Be careful what you wish for.
That could be the tagline for Battle Creek Season 1 Episode 1, as Russ, a pragmatic and old-fashioned police officer in the small Michigan town really wants to do the very best he can for his city. His fight to get the best in tools and training even leads him to write to 60 Minutes, but what he receives is hardly what he expected.
For every great officer making due who is an all around good guy, there's someone somewhere else that people consider a pain in the ass and want to get rid of. Milt is that guy in the FBI and in an effort to see him live well and prosper elsewhere, the worlds of Russ and Milt are about to collide in Battle Creek.
There isn't much Dean Winters would do that I wouldn't watch. Here, his talent is matched by Josh Duhamel, so it's almost difficult to play favorites. Yet, I do. Always a fan of the underdog, it's hard not to feel for Russ and his desire to best a man who seems to have everything.
Russ: I think you get lucky. Not because you trust people, but just because you're really good lookin' man.
Milt: Thank you.
Russ: But then as people get to know you, I think you get very unlucky. Which is how you ended up here in Battle Creek and not Washington or New York or even Detroit.
Milt: I go where I can help.
Russ: Oh yeah?
Permalink: I think you get lucky.
Added:
March 04, 2015
Milt rolls into town and makes Russ' elcairs seem distasteful, despite coming from the same shop. Russ can't help but wonder if anything bad ever happened to Milt in his entire life. He's too naive and too simple to exist and get results, yet he manages to out do Russ across the board.
What I wouldn't have given to be on the set, because the writing is really funny and the delivery of the lines seems as though it might require a few passes to get it out with a straight face. Even thinking back to this one makes me giggle.
Russ: How do you run in those shoes?
Milt: Oh, I have an excellent cobbler.
Russ: What?!
Milt: Shoemaker. I have an excellent shoemaker.
Russ: I know what a cobbler is. This is unbelievable.
Permalink: I know what a cobbler is. This is unbelievable.
Added:
March 04, 2015
Surely, that's the point. One of the things that was enjoyable was how Russ continued to lay it all out on the line, even that fact that he bluffs and lies to get his job done. Milt, on the other hand, contritely pointed out that he never lies.
The way Josh Duhamel pulls off the Milt, you almost believe him, until you remember back to him just prior to facing the Battle Creek Police Department for the first time as he chanted to him self that he loved being there. He lies continually so that he doesn't even know what the truth is any longer, while Russ is practically an open book.
Russ doesn't hesitate to show his dissatisfaction with losing, or his shock at how good looking Milt is, or even hanging his head low as Milt gets the attention of the city for solving the big case. Everybody knows what Russ is thinking. He may want to learn from Milt, but it's pretty clear it will be Milt who learns from Russ as the story progresses.
Apart from the handsome fish out of water, odd couple appeal of the main duo, the supporting cast is wonderful. Kal Penn is back and with a humorous bent. Aubrey Dollar (who I've been waiting to catch a break from her stunning days on Guiding Light) is simply lovely as the young woman who wears her heart on her sleeve.
Sunday night seems an odd place to air Battle Creek, right after two female dominated dramas. I hope people don't turn the channel prematurely, because there is a lot to like here if they just give it a chance.
If you missed the premiere, you can watch Battle Creek online to catch up! Be here next Sunday for Battle Creek Season 1 Episode 2, "Syruptitious," when Russ and Milt go undercover in the syrup cartels (yep, you read that right) after someone is found dead, drowned in syrup!
37 Movie Stars on TV
1.
Viola Davis
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This isn't Davis' first television appearance at all, but she's better known for her movie roles in The Help, Ender's Game and Disturbia. It looks like she'll be one of the many successful actors to field both movies and TV.
2.
Matthew McConaughey
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McConaughey has always been a bonafide movie star. His memorably performances include roles in Dazed and Confused, A Time to Kill, Contact, Frailty, The Lincoln Lawyer and an Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club. It's no surprise he was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy for True Detective as Rust Cohle.
3.
Liev Schreiber
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Schreiber was in the Scream series, A Walk on the Moon, The Sum of All Fears and Salt among many others, but he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his incredible performance as Ray Donovan for Showtime.
4.
Angela Bassett
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Oscar nominee Bassett has taken up residence on American Horror Story, but she's known for films such as What's Love Got to Do With It, Malcolm X, Strange Days and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
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5.
Woody Harrelson
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True Detective called to Harrelson, but not before earning Oscar nominations for The People vs Larry Flynt and The Messenger, as well as starring in Zombieland, No Country for Old Men and more. He starred in White Men Can't Jump and Indecent Proposal while concurrently making his mark as Woody Boyd on Cheers, so in effect he's made a full circle.
6.
Kevin Bacon
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Bacon is an icon. There are six degrees of separation from this man for good reason. Footloose, Mystic River, Apollo 13, My Dog Skip and The River Wild are all just drops in the bucket of his movie career. He started on soaps and made his way back to television on The Following.
7.
Ashton Kutcher
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Kutcher has had a successful career on TV and in films such as Just Married, The Butterfly Effect, What Happens In Vegas and Dude, Where's my Car?!
8.
Steve Buscemi
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Buscemi has spent the last few years on Boardwalk Empire, but he's known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Fargo, Con Air and The Big Lebowski.
