Kudos to the Casting Director of The Enemy Within

'FBI Agent Will Keaton enlists the most notorious traitor in American history to help catch a spy.'

Morris Chestnut

That 'traitor' is Erica Shepherd played by the brilliant Jennifer Carpenter. I loved Jennifer since her days playing Debra, the serial killer's sister on Dexter. I was intrigued seeing the promo's for The Enemy Within last month, and DVR'd the pilot which I just found time to check out last night. The premise immediately drew me in, and Jennifer is as compelling as ever in a really smartly developed role.

In addition to Jennifer and the story, I instantly noticed the well chosen team of incredibly hot actors the casting directer assembled in the cast. Morris Chestnut plays Will, the agent who reluctantly  enlists Erica to help on a case.  The supporting cast also includes many actors I featured previously on FH including; James Carpinello, Raza Jaffrey, Pawel Szajda and Noah Mills. I ony watched the pilot, and given it's a political crime drama, I'm not sure all of my favorites are going to be on for the long haul, but if the story remains as intense as the pilot, I'll stick around to find out.

James Carpinello

James Carpinello on FH:

Rock of Ages

James in Let's Kill Ward's Wife

Pawel Szajda

Pawel in Tatarak (2009)

Raza Jaffrey

Raza Jaffrey on FH:

Raza in Smash

Noah Mills

Noah Mills on FH:

Mills in Sex & The City 2

Raza Jaffrey in The Serpent Queen

Although he's been working professionally since the late 1990's, British actor Raza Jaffrey first caught my eye when he played Dev Sundaram, Katharine McPhee's boyfriend, in season one of the NBC musical drama Smash.  Unfortunately the show didn't really utilize Raza and his considerable talents, and the character was written out at the end of the first season.

Raza wasn't out of work for long, and wise producers of other shows quickly scooped him up. In 2022, Raza joined the Starz historical drama The Serpent Queen as Francois.  The Serpent Queen featured, I believe, Raza's first and only nude scene. 

The Serpent Queen

Nothing like a long, relaxing sponge bath, with a hot male attendant washing your back.  Things can take a left turn quickly though, when mommy comes in wanting her turn with the sponge.

SMASH?

I have yet to watch Smash. I have both episodes on the DVR but for some reason, although it has many elements that might usually draw me to a new show, there are also things about it that have turned me off. The 'ram it down our throats' promotion of the show has me digging in my heals a bit. I also have yet to shake off my dislike of Katherine McPhee from days on Idol. She had plenty of talent but also cracked an attitude that used to annoy the shit out of me. To me, her season was all about Eliott Yamin, who I continue to think should have taken the title.



But...I do like shows about 'putting on a shows'. I also like Debra Messing and the site of Angelica Houston camping her way through the commercials is both a bit sad yet also strangely enjoyable. I also am a fan of the adorable and talented Raza Jaffrey who I know from watching a bit as Zafar from the BBC drama Spooks. Jaffrey also has a musical theatre background on the London stages so hopefully the show will take advantage of this.



So...is anyone tuning in....Is it worth a look?

I Got The Music In Me!

My crazy schedule of late has me way behind on my television viewing but I did catch Duets last night and was pleasantly surprised. I tuned in as I love Kelly Clarkson and truly adore Jennifer Nettles. What I loved most about Duets was that unlike most of the other music shows, it did not attempt to manipulate viewers with overly produced packages about the contestants, it's focus was where it should be, on the music.



While on the subject of music, American Idol ended it's season this week. I sort of half heartily watched this season but was happy to see Phillip Phillips win. Jessica Sanchez clearly has a gift with that voice of hers but for most of the season she bored me to tears. Her duet with Jennifer Holliday aside, most of the season she chose the most predictable (ie boring) songs, all designed to show off her voice. Her voice was never the issue however, it was her personality that required a spotlight and that rarely got a chance to shine.




Am I the only one who thinks Joshua Ledet's voice is about as appealing as nails on a chalkboard? Some singers like Patti LeBelle have learned how to incorporate screeching skillfully into their singing, Ledet, like his duet partner Fantasia have not. I had to mute their song as after a few seconds I wanted to throw my water bottle at the television. The judges adoration of Ledet remains a mystery to me. I got the appeal after one of his early numbers but after that it was simply a repeat week after week.


I did enjoy seeing Joe Perry though, he was always the one part of Aerosmith I could get on board of.


Smash


I still have the last four episodes of Smash on the DVR unwatched. This show is sort of a hot mess. What I did enjoy about it though were the four actors who were just let go. I am not sure what the producers were thinking, especially with Jaime Cepero and Raza Jaffrey.



