Christian Slater on TV? I’ll Watch
From Guest Star to the Star
Welcome news is currently spreading about Christian Slater. The former child actor and teen idol is reportedly in line to set up shop at NBC, where he could star in a forthcoming spy drama from Jason Smilovic (Lucky Number Slevin, Kidnapped, Karen Sisco, and — unfortunately — Bionic Woman), provided the network approves a straight-to-series order. If the possibility becomes a reality, the show would be Slater’s first full-time TV gig ever.
The proposed series revolves around a suburban family man (Slater) who discovers he has another, less good-natured side employed as a spy. Of course, Slater’s no stranger to small-screen espionage. Alias fans like me have very fond memories of the actor’s last brush with spy TV, a two-episode, 2003 guest appearance on J.J. Abram’s still-missed whirlwind, Jennifer Garner drama.
Oddly enough, a few weeks ago, I checked out a truly bizarre movie starring Slater, the 2007 flick He Was a Quiet Man. It features Slater in the title office drone/aspiring serial killer role, looking as unappealing as I imagine he can get. To his credit, however, Slater delivers a disturbing performance as paraplegic Elisha Cuthbert’s (24) supremely nerdy and twisted admirer, even if the overall movie leaves an unsatisfying aftertaste.
Then just this past Saturday afternoon, Spike TV aired an unscheduled film in my area that I only caught by chance while channel surfing. I had never seen or even heard of the 2004 thriller Mindhunters, despite a B-grade, star-studded cast that includes Slater, hip-hop actor LL Cool J, Eli Stone‘s Jonny Lee Miller, Cold Case‘s Kathryn Morris, The Mummy‘s Patricia Velasquez, Thief‘s Clifton Collins Jr., ER‘s Eion Bailey, and the last Hollywood Saint himself, Val Kilmer.
I admit I’ve never understood why or how Slater became such a sought-after actor and sex symbol back in the day; he always seemed mediocre and forgettable, at best, to me. But, I do have to give him proper acknowledgment for continuing to branch out in his career.
Neither of the movies I saw him in recently are the type of high-profile projects he was known for in his younger days. Still, he performed better than decent in both, unlike some actors who sleepwalk through roles after the public stops doting on them. That’s one reason why I definitely look forward to seeing what Slater brings to the tube if Smilovic’s series gets a go.
Christian Slater photo courtesy of Scott Smith
