Jerry Bruckheimer is not only one of TV Guide Canada’s top multi-taskers, but it seems as though everything he touches turns to gold. With 17 projects currently listed as “in development” or “post-production”, several successful movies and TV hits (all three CSIs, The Amazing Race, Cold Case, Without a Trace and Eleventh Hour), it’s surprising the producer even has time to come to the TV Critics Press Tour to chat about his latest project, Dark Blue.
But it wasn’t surprising that when faced with the question on whether or not he believed TV was going to start trending towards lighter fare and comedies in the face of the current recession, Bruckheimer was quick to defend his shtick. “People just want to escape,” he stated. “Audiences just want to see good entertainment, especially in tough economic times. We always love to laugh, we always love great dramas.”
And as Dark Blue star Dylan McDermott is quick to point out, there’s no better place to promote a dark drama than a cable network. “You have more freedom with language, violence and sexual matter,” he said. “All that stuff that is much more sanitized on network TV.”
That doesn’t mean that Bruckheimer is guaranteed another hit. Just look at the one-season wonder that was last year’s Eleventh Hour, or the fact that Cold Case is probably on its last legs.
“I never know what’s going to be a hit,” he admitted. “I just love great dramas where these poor officers go undercover and you can’t tell if they’re the good guy or the bad guy. You put the audience in a place they’re never been and show them how it works.”
I’m not about to argue, are you?
Dark Blue currently airs on TNT, and is unavailable in Canada.
Amber is currently reporting live from the TV Critics Press Tour in L.A. Check out complete coverage here. amber@tvguide.ca
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