Rich’s piece last week about how USA Network’s Sunday was West Wing Reunion night got me to thinking a little bit about that old favorite. Unlike many other ensemble shows, The West Wing cast strong actors throughout, people who had careers before, and will continue to have careers long after, the series. While there are the inevitable failures (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was our failure to pay attention, not the show’s to be awesome), the assumption is, that with a cast as talented as The West Wing boasted, they’ll all be doing good things for a long time.
Unfortunately, USA’s In Plain Sight is testing that theory. No, I’m not here to comment on Mary McCormack; I’ve done enough of that before, and the long and short of it is that I like her Mary Shannon leaps and bounds more than I did her Kate Harper. Instead, I wanted to look at another West Wing star the show has been using and bruising.
I do, however, have to mention Richard Schiff, who did a one-time turn (please!) as a spot-on replica of a younger version of his father from The West Wing. From the acting to the accent, the entire thing was a flop, and it’s a shame that In Plain Sight got me hyped for that. I’d have rather had someone without Schiff’s talent sink like that stone. I sincerely hope that his character’s allusion at the end of the episode to being able to find Mary’s father will not return him to the show, because Richard does not deserve that.
But, really, we’re here to talk about the guy who has a bit longer of an arc to play, Joshua Malina. Malina played Will Bailey brilliantly on The West Wing, and even spent a little time dating McCormack’s Harper. Now he pops up on her new vehicle, as AA group leader Peter Alpert, millionaire suitor of Mary’s sister, Brandi. Oh My God. It’s not that Malina’s bad in the role; rather, the role is terrible for him.
First of all, it’s a little bit of TV incest for him to be dating his ex’s sister. Fine. But, Brandi? Come on! Do we really want to watch the show develop her into this “I’m so deep but I didn’t know it, so at first we couldn’t relate but now we’re totally soul mates” cliche? And why waste Malina’s talent on her? I could see him with Mary, and in truth, I think it might be awesome to see them back together again, both for their chemistry, and for how it would spare us her disastrous relationship with Rafe.
But it’s just so upsetting when a great actor is so under-utilized on a show. Take for example a fellow Winger, Allison Janney. She did the tiniest spot on Studio 60 (“The Disaster Show”), as herself, and it was so perfectly crafted for the actress (a comedian), that you couldn’t imagine anyone else pulling it off. Or Richard Schiff on Entourage (“The Abyss”); Toby as action hero? Yes, they were both playing themselves, but you get the point; some shows know how to use actors properly.
Malina’s Peter on In Plain Sight might as well be played by anyone. He has a tiny role, virtually no lines, is chasing some crazy, lying chick who stood in for her mother at an AA meeting, and he’s also rich. Why not just throw heir to a kingdom in there too? It’s just such an arbitrary character for him to be playing, and when he attempts to infuse the role with his patented Malina-isms, it just doesn’t mesh. I’m not saying he’s doing a bad job, but it feels as if the role wasn’t even written for him.
Instead, USA threw some big name stars at us to up their ratings. It’s a little insulting when a show does this without giving any thought to how they’re casting the guests. Save us all some emotion, and let Malina either settle into a permanent role on the show, as Rafe’s replacement in Mary’s life, or let him fly away, crushing Brandi and leading her to run off and never return….
Sorry, what? Right, off-topic. Just use him or lose him; don’t dangle Malina in front of our faces and then abuse him.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 26, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
Its funny how you and me can love some of the same shows (I think that the only four people on the planet that like S60, were you, me, Bob Sassone, and Bradley Whitford’s mother), but disagree on so much about what we watch. Less so about Malina (I think the jury is still out, depending on where the storyline goes, but I really like the episode when they met), but on Schiff.
I really enjoyed his guest turn on IPS. I think you could tell from the performance that he had fun doing it. The way he tweaked Mary trying to get under her skin was good, because few people actually get under her skin.
I also didn’t think that, other than the accent, he had anything in common with Jules Ziegler. One’s a rabbi who seems to be in control of every situation, the other a former criminal who could barely make peace with his son.
