Modern remake of classic TV: Cast Challenge
Sept 16, 2016 17:07:01 GMT -5
repulsionist and moimoi like this
Post by Post-Lupin on Sept 16, 2016 17:07:01 GMT -5
Got into this talk on Twitter about one of the greatest Brit TV shows of all time, Callan.
In the world the UK faces currently - Brexit destitution and xenophobia, climate damage, general despair - a modern take on the grimy, soulful lower-class human weapon wielded by the State at the lowest possible expense could work like gangbusters.
Trouble is, we couldn't cast it.
The key roles:
David Callan:
Mid-40's, ex-special forces, never officer material and barely NCO. A decent bloke allowing for the fact that he's also an ex-safe-cracker and does wetwork for a deniable branch of 5. Hobbies; tabletop war reenactment, girls (and, occasionally, boys - in the books, he would fuck men if homeless for a night's bed, but can expand canon).
Lonely:
Callan's closest thing to a friend, former cell-mate and unrepentant thief (not a good one). Stinks to high heaven, especially when scared - and he's always scared of Callan.
'Charlie Hunter':
Head of the deniable unit: public school but also seen front line action. A cold and ruthless man. (Like Number 2 in The Prisoner, often replaced.)
Toby Meres:
Up and coming agent trying to win Hunter's respect; loathes that an oik of the Lower Orders is a better killer than he ever will be. Smarmy, posh, brutal.
So, for one hot moment I thought... Hugh Laurie as Callan, Stephen Fry as Hunter - but couldn't do the rest. Though I now see Michael Smiley could be a superb Lonely...
Then I got silly:
Idris as Callan, Hiddleston as Lonely, Cumberbatch as Mears and Judi Dench as Hunter (replaced in S2 by Tilda Swinton.)
It's stumping me: and the 'cast new faces' thing doesn't work so well for a predominantly middle-aged cast.
So, here's my challenge: either do a better job on Callan 2017 than I can, or suggest another great show (not just some shit only deserving of nostalgia interest, something that was both good then and could be good now), and cast that sucker.
In the world the UK faces currently - Brexit destitution and xenophobia, climate damage, general despair - a modern take on the grimy, soulful lower-class human weapon wielded by the State at the lowest possible expense could work like gangbusters.
Trouble is, we couldn't cast it.
The key roles:
David Callan:
Mid-40's, ex-special forces, never officer material and barely NCO. A decent bloke allowing for the fact that he's also an ex-safe-cracker and does wetwork for a deniable branch of 5. Hobbies; tabletop war reenactment, girls (and, occasionally, boys - in the books, he would fuck men if homeless for a night's bed, but can expand canon).
Lonely:
Callan's closest thing to a friend, former cell-mate and unrepentant thief (not a good one). Stinks to high heaven, especially when scared - and he's always scared of Callan.
'Charlie Hunter':
Head of the deniable unit: public school but also seen front line action. A cold and ruthless man. (Like Number 2 in The Prisoner, often replaced.)
Toby Meres:
Up and coming agent trying to win Hunter's respect; loathes that an oik of the Lower Orders is a better killer than he ever will be. Smarmy, posh, brutal.
So, for one hot moment I thought... Hugh Laurie as Callan, Stephen Fry as Hunter - but couldn't do the rest. Though I now see Michael Smiley could be a superb Lonely...
Then I got silly:
Idris as Callan, Hiddleston as Lonely, Cumberbatch as Mears and Judi Dench as Hunter (replaced in S2 by Tilda Swinton.)
It's stumping me: and the 'cast new faces' thing doesn't work so well for a predominantly middle-aged cast.
So, here's my challenge: either do a better job on Callan 2017 than I can, or suggest another great show (not just some shit only deserving of nostalgia interest, something that was both good then and could be good now), and cast that sucker.
