Entertainment
Netflix Drama Starring Linda Cardellini & Kyle Chandler Should Become a Refuge for Once-Beloved TV Actors
It may not premiere for at least another year, but we're already calling Netflix's latest project our new favorite show. The drama, a thriller centered around a family of adult siblings with dark secrets, has already cast Friday Night Lights ' Kyle Chandler as the black sheep oldest brother, and on Tuesday, it was announced that Freaks and Geeks vet Linda Cardellini would play his youngest sister.
As all TV fans know, Friday Night Lights and Freaks and Geeks are two of the best cancelled-too-early shows of all time. While Chandler and Cardellini have had no trouble getting parts since their series' respective ends, the Netflix drama will likely be their highest-profile roles yet. For fans of both shows, it's thrilling that the two adored actors are getting their time in the spotlight, and that they're coming together in such a big way.
The only thing that could make this even better? If more alums from beloved-yet-cancelled shows signed on as the remaining siblings. Here are some TV veterans we'd love to see come aboard Netflix's new series.
Casey Wilson
Wilson was the highlight of the fantastic Happy Endings, cancelled last year after just three seasons. She’s funny, versatile, and and could be a great addition to any show. Sure, Wilson is currently signed on to an NBC pilot created by her Happy Endings boss/real-life fiance, David Caspe, but nothing’s set in stone, right?
Martin Starr
Really, any of the alumni from Party Down would be great, but seeing as Lizzy Caplan, Adam Scott and Jane Lynch are all busy (and happily so), the currently unemployed Martin Starr could be the perfect cast member to take on a new job. Plus, who wouldn’t want a Freaks and Geeks reunion between Lindsay and Bill?
Milo Ventimiglia
The Heroes alum’s career hasn’t been too great since his series’ end, and he deserves a second chance in the spotlight. Besides, he’s Jess freakin’ Mariano — who wouldn’t want to see that face on TV every week?
Alexis Bledel
Speaking of Gilmore Girls, why not bring Ventimglia’s former TV girlfriend on board, as well? Apart from a few days on Mad Men, Bledel hasn’t had a real hit since The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants sequel way back in 2008. She could use a break, and as Gilmore fans know, she’d be a great addition to any TV show.
Eliza Dushku
Ever since the end of Dollhouse, the Dushku-starring sci-fi show created by Joss Whedon, back in 2010, the actress has had trouble landing a part fit for her talents. She’s guested on series like The Big Bang Theory and The League, but a leading role has been hard to find. Starring on a Netflix drama, though, could give Dusku, also an alum of the beloved-but-cancelled Buffy, a big break.
Matthew Perry
Those who only know Perry as a former Friend might be surprised to see him on the list, but the actor has starred in a number of shows cancelled long before their time. There was Studio 60, Aaron Sorkin’s one-season dramedy; Mr. Sunshine, an ABC sitcom co-starring Allison Janney; and Go On, last year’s criminally underrated show about a radio host grieving over the death of his wife. If anyone deserves a hit show, it’s Perry.
Lucy Punch
Like Perry, Punch knows a thing or two about cancelled shows, having starred in The Class and Ben and Kate, two critically acclaimed but low rated shows axed after just one season. With small roles in films like Ella Enchanted and Bad Teacher, Punch is already a familiar face, but a long-lasting TV show could bring her the success that’s eluded her for years.
Nicholas Brendon
The actor best known as Buffy’s Xander Harris has had trouble finding consistent work since his series’ end, his most recent gig being a four-episode stint on the now-cancelled Private Practice. He’d be a welcome addition to any show; why not Netflix’s?
Emma Caulfield
And then there’s Brendon’s former TV wife, Emma Caulfield. The actress, most recently seen guest-starring on shows like Royal Pains and Once Upon a Time, could benefit from a bigger role. And if it doesn’t work out, the star of the cancelled-too-soon Life Unexpected knows a thing or two about rejection.
Anna Friel
Friel, a former star of Pushing Daisies, almost had a second chance at TV success; she was cast alongside Kyle Chandler in The Vatican, a highly anticipated Showtime pilot cancelled before the show even began. Unlike Daisies co-star Lee Pace, who’s a regular in the Hobbit movies, Friel has had some difficulty getting parts. Here’s hoping that all changes soon.
Adrianne Palicki
The ultimate casting news? If Chandler got to star alongside one of his fellow Friday Night Lights alums, Adrienne Palicki. Unlike many of her former castmates, Palicki’s hasn’t been able to catch a break in Hollywood since the show’s end; her Wonder Woman pilot was axed and her movies got burned by critics. Tyra Collette deserves better.