*POST AUTHOR*
Five; my wife loved Studio 60 more than I did. Is that enough to petition to get it back?
With Joshua Malina, I think the jury may be out on his storyline, but not on how In Plain Sight is utilizing him. No matter how much the role grows, the character’s so bland that it’ll never do the actor justice. Not to mention the fact that they paired him with the wrong Shannon sister.
Richard Schiff, I’m sure, enjoyed working with his old friends, but the part just sucked. The story was extremely interesting, but the role looked worse in relation to the quality of the actor playing it. I think an offline comment by Rich (The accent was way off and it seemed like he was struggling to get it right throughout the show) is something that I would apply to the character as a whole; it was like an ill-fitting suit on Schiff from beginning to end. It might have been a beautiful suit, but it didn’t suit (score!) him.
I didn’t mean to compare Schiff’s character to Jules Ziegler, just the affectations, and even then just to the Jules in the flashbacks, not the one who came to see Toby at the White House. It’s the stereotypical Jew from New York, with the heavy accent, the poor English grammar, etc. It might not have been there, or it might have been bland enough to fit anyone in the stereotype; it was just something that jumped out at me as soon as he opened his mouth.
You’re right. Unless a former West Wing actor joins a top notch, 20 person ensemble show with Shakespearean quality, they should not work. Not ever again. I’ll make sure to contact the networks.
*POST AUTHOR*
It’s not a question of whether or not only great parts are worthy of West Wing alumni, its a question of matching the right actors with the right roles. The actors in this conversation are West Wingers because that’s who I wanted to discuss, not because they’re better than anyone else.
I liked Richard Schiff on Burn Notice, which was a tiny nothing part, that also happened to be fitting for him. I loved John Spencer in The Rock for the same reason. Not Shakespeare, just good casting.
I don’t know. I guess we’ll just agree to disagree, as I like both characters (Schiff’s more so).
But I WILL agree with the idea that they pale in comparison to the roles I love both actors for, Jeremy (SportsNight) and Toby (West Wing).
*POST AUTHOR*
Always the first to back out the door instead of making the hay. Okay; but I have my eye on you! ;)
Hmm, A, I fear I have to agree with I. While I don’t think the part was perfect for Schiff, I enjoyed him as the go-getting ‘get’ and I look forward to future appearances. The same with Malina. In fact, I enjoy him much more in this role. After watching his talent absolutely rot in ‘Big Shots,’ I enjoy seeing him play something other than the nerdy errand boy. Plus, he exudes a great calmness which the Brandy character needs. The Brandy-Raph flirtation creeped me out and I’m glad they’re giving her someone stable to move on with.
In fact, I’m impressed by the addition of talent to the cast which shows a boost of support from the network, which I hope doesn’t end. Last year, I felt IPS scraped the bottom of the bowl cast-wise (Brandy, the boss) and guest-star-wise (save Dave Foley who’s asthmatic character did nothing for me).
However, this season, they’ve re-tooled the characters so that they are more realistic. Paul Ben-Victor is better as a ball-busting boss than a boss whose balls are busted. Plus, while I miss the Marshal-Mary crush, I couldn’t understand how a man could work with his partner so closely and not let his feelings slip. Plus, Brandy and the mother were cartoon characters last season and such hideous users I couldn’t understand why Mary didn’t drop them off a short pier. This year, although they’re still trouble, they’re realistic problems and the give Mary enough support (LAW crying at losing Mary’s letter) that I can understand why she stays.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m more surprised, actually, that both Schiff and Malina aren’t around more. Well, Schiff really, because Malina has been popping up here and there. I just hope that flops like Big Shots don’t stick to him.
I see the strength in character that you’re referring to, and I think success begets more. Speaking of growth: what happened to Ben-Victor’s crush on Mary from early episodes?
I can’t get behind you on Brandi and Jinx, though. I think they’re little more than a drain on Mary. How long does she have to be chained to a mother and sister who’ve done nothing but hurt her for her entire life?