Do you dig big-name guest stars on crime procedurals?

P Tue, Jan 2, 2007 at 06:55 PM EST

You guys should wait until The Namesake comes out. I know hes not there yet but I think Kal Penn has a very good chance of becoming a big star.

Lisa Tue, Jan 2, 2007 at 03:57 PM EST

Slezak, are you seriously calling the star of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle a big name THESPIAN?!?!

bootsycolumbia Sat, Dec 30, 2006 at 10:08 PM EST

I don't have a problem with big names in tv procedurals as long as the script is good. I stll remember Martin Short as a murderer in SVU. He was damn good, and his being famous didn't distract me from the story. Same thing with Liza Minelli in CI. She was really good as the mother of the murdered child. But the best was Angela Lansbury as the mother of a suspected rapist (played by Alfred Molina) on SVU. She played a horrible woman who covered up her son's rapes. Angela Lansbury was so good she won an Emmy for the role (at least I think she did). So I think it all boils down to the writing and the story.

rif randall Sat, Dec 30, 2006 at 01:46 AM EST

Have things really devolved to the state that Kal Penn and Adam Beach are considered "big-name" guest stars? Are we really talking about the "stars" of "Van Wilder 2" and "Windtalkers"?

davidsask Sat, Dec 30, 2006 at 01:38 AM EST

Doesn't matter who guest stars on the show, this is the Law and Order show still worth watching and still kicking butt some in the ratings!

california Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 10:28 PM EST

Paul, Liza was on L&O Criminal Intent not L&O Special Victims Unit. Big difference. One is good while the other has devolved into some pathetic Olivia and Elliot sexual tension bs, ignore the crime, ignore the issues, ignore Belzer and Ice-T piece of crap.

Mozz Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 03:50 PM EST

Michael, I love you like I love my luggage. Wait a minute, I don't have any luggage. But Adam Beach and Kal Penn are not big stars. Rising, yes, But Billy Crudup has been rising for the last 12 years and he's yet to arrive. Meryl Streep on TV that's a big deal, these are just two actors taking checks and exposure while they can, and before everything cools off.

That being said, I'm not a big fan of the "big" guest stars on TV. They usually end up being the guilty ones. And that takes out the fun of guessing who did it.

KJ Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 03:15 PM EST

Robert said: The only other thing that distracts me about SVU is that it takes place in some strange alternate universe populated by almost the entire cast of Oz.

With the unfortunate exception of Lee Tergesen. We're just WAITING for his guest spot!

janine Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 02:15 PM EST

My favorite guest star ever was Will Arnet on SVU. It was before the arrested development days, but now i find it hilarious. that man's voice just makes me laugh, even when he's playing a travel agent who arranges underage sex tours through asia. It's re-airing on USA this weekend; set your dvrs.

melissa Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 02:00 PM EST

I definitely understand what you mean, and I think it's an issue with recognizable faces as well as more established actors. The example that comes immediately to mind is when an actress named Keri Lynn Pratt (I had to look up her name) appeared on "Bones." She appeared only briefly in a scene as a very minor character, so I just knew she'd end up being an important player later with a lot more to her than the investigators expected. She's not a big name (she was in "American Dreams" and "Drive Me Crazy" among others), but her familiarity made her stand out right away.

Paul Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 01:56 PM EST

I think that these two actors are hardly "A List." I would not even have known who they were had you not described in detail what they have appeared in. I have not seen Flags of our Fathers and I have never heard of the other movie.

Liza Minelli was another guest star on Law and Order: SVU recently where she wasn't the suspect or killer. She played the mother of a victim. She was suspected at one point to be involved, but then it was someone else.

So, there can be big stars on there without it always meaning they are the guilty party.

Evie Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 01:23 PM EST

I have never heard of Penn or Beach, but that doesn't mean anything because I'm new to the Popwatch world. I agree with you, Slezak, about the predictability factor. The only two exceptions I can think of (but I'm sure there could be others) is the recent Leslie Caron episode of SVU (she made me cry and you can still see Gigi in her!) and another SVU that had Kellie Martin in it (it was disturbing, I only watched it once) in which it looked like she was the killer but it was her mama, Shirley Whomever. Also I'm with Robert on the Dann Florek thing. Meloni is yummy, yes, but I get so tired of SVU being all about Elliot and His Issues, so I prefer Richard Belzer and Ice T. What a team, seriously!

Dave Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 01:18 PM EST

I agree with your assesment that when a well known actor guest stars, you almost know they did it. But sometimes they do it right. One of my favorite SVU episodes is the one with Fred Savage. You spend the whole episode wondering if he is lying or telling the truth and probably what helped keep that debate going was that you could not imagine Kevin Arnold being a rapist!

Ceballos Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 01:08 PM EST

"And what's your take on A-listers invading the L&O/CSI universe?"

Sorry, but as much as I like Kal Penn and Adam Beach (and I think they're both quite talented), I just don't think they're considered A-listers...at least not by anyone outside the Beach and Penn families.

On the point of whether this is good or bad, the L&O's and CSIs tend to be so damn predictable anyway (let's be honest, the killer/perp is usually pretty guessable) that having a famous name doesn't help me solve the puzzle any more easily. If anything, I find it pretty interesting and entertaining to see someone who does most of their work on the big screen coming to play on TV.

Also, knowing L&O, my guess is, it'll look like Penn did it (whatever "it" is), but it'll turn out Adam Beach's detective was involved somehow...why not?

Robert Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 12:41 PM EST

I don't know, gang, I'm more of a Dann Florek guy myself. Oh, Captain, my Captain! :)

I can't handle L&O: CI. That Vincent's character just magically knows all this stuff is completely crazy. He's better than Horatio Crane from CSI: Miami, but if I have to see V.D'O. do that head-to-the-side line delivery again, I'm going to scream.

aa Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 12:33 PM EST

you're not overthinking it at all. the worst is when they introduce the innocuous well known actor/actress and then spend the next 25 minutes focused on another suspect then realize that the suspect cannot be guilty. next there's some ridiculous plot twist to give the well known person some interesting material. and yes meloni is yummy but vince donofrio is so sexy and big.

Tom Brazelton Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 12:20 PM EST

After "Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj," I wouldn't say that Kal Penn has his "pick of big-screen roles."

khrystyne Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 11:20 AM EST

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Christopher Meloni - yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmy!

Robert Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 10:58 AM EST

I also hate it when you can figure out the entire episode from the TV Guide description and the list of guest stars.

The only other thing that distracts me about SVU is that it takes place in some strange alternate universe populated by almost the entire cast of Oz.