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| Out of the White House, into the front office Rob Lowe returns for fall as boss and star of NBC's new legal drama 'The Lyon's Den' August 18, 2003 BY MIKE DUFFY FREE PRESS TV WRITER Sam Seaborn may have left President Bartlet's staff on "The West Wing." But Rob Lowe hasn't gone far. He's sticking around Washington. And he's also staying with NBC for "The Lyon's Den," a new fall drama series that mixes lawyers, politicians and mystery. On "The West Wing," Lowe's politically savvy Sam Seaborn, the deputy director of White House communications, quit his job as a corporate attorney to join the Bartlet presidential team. He had become disillusioned with the law . . . or at least with the practice of corporate law. Now as Jack Turner, Lowe portrays an idealistic, crusading attorney who specializes in pro bono work for a large, influential Washington law firm, Lyon, LaCrosse and Levine. But there are sinister hints of wrongdoing and legal corruption. "The Lyon, LaCrosse and Levine firm is not (like) 'The Firm' of the movies," explained Lowe recently. "It is not a bankrupt, utterly evil place. It is a place that's fighting for its soul." And Jack Turner is the do-right lawyer on soul patrol in "The Lyon's Den," a man of honor with a fierce dedication to the truth. And, oh yeah, Rob Lowe is the shining star of this particular series, the big cheese . . . the main man. But it should come as no surprise that when Lowe met with TV critics in July to talk about "The Lyon's Den," it was "The West Wing" that kept coming up. Again and again. "I felt like I had a lot of unfinished business on 'The West Wing,' " said Lowe. "I felt there were things that I didn't get to accomplish, and in this show I get to deal with some of those themes that I love. And that's what probably drew me to Washington, what drew me to playing a true believer, what drew me to themes that have some majesty and heft to them." Last year, when NBC first announced that Lowe was departing "The West Wing," some observers suggested he was foolish to leave such a successful, well-regarded series. But this isn't McLean Stevenson quitting "M*A*S*H" or David Caruso ditching "NYPD Blue" after only one season. And Lowe's decision to exit "The West Wing" after almost four seasons is looking like a fairly wise move now that series creator Aaron Sorkin has also left the White House. Sorkin is the gifted, hyper-verbal writer who blessed President Bartlet's world and his West Wing staff with a signature language, that fast-walking, fast-talking style of Beltway repartee and snappy policy-wonk patter. "I love Aaron Sorkin. Aaron Sorkin is a genius," said Lowe. "And he could be 15 years late on a script for me, and that would never be a problem. Because when you got it, it was like Christmas morning." Jeff Zucker, president of NBC Entertainment, has acknowledged that fans of Sorkin's trademark political banter may have to adjust to "The West Wing" as filtered through the storytelling sensibilities of John Wells. For "The Lyon's Den," Lowe is an executive producer as well as star. So he's one of the bosses this time. And he's teamed up with series creator and executive producer Remi Aubuchon (HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon"), who envisions Jack Turner as something of an urban cowboy. "What's a typical Western? It's the lone sheriff coming into town, the dusty, corrupt village," said Aubuchon. "And everybody is out to get him or kill him or manipulate him or change him. And slowly but surely, out of sheer determination, he turns the whole town around. That's 'Sheriff' Jack Turner, I think." Fortunately, Lowe won't have to strap on six-guns and ride a horse through the streets of Washington. And though Jack Turner may not be quite as glib, witty and, OK, as Sorkian as Sam Seaborn was, Lowe is revved up about his new TV alter ego. He sees the opportunity to give Jack Turner the sort of rich dramatic material and meaty issues he wishes Sam Seaborn could have played around with. "Sam was just getting less and less to do," recalled Lowe, reminding reporters several times that his eventual disenchantment "wasn't about screen time." "I had a story line once where I was trying to get people to wear seat belts. And it was hilarious and really, really funny," added Lowe. "But at the end of the day I wanted Sam to have the president's ear. I wanted Sam to be involved in the big story lines, not just shuffled in and out for relief." On "The Lyon's Den," Rob Lowe knows the score. And this time, he's the scorekeeper. " 'The West Wing' wasn't mine. I was a working stiff there," said Lowe. "This is my show. So . . . I'm a little more nervous." Nervous and . . . very, very happy. |