Television Revival

This Charming Man: Defamer’s Top 10 TV Men

Defamer’s “Top Ten Countdown of TVs Coolest Cats”:

1. Jack Bauer - “24″
2. The Fonz - “Happy Days”
3. Cord Walker - “Walker, Texas Ranger”
4. Will Smith - “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
5. Don Draper - “Mad Men”
6. Officer Tom Hanson (Jonny Depp) - “21 Jump Street”
7. Hannibal - “A-Team”
8. Dr. Ross (George Clooney) - “ER”
9. Conrad - “Weeds”
10. Parker Lewis - “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”

The Walker pick is undeniable (he always gets his man!), but I’m not sure that I can back up the rest of their choices. Dr. Ross, Hannibal, and Jack Bauer (sorry, Kiefer) have got to go. Why? Because the grittiest character on there is Don Draper. Don’s got nothing on the folks in “The Wire”. HBO’s B-more crime drama has the coolest cats around in my opinion.

Idris Elba is Stringer Bell
Stringer “It’s just Bizness” Bell

Dominic West is McNulty
Jimmy “I’m working a case, so it’s okay when I drink a fifth of Jameson” McNulty

Denis Leary is Tommy Gavin
And Tommy Gavin of “Rescue Me” is the craziest, yet coolest firefighter in the history of television!

Watch Molly McAleer’s hilarious compilation video on Defamer and make your own top ten list.

July 31, 2008   1 Comment

The Prisoner

Since hearing from Pajiba that they’re remaking “The Prisoner” with Jim Cavezial and Ian McKellan, I decided that I should get familiar with the original. The 1967 “The Prisoner” series starred Patrick McGoohan as an ex-spy who is kidnapped and taken to The Village, a lavish but dangerous prison where he’s held until he gives his captors what they want. At first glance, it sounds like “The Fugitive” crossed with Escape from Alcatraz or something.


I feel like television could benefit from a new version that has thought provoking writing. It’s a perfect vehicle to explore current social and political themes such as the power limits on certain government agencies. “24″ before it got ridiculous was an excellent show to question the methods of how governments protect our freedoms. With the idea of an indefinite prison, one can easily imagine the political commentary possibilities. Here’s hoping it’s not just another throwaway conspiracy theory serial like “Vanished”.

June 18, 2008   1 Comment