in a position where they’re tested. And this episode is definitely one of those cases.
What made you want to do it? Were you a fan of anthology series? Did you watch The Twilight Zone? Or do you just like freaking people out?
It’s really interesting as an actor to play someone who’s really mysterious and you don’t quite know what’s up with this person until the end. It’s definitely fun to play more psychotic, people who are not at all like you, and you feel like you’re really acting, you’re really putting yourself out there.
And I did grow up a big sci-fi person, and I watched Star Trek and all those things. I tend to gravitate toward that genre.
What was it like doing those scenes with Eric Roberts? They’re fairly intense.
They are! It was the first time that I had met Eric, and he was lovely—wonderful actor. So it’s hard to say, “Hey, Eric, I’m Cynthia, and I’ll be spitting on you in this scene. I hope that’s OK.” But he is a trouper, a true actor, and I promised that I wouldn’t do anything too embarrassing to him. So he was great. It’s lovely to work with someone who’s free and open and willing to do whatever the partner wants to do.
What was the casting like?
It first starts with reading the script and if you feel sort of connected to the script then you agree to go into the audition, and after you audition if they feel like you’re right for the part, they tell you what’s going on with the show itself. I was really attracted to the caliber of the directors and actors they had for this series and working with Eric, and I’ve wanted to work with him for some time, so I felt really lucky.
Rainn Wilson on Hot Dwangela Action and the Spinoff!
Oh, how I love Rainn Wilson. There are no words to describe.
His big movie The Rocker is set to hit theaters (see you in line!), and while doing press for it, he graciously answered five of my Office Q’s about the fate of Dwangela and the spinoff. Keep reading and enjoy…
Five Q’s With Rainn Wilson
What’s going on with Dwight and Angela? Are they hot and heavy?
Yes. I think they are getting it on…Office style.
But what about Andy? He’s engaged to her! Can Dwight actually steal her away?
I don’t know. I think Dwight’s going to challenge him to a duel.
When do you guys go back into production?
A couple of months…the end of July.
Anything you new you can tell me about the spinoff? Will it be an existing character or will a new person be brought in?
No, I’m doing the spin off.
You’re doing the spinoff?
Yeah, and it is called The Dwight Stuff. I’m a private detective in New York City living in a trailer park, the only trailer park in Manhattan. It’s good. I ride a horse in Central Park. It’s interesting—I’m there with my cousin Mose, and it’s really kind of a gritty, urban-type thing.
Sweet. I can’t wait to see it.