Let’s get ready to rrrrrruummmmbllllle! In the red corner, wearing the black trunks, is alleged show-killer Eric Balfour. Yes, folks, this little ruffian’s last four bouts as a regular series player have resulted in quick TKOs against such heavyweights as Dick Wolf (Conviction), Denise Richards (Sex, Love & Secrets), and the entire state of Hawaii (Hawaii). One show, The WB’s Fearless, got pulled before its first episode hit the airwaves. (Talk about hitting below the belt.) Still, he certainly held his own as a recurring player on Six Feet Under (as Claire’s sketchy boyfriend), and now according to TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello, he’s coming back to take on 24 (he went eight rounds with the show back during its first season).
In the blue corner, wearing the blood-red shorts, is Fox’s aforementioned, Emmy-nominated 24, a series which hasn’t pulled a punch in its five-season run. And to ensure it survives, even thrives, its second bout with Balfour, Ausiello says the show is bringing back Chloe’s main squeeze, Carlo Rota, and adding Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Alexander Siddig, to its permanent corner. Well, as permanent as you can get on 24 anyway.
So PopWatchers, who are you putting your money on when these gladiators take to the ring come January? I’m taking 24 by decision.
Alexander Siddig eschews his DS9 root for his latest Syriana appearance.
Ha ha ha! Slezak pulled a boxing metaphor out of his pants. Where’d that come from?!
Balfour back on 24? Awesome. Just awesome.
Sorry. Eric Balfour is the worst actor in Hollywood. Just thinking about his acting in Hawaii makes me shudder. FYI Balfour played Xander’s friend that was turned into a vampire in the pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Looking forward to Siddig though. I met him at Luxor in Vegas during DS9 days. Nice guy.
I’m constantly shocked that Eric Balfour is able to get consistent work. I hope his agent gets 20% of Balfour’s salary because he/she has to be one of the hardest working agents in Hollywood. How does this guy keep getting roles on shows when he’s one of the most annoying personalities on TV.
I liked Balfour in “Six Feet Under” and the couple of times I saw him in “Conviction”. There are a lot of worst actors than him…
Alexander Siddig? Yes! Never saw “Deep Space Nine” but recently enjoyed his presence in “Syriana.” This is welcome news. Now, if only they’d bring back Tony and Michelle from the dead.
Balfour was great in that psuedo-porn he made… damn you Veoh for taking it down!
As for 24 not pulling punhces…. uhhh “the president survived the plane crash” would certainly count. (Not to mention that they refuse to say what happened to a fictional character.)
I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate Eric Balfour! He SO gets on my nerves. Didn’t help when my tv-critic friend interviewed him and found him to be just about the most conceited jerk in the business (and she’s been interviewing actors a long time). YUCK!
How does that bullethead Eric Balfour keep getting work?
Eh. Mile was ok on 24. I wonder what they’re going to do with him.
.. and Mack. If you have such a problem with 24 not telling you what happened to a fictional character, then watch the deleted scenes on the dvd.
Milo***
To expound upon the whole Balfour-on-”Buffy” thing: Eric’s character was originally going to show up in the opening credits. After a few episodes, when it appeared he was a full-time Scooby, creator Joss Whedon was gonna shock the audience by turning him vampy and killing off a “main character”. Never happened** (mostly due to budget constraints in remaking the credits for an unproven comedy/drama/horror show on a fledgling network, if I remember correctly), but it goes to show why Joss Whedon is, and always has been, The Man.
**(I suppose one could argue that Joss DID end up doing this, but with Doyle [the late Glenn Quinn] on “Buffy” spin-off “Angel”)
Eric Balfour was in the last few seasons of Kid’s Incorporated.
if he screws with the ratings, jack’s going to kill him.