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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2019)
cover story Urban cowboy There’s a new sheriff in town in ‘Deputy’ By Francis Babin TV Media A fter weeks of looking back at the year’s best movies, television shows and all things entertainment, it’s time to look at what 2020 will bring us. Once again, superheroes and comic book adaptions are poised to dominate the big and small screen alike. This is noth- ing new, of course — we are currently living in a superhero world and have been for well over a decade, but that has not always been the case. There was a period not long ago when the majority of these kinds of movies and shows were neither remarkable nor very successful. Long before our favorite Mar- vel and DC friends dominated Hollywood, it was the western that ruled the world. From the advent of the moving picture to the 1960s, the western was without a doubt the most popu- lar genre before it slowly started to fade away. There were some memorable westerns released in the intervening decades, but they were few and far between. However, the western genre is resilient and tough like its cowboy protagonists, so it never truly went away. Over the years, the elements that made the genre so popular have been incorporated into other genres. From the cult-classic series “Fire- fly” and the critically acclaimed blockbuster “Logan” (2017) to FX’s “Justified” and Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” the western is still going strong, just in a more subtle way than before. On Thursday, Jan. 2, travel to Los An- geles as the Old West meets the big city in the premiere of the modern-day western “Deputy,” on Fox. After years of obscurity fol- lowing a fruitful early career, Stephen Dorff bounced back in a big way in 2019 with his leading performance opposite Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali (“Green Book,” 2018) in the 2 | Screentime well-received third season of the HBO anthology “True Detec- tive.” Now, Dorff dons a badge and gun for a second year in a row to portray Bill Hollister in “Deputy,” a gruff, fifth-genera- tion lawman who must come to terms with his new position as the Los Angeles County Sheriff after his predecessor dies unex- pectedly. If that sounds like a generic procedural, you’re not wrong. But there is definitely more to this story. In this gritty, modern- day western, Deputy Bill Hol- lister is not at all an ambitious man, and he certainly has no as- pirations of climbing the ladder at work. He is a career lawman who is very comfortable kicking down doors and taking down bad guys but is utterly lost in a staff meeting or navigating the sea of politics. How, then, does Hollister end up in the coveted position of the Los Angeles County Sheriff in this western tale? Pure chance. The deputy who does not play by the rules ends up as the top cop, thanks to an arcane rule written way back in the days of the Wild West. If that sounds like an out- rageous premise, again, you are not wrong, but just think about how many wildly out-of-date laws are still on the books be- cause the time was never taken to repeal them. In short, becom- ing sheriff by chance is unlikely but not implausible. And it’s very entertaining. We have all been in a situa- tion where we did not feel com- fortable or felt like an imposter. We have all found ourselves in a situation where we did not feel at ease or in control, but most of us were not thrust into the high- stakes world of law enforcement where lives are constantly on the line. How will the newly ap- pointed sheriff fare in this brave new world of politics and red tape? Only time will tell. Beyond having to deal with the countless new responsibili- ties, the new sheriff in town has January 1, 2020 | East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald Brian Van Holt costars in “Deputy” to learn how to lead and be part trust. Accompanying the pair of a team, a prospect that is will be Joseph Blair (Shane Paul assuredly not appealing to the McGhie, “What Men Want,” lawman. Luckily for our protago- 2019), a bright-eyed go-getter nist, his new colleagues all share and son of Hollister’s old partner. his passion, devotion and dedi- Rounding out the crew is Bre- cation for law and justice. anna Bishop (Bex Taylor-Klaus, Joining Hollister will be Dep- “13 Reasons Why”), a young, uty Cade Walker (Brian Van Holt, eager and sarcastic driver who “Cougar Town”), a tough as is in charge of Bill’s security de- nails former Marine who served tail, and Genevieve (Karrueche in Afghanistan and one of the Tran, “Claws”), a quick-witted few that our sheriff can truly deputy who is always keeping things light with her fun loving attitude. Acting as the thorn in the sheriff’s side will be Jerry London (Mark Moses, “Desperate House- wives”), the typical overbearing bureaucrat who is not at all in favor of Hollister and is looking for any reason to rid him from the force. Standing by Hollister’s side through it all is Dr. Paula Reyes (Yara Martinez, “Jane the Vir- gin”), a trauma surgeon and Bill’s supportive and strong-willed wife, who perfectly balances out her husband’s intensity. Uncomfortable with his new position and unsure of his new responsibilities, newly appoint- ed Los Angeles County Sheriff Bill Hollister will need to rely on his new team and instincts in order to succeed in the modern- day Old West. Catch the action with the premiere of “Deputy” Thursday, Jan. 2, on Fox.
