David Tennant Conquers Christmas, Attempts to Conquer the US

[chloris]

Well, now we know what David Tennant was doing in the US for three weeks! A tv pilot! (BBC news, Hollywood Reporter) Woohoo!

From Backstage:
Rex is Not Your Lawyer (Drama). A successful, high-powered attorney begins having debilitating panic attacks in court that close up his throat and prevent him from speaking. Instead of giving up his practice

Comments

[midknight_starr]

David... US TV... SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chloris]

A couple of seasons would be nice! If they were full seasons, that would be over 40 episodes of new DT. Even if it doesn't get picked up, I find it interesting that he seems to be pushing for US roles.

[morgaine_nicely]

wellllll
i dont know about 40 episodes, seasons on network telly are pretty smallish these days, and they seemj to break everything up and stuf with small breaks in between or "mid season" breaks blah blah blah, they never used to do that crap. If it does get picked up, would prolly be one of those mini season things, like Nathan Fillion's that he did, that ABC picked up for a second season :) (yay!)

[chloris]

Yeah, I know, that's why I qualified it. *g* But really, even a short US season is long by UK standards. 10-12 episodes for a first season would be quite nice I think! Of course, this all assuming a lot from a pilot.

[benbenberi]

I think he's shown enough facility with accents that, if he were provided a decent coach, he'd be able to sound properly American when he has to.

Re Hamlet on Christmas -- I think they're thinking it's David Tennant Day. Works for me. :-)

[chloris]

I think so too, but his previous attempts were less than wonderful. However, they have been looking for months and he nailed it which is good to hear.

Heh. My family seems to think it's 'spend time with them' day and, since I would prefer to remain happily married I think that's what I will do.

[benbenberi]

I've never heard him try an American accent in any context where money would have been spent on a vocal coach for the accent, or been riding on his sounding American to Americans. And it's not as if he's ever spent significant time in the US surrounded by the accent before, which I think probably also makes a difference.

TV seems to be a bigger part of British Xmas than in the US - no US network would put anything new & high-profile on the air that day except sports, but the BBC seem to do so regularly in the UK. Must be a cultural thing...

[paratti]

Christmas and the days round it are the biggest telly days of the year. All the big shows and newest films go up on all the main channels.

[10_point_5]

I do have to wonder what the Hamlet people were thinking choosing Christmas day for their air date. This. I was worrying about this even before Who clashed. Christmas Day is a family time, it'll be really hard to say 'Everyone shush for the next three hours!'. Who has family appeal and is only on for an hour, so they don't really have to worry about that. Unless they recon Hamlet'll make more money from DVD sales anyway and aren't too bothered when it airs? Still, I would've thought a nice Sunday evening in January would've been perfect. Mind you, this way, DT can double up on all his plugging in Christmastime interviews, talking up Who and Hamlet at the same time

[chloris]

Hamlet is going to air later in the evening so the kids will be in bed but there will still be older relatives who might want to chat. A nice Sunday evening would have worked for me! Or New Year's Day. That's a pretty quiet day around here.

Hmmm. It might be going to plan if he wanted to break into US tv/movies. He's trying at a high point in his career where he even has some level of popularity here. Think of his Masterpiece hosting gig, Hamlet filming and showing in the US, his reign as Ten getting press here. This may be what he wants; at least to try since there are no guarantees of a pick-up.

[morgaine_nicely]

thing is, it says drama, not comedy, so i'm thinking they're maybe looking at the anxiety bit as more drama ish stuf, like house....

[papilio_luna]

On the up side, if the pilot gets picked up, at least we'll get Tennant in an array of well-tailored suits! I just... don't trust any of the major American networks to not screw up everything that can possibly be screwed up. When shows are great, they either mess with them until they're not great any more, or they cancel them.

Now, am I correct that we really only have the one quote that indicates Hamlet is going out on Christmas? I wonder if that was meant more as an "around Christmas" or "at Christmastime" rather than "on actual Christmas day". Boxing Day, mayhap?

[chloris]

Or he could be scruffy and rumpled! Either way, I'm good.

[artic_fox]

Intriguing news! Now we'll have to get to the next stage of it getting picked up for a proper run. I don't know how much staying power the concept has got (I mean a lawyer who gets his clients to represent themselves?), but often these things can be surprising, and if it gets him well known in the US, then that is good too!

[chloris]

True. It's only a possibility right now, but interesting to think about! Whether the show itself could work will all depend on the writing I think. We know that the acting will be good but if the plots and dialog are ridiculous it could sink like a stone.