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9.
Kevin Spacey
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Spacey is ruthless in House of Cards, but his film career won him two Oscars, one for American Beauty and another for The Usual Suspects. Other noteworthy roles are Glengarry Glen Ross, A Time to Kill, L.A. Confidential, Se7en and The Shipping News.
10.
Kathy Bates
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Bates is another American Horror Story actor and Oscar winner known for Misery, A Home of Our Own, Dolores Claiborne, Titanic, Fried Green Tomatoes and Revolutionary Road.
11.
Laurence Fishburne
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The red pill or the blue pill? Yep, that was Fishburne in The Matrix. He's also been in The Color Purple, Mystic River and was nominated for an Oscar for What's Love Got to Do With It.
12.
James Spader
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James Spader may be in The Blacklist now, but his films include Endless Love, Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex Lies and Videotape, Stargate and Secretary among others.
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13.
Jessica Lange
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Two-time Oscar winner, Lange is on American Horror Story, but she is well-known for King Kong, Tootsie, Frances, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Blue Sky and Big Fish, just to name a handful.
14.
Halle Berry
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Extant star Berry won an Oscar for Monster's Ball and appeared in other films such as the X-Men franchise, Catwoman and Cloud Atlas.
15.
Vera Farmiga
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Bates Motel's Norma, Farmiga is a prolific movie actress. She's appeared in Autumn in New York, The Departed, The Conjuring and Up in The Air, for which she was nominated for an Oscar.
16.
Billy Bob Thornton
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This Fargo actor has won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Sling Blade and he was nominated for his acting role in the film as well. He's also known for A Simple Plan, Armageddon, Monster's Ball and Bad Santa.
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17.
Josh Hartnett
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Penny Dreadful actor Hartnett is known for Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Lucky Number Slevin and 30 Days of Night.
18.
Jon Voight
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Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance, The Champ -- some of the biggest movies in the last century starred Jon Voight. He's been nominated for four Oscars and won one for Coming Home. Now he's Mickey Donovan, and he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for the role and won the Golden Globe. He's not missing out by stepping back onto the small screen.
19.
Eva Greene
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Green, starring in Penny Dreadful, made a spash in Casino Royale, and has appeared in White Bird in a Blizzard and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
20.
Octavia Spencer
The Red Band Society's Spencer won an Oscar for The Help and appeared in Being John Malkovich, Bad Santa, Seven Pounds and Fruitvale Station.
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21.
Nick Nolte
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Currently starring in Gracepoint, Nolte is a three time Oscar nominee. He's known for North Dallas Forty, 48 Hours, Cape Fear, The Prince of Tides, The Thin Red Line and Warriors.
22.
Tony Goldwyn
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Scandal's President has had a long movie career in films such as Ghost, The Pelican Brief, Nixon, Kiss the Girls, The Last Samuri and Divergent.
23.
Timothy Olyphant
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Justified's Olyphant has had some interesting film roles. He was in Scream 2, No Vacancy, Rock Star (my favorite), Dreamcatcher, Live Free or Die Hard, Hitman and A Perfect Getaway.
24.
The Entire Cast of Wayward Pines
This upcoming Fox series brings Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis and Toby Jones together under the watchful eye of M. Night Shaymalan. Only one of thost listed hasn't been nominated for an Oscar. Star power? You bet.
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25.
Ryan Phillippe
ABC is bringing Secrets and Lies to the small screen in 2015 and with it comes Phillippe, who has starred in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Flags of Our Fathers, Crash and The Lincoln Lawyer. He'll be joined by Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis.
26.
Timothy Hutton
Hutton starred in Leverage for four years and will be back in American Crime. He won an Oscar for his role in Ordinary People and later starred in Taps, Beautiful Girls, The General's Daughter and Kinsey, among other features.
27.
Hope Davis
Davis will star in NBC's spy thriller Allegiance. She has previously starred in feature films Arlington Road, About Schmidt, The Weatherman and Real Steel.
28.
Craig Robinson
One of Seth Rogan's buddies, Robinson will star in Mr. Robinson. He's been in This is The End, Pineapple Express, Zach and Miri Make a Porno and Hot Tub Time Machine.
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29.
Josh Duhamel
Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan is bringing Battle Creek to television, starring Duhamel who has starred in films such as Turistas, the Transformers franchise, When in Rome and Safe haven.
30.
Téa Leoni
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Before Madam Secretary, Leoni was a movie staple. Bad Boys, Deep Impact, Fun with Dick and Jane and Ghost Town were all favorites. She has a gift for humor, but can bring on the drama, too.
31.
F. Murray Abraham
Before airing on both Homeland and The Good Wife, Abraham spent decades in the film business. He was in Scarface, won an Oscar for his role in Amadeus and was in Mimic and Th13teen Ghosts, among other features.
32.
Scott Caan
Like his father before him, Caan had a prolific film career before TV and Hawaii Five-0. He starred in such movies as Enemy of the State, Varsity Blues, and Oceans Eleven (and Twelve and Thirteen).
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33.
Dominic West
West has starred in 28 Days, Rock Star, Chicago, Mona Lisa Smile, 300 and others. He's been in The Wire and is one of the four leads in The Affair on Showtime.
The End.
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