Turner Classic movies is bringing out the big guns of two different acting generations to get the ball rolling on their new TV pilot Idols. Looks pretty good to me, check out what yahoonews.com had to say:
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Turner Classic Movies is producing a pilot for a series that pairs modern-day thespians with actors from previous generations who have inspired them. “Idols,” which is part of the cable channel’s slate for 2007, will feature Alec Baldwin and Gene Wilder for the pilot.
Interesting, very interesting. The trend to get big name actors for television continues on and TMC is being very smart about how they use them. If you just get each star to do one episode and then move on there will be no pricey contract re-negotiations, also there is a draw to two different audience demographics with each episode.
I was a very big fan of the TV show “I’m with Busey” an improv/reality based show on the comedy network. The premise was this nerdy twenty something guy who wants Gary Buesy to mentor him, and Buesy does and also abuses the hell out of him while making him do terrible things. It was one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.
If TCM continues to match quirky (but still very talented) stars like Wilder to work with calm ( but sometimes unpredictable) younger actors (like Baldwin), this will be something to see. But if it’s just two stars fishing or complementing each others work I’m not sure the show will last.
