THE TV landscape is such these days that Hollywood giants are gleefully migrating to the small screen.
This trend has become the rage for one major reason – the writing is ingenious. Also, the incentive with a TV series for A-list actors is that it offers character-driven storylines without the embellishment of special effects or action-laden scenes. Aside from that, they get to nurture their characters for a longer time.
You only have to look at the successful crossover of Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Anna Faris (Mom) and Paul Giamatti (Downton Abbey) – and how mind-blowing they are in their respective roles.
Which brings us to The Crazy Ones, which is attracting serious attention for a myriad reasons. For starters, it marks Robin Williams’s return to his small-screen roots after three decades. Second, it sees Sarah Michelle Gellar play his daughter. And last, it is a departure for creator, writer and producer David E Kelly from his signature drama offerings like Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal and Harry’s Law.
Williams – as aficionados will attest – is a doyen when it comes to comedy. After all, who can forget him as Mrs Doubtfire or Patch Adams. That said, the Oscar-winning actor is equally in his element in weighty roles in Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society, or as wacky characters as seen in Jumanji, The Birdcage and Night at the Museum.
The Crazy Ones is a turning point in the veteran actor’s career. Reports reveal he has had a rough patch personally. Recovering from a messy divorce and rehab, he is trying to pick up the pieces of a career and a life that were on the cusp of unparalleled success.
In the comedy, he plays Simon Roberts, a Chicago advertising executive who has his fair share of quirks. The twist is that he works with his daughter, Sydney (Gellar), who also happens to be the director of the agency.
Rumour has it that when Gellar got wind of the series, she got in touch with a friend who is the wife of Williams’s best friend to campaign for consideration for the role.
In a recent interview with Parade.com, the 62-year-old actor shared his sentiments about returning to TV after his hit series Mork & Mindy back in the late 1970s.
He said: “It’s fun. I’m having such a blast doing it with Sarah. She’s a sweet woman. And the idea of the father-daughter relationship – since I have a daughter, I’ve done the research on that. You know, pride and trying to help her along, but at the same time not helping so much that she doesn’t learn (Williams’s daughter, Zelda, is an actress and a screenwriter).”
Of his co-star Mad Men’s James Wolk (Bob Benson), he added: “In the first episode, you two riff on a jingle you want Kelly Clarkson to sing. You’re like boys trying to top one another for a girl’s attention. It’s playful. I think they wanted something like the old days of Mork & Mindy, where there are moments of craziness. Jimmy’s so funny. And even I’m going, ‘He’s so handsome’ (laughs).”
He acknowledged that the security of a TV series was another arm-twister for him.
He shared: “The idea of having a steady job is appealing. I have two (other) choices: go on the road doing stand-up, or do small, independent movies working almost for scale (minimum union pay). The movies are good, but a lot of times they don’t even have distribution. There are bills to pay. My life has downsized, in a good way. I’m selling the ranch up in Napa (Napa Valley, California). I just can’t afford it any more. And… divorce is expensive.”
The comedy begins with Grammy Award-winner Clarkson being approached to give a classic advertising jingle a new twist.
As the title suggests – comic pandemonium is a staple diet in the series. Brace yourself.
- The Crazy Ones debuts on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 6pm tonight.