I’ve got a super-secret Hollywood tip for you guys: If you want your own TV show, just snag a high-profile guest spot on The Shield. You’ll be on the schedule in no time. Forest Whitaker, who guest-starred in seasons 5 and 6 of The Shield as Lt. Jon Kavanaugh, will be executive-producing and directing a pilot for FX. Unlike other Shield alums like Glenn Close (Damages) and Anthony Anderson (K-Ville), Whitaker is staying behind the camera for his as-yet-untitled drama.
According to Zap2It, the show centers on the world of arms dealers. While the writers, Matthew Donlan and Jeremy Martin, are newcomers, Whitaker has a few highly-respected TV vets on board with him. Cary Brokaw (Angels in America) and Eric Overmyer (The Wire, Law & Order) will be sharing executive-producing duties.
Despite the fact that this show is only in the development stage and they are months away from casting, much less shooting the pilot, I feel confident in saying that this show is going to be good. FX has a great track record with original programming. In addition to the aforementioned Damages and The Shield, they’ve also brought us Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me. Plus, Forest Whitaker is amazing.
Not only did Whitaker turn in a mind-blowing (and totally creepy) performance as Kavanaugh and win the Best Actor Oscar for The Last King of Scotland, but he directed Hope Floats! Hope Floats, people! Not to mention the fact that he also directed the Katie Holmes vehicle First Daughter, which inexplicably raises his stock with me despite the fact that 1) I’ve never seen it, 2) it’s supposed to be really bad and 3) I completely got it confused with the Mandy Moore movie, Chasing Liberty, which I did see and definitely is really bad. The point is, when a guy gives me both cheesy romantic comedies and homicidal dictators and says, “hey, I’m making a show about arms dealers,” I don’t ask questions. I just fire up the Tivo.
Season 5 of The Shield, featuring Forest Whitaker, is available on DVD.