Megan Hilty aside, I find most of the female characters poorly written and poorly executed. Debra Messing is talented, and for the sake of argument I will say Angelica Houston is as well but in the hands of the shows writers they are struggling. Katherine McPhee on the other hand is no actress but the one part of her character that was interesting was her relationship with Raza. He is an incredible actor and made McPhee sort of likable in their scenes together.



Jaime Cepero was also a good foil for Houston and I am not sure why the show is ridding themselves of two of the shows most interesting elements. If I were choosing which male cast member to dump, my choice would have been Christian Borle who neither likable, or interesting enough to dislike.



Glee


In a recent review I read of Glee, the writer declared that after three seasons it is time we viewers stopped bitching about the show and accepted that every season we will love about a third of the episodes, hate about a third, and find the remaining third fairly forgettable.



There is a lot of truth in that so I am going to try to stop complaining. I found the series finale in the fairly forgettable category, mainly because it's focus was so narrow. The cast is huge and even though it takes forever for the opening credits to get through all the names, you can still bet most of them won't get much to do or say, if they are shown at all.



In many traditional movies and Broadway musicals there was usually written a rather bland leading male and female, and then a secondary couple, shown less, but usually given much better dialogue and more memorable songs to sing. Glee ignores this formula in the same way it ignores it's supporting cast. I find scenes with Tina, Mercedes, Sam, Mike and Quinn far more interesting than Kurt and Rachel but have come to accept they just don't hold the same appeal to the shows writers.



It was interesting to me that the supposed Tina centered episode was not really about Tina at all. It felt like the writers were basically telling the audience that Tina, and the rest of the cast, are there to support our stars, Rachel, Finn and Kurt. The first few moments of the show, telling Tina's history on the show was spot on, but then the her storyline was all about her character in relation, usually behind, the shows lead. Lea Michele's incredible voice aside, some of my favorite songs from the past few seasons were not hers (and definitely not Kurt's). Hopefully a writer will be hired one day who will view the show the way it was at one time, as an ensemble.

Smash: Andy Mientus

I stopped watching Smash at about episode 4 or 5 last season. I has the rest on the DVR for awhile, but after a couple of months I knew that I really didn't have the interest to bother finishing them. It did not bode well for me, that I found the most interesting character to be Raza Jaffrey as Dev Sundaram, who was given the boot at the end of the season. I think the fact the show is set in the Broadway world is a tough sell to begin with, but I also felt my major negativity came from the casting of Katherine MacPhee. Katherine is nice singer, and obviously has some talent, but there is also something intrinsically unlikable about her. I can't put my finger on it, but it is palatable. I think the producers actually might have been better off using this and casting her as Ivy and Megan Hilty, written more as the villain, was hard not to love. Debra Messing was also confusing, it was almost as if the producers surgically removed the energy she brought to the screen when playing Grace.

NBC's relentless promos actually worked, having me tune into Season 2. Not for Jennifer Hudson (whom I love) but for a song. 'Broadway, Here I Come', was used briefly in the promo, and it's haunting melodic quality had me wanting to hear more. Jeremy Jordan sang the song in the season 2 premier and the song, and his incredible voice, did not disappoint. In fact, after the first half hour or so, the show actually picked up and drew me in.

The most interesting, and new, storyline was Karen's meeting Jeremy Jordan's Jimmy and his best friend Kyle played by Andy Mientus. I zeroed in especially on Andy as his character was instantly the more interesting of the two. With just a few scenes, he introduced a complex young writer, obviously deeply love with his best friend, and straight business partner. Although Andy did not get to sing in the episode, with his extensive stage credits, hopefully it is just a matter of time. You may have heard the ratings for the premier were not pretty, but hopefully if word gets out that season 2 is much improved, many might return to what could be a huge season for the show, or a disastrous one! Jeremy Jordan may be getting most of the buzz, but I will tuning back in for Mientus!

Above: Andy with Jonathan Del Arco, Jason Moore and Michael Arden as part of Out's 100 list.

Andy's previous theater credits include: Carrie (MCC Theater), Spring Awakening (Hanschen, 1st National, dir. Michael Mayer), February House (New York Stage and Film, dir. Davis McCallum), Rent (Mark, Pioneer Theatre Company), 2 NYMF Outstanding Individual Performance awards. Readings: new work for The Public, Roundabout, McCarter, Diner (Kathleen Marshall, Sheryl Crow, Barry Levinson), Bare (as Peter), Let Loose the Horses (score by The Rescues). Recordings: Out of Context by Michael Patrick Walker. Film: Central Park Joker. Training: PA Governors School for the Arts, University of Michigan.

Carrie

In all my research on Andy, whenever I read an account or review of his work, he was always pointed out as a favorite, someone who stood out in each production he was a part of. He certainly stood out in his first couple of episodes of Smash and I hope he gets many moments to shine!

Crazy Like Me

Rent

Shine

Spring Awakening

Academy