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| Lowe sees show as detour from The West Wing 07/26/03 Mark Dawidziak Plain Dealer Television Critic Hollywood- Rob Lowe didn't like the general direction "The West Wing" was taking. And he thought things had gone south for his character, White House Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn. Sam just was getting less and less and less and less and less to do," Lowe told critics gathered for their semiannual meetings with TV executives, producers and stars this week. "It wasn't about screen time. . . . I wanted Sam to be involved in the big story lines, not just shuffled in and out for relief." Although it was a giant roll of the career dice, Lowe - who grew up in Dayton - walked away from the acclaimed drama and into "The Lyon's Den." Lowe is both the star and executive producer of "The Lyon's Den," an NBC drama about a high-powered law firm in Washington, D.C. Sitting in the 10-11 p.m. Sunday time slot opposite ABC's "The Practice," the series is scheduled to premiere Sept. 28. Yes, Lowe is starring in another drama set in Washington. But the atmosphere in "The Lyon's Den" will be different from the one found in "The West Wing." Think John Grisham territory here, with treachery, secrecy and intrigue. Lowe promises more complex drama Jack Turner (Lowe) is the maverick heir to an American political dynasty. An idealistic lawyer working in a small pro- bono law clinic, he is persuaded by a friend to accept the position of managing partner in the firm of Lyon, LaCrosse and Levine. What he finds in this morally ambiguous world is a tangled web of deceit and double-dealing. There is mystery. There might be a murder. And there's definitely a conspiracy running deeper than Jack can imagine. The first episode of "The Lyon's Den" includes a scene in which Jack talks about not liking politics. A crack aimed at "The West Wing"? No, said Lowe. "It was more like a knowing wink to the audience that, you know, there's a new sheriff in town. . . . West Wing' showed me in a light that I had never been seen in before, and it gave me an opportunity to do what I do. And for that I am grateful. I think this show has the ability to do so many things that The West Wing' chooses not to do, for whatever reason." Well, that really was stepping into the lion's den. Roaring critics immediately wanted to know what it was that "The West Wing" wasn't doing. Lowe responded by outlining what "The Lyon's Den" will do. "What I love about this show is that these people are among the best at what they do, and yet they don't wear halos," Lowe said, suggesting that halos were standard-issue at his former place of employment. "They're very complex. They don't all sound alike. They are very, very different. They're flawed. And even though they're workaholics, they also have people in their lives who they love, who they hate." Rip Torn will play a recurring character on "The Lyon's Den," which also stars Matt Craven, Kyle Chandler, Frances Fisher, David Krumholtz and Cleveland native James Pickens Jr. Pickens, who played assistant FBI director Alvin Kersh for three seasons of "The X- Files," attended East High and was introduced to theater at Karamu. Although he left Cleveland in 1978, he returns to visit his brother and sister, an uncle "and various nieces and nephews." When not lassoing acting roles, Pickens enjoys competing in rodeo events. "As a kid, I loved Westerns," he said. "But I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. I mean, the closest I got to a horse was a merry-go- round. When I came out to California, I got involved with some cowboy friends of mine, and I seemed to have an affinity for roping and stuff. . . . It gives me a chance to get outside and hang out with some of my cowboy friends who have no idea that I'm involved in this business at all." There may be a touch of Grisham's "The Firm," Fox's "24" and even "The X-Files" in the paranoia generated in "The Lyon's Den," but Lowe also cites "All the President's Men," one of "the movies that made me want to be an actor," as an influence. "I think of [Robert] Redford in the parking garage, talking to Deep Throat," he said. "I think of Hal Holbrook saying, You don't even know what you're on to, do you?' And that's what this show is, and I love it." Jack Turner (Lowe) is the maverick heir to an American political dynasty. An idealistic lawyer working in a small pro- bono law clinic, he is persuaded by a friend to accept the position of managing partner in the firm of Lyon, LaCrosse and Levine. What he finds in this morally ambiguous world is a tangled web of deceit and double-dealing. There is mystery. There might be a murder. And there's definitely a conspiracy running deeper than Jack can imagine. The first episode of "The Lyon's Den" includes a scene in which Jack talks about not liking politics. A crack aimed at "The West Wing"? No, said Lowe. "It was more like a knowing wink to the audience that, you know, there's a new sheriff in town. . . . West Wing' showed me in a light that I had never been seen in before, and it gave me an opportunity to do what I do. And for that I am grateful. I think this show has the ability to do so many things that The West Wing' chooses not to do, for whatever reason." Well, that really was stepping into the lion's den. Roaring critics immediately wanted to know what it was that "The West Wing" wasn't doing. Lowe responded by outlining what "The Lyon's Den" will do. "What I love about this show is that these people are among the best at what they do, and yet they don't wear halos," Lowe said, suggesting that halos were standard-issue at his former place of employment. "They're very complex. They don't all sound alike. They are very, very different. They're flawed. And even though they're workaholics, they also have people in their lives who they love, who they hate." Rip Torn will play a recurring character on "The Lyon's Den," which also stars Matt Craven, Kyle Chandler, Frances Fisher, David Krumholtz and Cleveland native James Pickens Jr. Pickens, who played assistant FBI director Alvin Kersh for three seasons of "The X- Files," attended East High and was introduced to theater at Karamu. Although he left Cleveland in 1978, he returns to visit his brother and sister, an uncle "and various nieces and nephews." When not lassoing acting roles, Pickens enjoys competing in rodeo events. "As a kid, I loved Westerns," he said. "But I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. I mean, the closest I got to a horse was a merry-go- round. When I came out to California, I got involved with some cowboy friends of mine, and I seemed to have an affinity for roping and stuff. . . . It gives me a chance to get outside and hang out with some of my cowboy friends who have no idea that I'm involved in this business at all." There may be a touch of Grisham's "The Firm," Fox's "24" and even "The X-Files" in the paranoia generated in "The Lyon's Den," but Lowe also cites "All the President's Men," one of "the movies that made me want to be an actor," as an influence. "I think of [Robert] Redford in the parking garage, talking to Deep Throat," he said. "I think of Hal Holbrook saying, You don't even know what you're on to, do you?' And that's what this show is, and I love it." |