Tom Selleck: Fighting the good fight for Jesse Stone
Selleck at present is in Halifax, Nova Scotia shooting the seventh installment of the "Jesse Stone" telepic series for CBS and Sony Pictures TV. The made-fors, based on the series of crime novels by Robert B. Parker, revolve around the maverick police chief of the fictional town of Paradise, Mass.
The telepics are standalone hard-boiled crime stories, but Selleck has gotten under the skin of his unconventional character who battles personal demons as well as criminal adversaries. Selleck, who is a longtime devotee of Parker's work, has an active role in shaping the scripts and producing the pics in the secluded environs of Halifax.
With so much invested in the role, Selleck would love to see CBS sked two "Jesse Stone" pics a season, which would allow fans to check in regularly with the character in the same way NBC and ABC skedded Peter Falk's "Columbo" telepics in the 1970s and '80s (though "Columbo" in its mid-'70s heyday did as many as six to eight episodes per season).
The aud for "Jesse Stone" has been mature but dependable since the first pic, "Stone Cold," bowed in 2005 with more than 18 million viewers. The subsequent titles have hovered between 13 million-15 million viewers. It's the closest thing to a recurring original movie franchise that network TV has at a time when longform fare is at a low ebb on the broadcast airwaves.
But even as lensing is underway on pic No. 7, "Innocents Lost," CBS still has yet to sked No. 6, "No Remorse," which wrapped production late last year. And Selleck has no official word from the Eye on an order for No. 8, but he's hopeful. The movies have sold well in international markets and the DVDs have been steady performers for Sony.
"We don't do cliffhangers. The movies stand on their own. But with regular viewing the audience gets the bonus of a continuing backstory," Selleck said in an interview just before he headed north earlier this month.
"People want to know what's going to happen with this guy. He's basically a decent guy with a lot of flaws. He's his own worst enemy...but he's a guy you want to root for," he said.
After six productions, Selleck and the crew have become very much at home in Halifax. It's a welcome break from the Hollywood hubbub, and the locals appreciate the economic benefits of having their city stand in for coastal Massachusetts, Selleck said.
"It's a nice town. The people are pretty down to earth," he said. "They're very good about affording you privacy while you're eating" in a restaurant or out and about, he said.
Before heading up north, Selleck had recently completed production on the Robert Luketic-helmed romantic comedy "Killers" (he plays Katherine Heigl's dad). He's got other TV and film prospects, but there's something special about Jesse Stone for Selleck -- perhaps because he feels like complicated cop is carrying the flag for the longform biz on network TV.
"There's a market for us," Selleck said. "We're proving that the network TV audience does want to see movies -- they just want to see good movies."
Variety's Team TV -- Cynthia Littleton, Stu Levine, Jon Weisman, Andrew Wallenstein and A.J. Marechal -- provides a roundup of stories big and small, as well as opinions and analysis from across the TV dial.
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Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Posted by: Coach Factory Outlet Online | June 27, 2011 at 02:12 AM
Don't let anyone steal your dreams.
Posted by: Discount Sunglasses Outlet | May 26, 2011 at 08:48 PM
No Remorse won't be released until the end of July but you can go to walmart online and reserve a copy. I went ahead and ordered it and paid for it and so it'll be shipped to me as soon as it's out.
Now I'm anxiously waiting for "Innocents Lost to be scheduled. I love these movies and wish that CBS would schedule at least two per year.
Posted by: Denise | June 19, 2010 at 10:10 AM
I am searching to purchase the 6th DVD of the series Jesse Stone: No Remorse...
Can anyone direct me to where to purchase it? I've been looking online & the latest I'm finding is Thin Ice.
Thanks
Posted by: Adrianna | January 11, 2010 at 02:09 PM
Hey, that's fine, but here's the question: When is - was- whatever - does this air?
I know 6 devoted Selleck fans who had NO IDEA these were being made. So, if you make the best damn movie ever and no one knows it is on, CBS will blame you.
Posted by: Peter | September 23, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Glad to hear another Jesse Stone movie is on the works. They're excellent films.
Posted by: Elyse | September 23, 2009 at 09:38 AM