Post Lethal Weapon, 5 shows Clayne Crawford would totally rock in
The 'Lethal Weapon' drama seems to be over for Clayne Crawford, finally. After a flurry of serious accusations, petty Twitter wars and a new casting for season 3, Martin Rigg's loose cannon cop days on the show are behind him. While it may not have been the best thing for Crawford career-wise as this was his one big break, there's nothing one can do about it now that Seann William Scott has been cast to replace him on the Fox show.
Clayne has starred in more than 26 television shows and quite a few films as well. None of them, however, gave him the adoration and fan following, not to mention exposure as 'Lethal Weapon' did.
The star's on-screen crazy cop persona seemed to have spilled over into his off-screen set as well - he was fired under the accusation that he was violent and abusive on set and his co-star Damon Wayans, who plays good cop Roger Murtaugh also shared pictures of his head wound on Twitter. 'Lethal Weapon' stars took sides and things got ugly. But everyone has now moved on.
Clayne is no doubt, a great actor and his portrayal of Martin Riggs on the show was impeccable - the online petition to reinstate him and the social media outrage supporting him is proof of it. He really was, the heart of the show. If you look at the kind of work he's done in the past, there's a clear pattern - he loves doing crime dramas.
Other than the once in a while romance (A Walk to Remember) or fantasy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), he's always been the guns and blood kinda guy. The fan in me says it's a definite loss for 'Lethal Weapon'. But of course, violence cannot be taken lightly.
We've put together a list of five shows that he would be a brilliant addition to. Needless to say, he would be great. Martin Riggs, you will be missed.
1. Quantico
ABC's 'Quantico' could do with a guy like Clayne. The Priyanka Chopra starrer is quite far into its last and final season and it hasn't been its most successful season so far.
The FBI/CIA/ Black Ops crime drama that forever keeps changing teams could do with a little heartfelt crime.
The show, with its new format of no flashbacks, makes space for guest actors and Clayne could be the smoking gun that this season so desperately needs.
Personally, I think he would be great as someone related to Owen Hall's past, a hotshot special agent who had to get off the line of duty because he lost someone close to him. But now that his country needed him and his old pal Owen asked for help, he's on the team, broody bit badass as ever. ABC, are you listening?
2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Now that 'Brooklyn Nine Nine' is coming back for another season on NBC (Another great loss for Fox), it wouldn't be too inappropriate to think about how Clayne could totally fit into the show. The comedy show is anything but similar to the serious crime dramas that Clayne has been a part of, but we know his dark humor and comic timing would feel right at home with this cop show.
Clayne could be the third wheel to Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's will-they-wont-they plotline, not to mention he has the potential to be Vulture's competitor. Not that Jake doesn't do a great job, but he could use an extra hand. If this were to ever happen, all I want to see is his scenes with Captain Holt.
3. Stranger Things
Clayne Crawford as Chief Jim Hopper's assistant. In the show, Jim Hopper is sort of a fatherly figure. To Eleven, he's literally one and there's this quiet warmth about his character. Jim lost his daughter Sara to cancer and Clayne in his 'Lethal Weapon' character had the most dysfunctional relationship with his father.
He could come in as Hop's protege into the small town of Hawkins, Indiana and lend a hand. Plus, on the bright side, Clayne looks a little country too.
4. Arrow
Paul Blackthorn has exited 'Arrow' and will not be coming back for the series' seventh season. He played detective Quentin Lance the savvy and sharp Starling City police department employee who went on to be the deputy mayor. He will obviously be missed since he had been with 'Arrow' since its first episode in 2012.
Since there's been no news about a new casting or even about how Lance is gonna go, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to say Clayne could fill his shoes. But, for a chance, he could play the unreasonable character — someone who doesn't approve of vigilante justice and secretly despises Oliver Queen, who is now a vigilante, mayor, and a father. It would be refreshing to see Crawford be a cunning antagonist, instead of his mostly self-righteous roles.
5. Condor
This slow dripping, classic plot is just begging for a Clayne Crawford. Based on the book 'Six Days of the Condor' by James Grady and its film adaptation 'Three Days of the Condor' by Sydney Pollack, this television adaptation that made its debut on Audience this month is absolutely perfect for Clayne's serious as hell drama and action.
It would be going too far to say he would be better than Max Irons as Condor Turner, but there could definitely be a place for him in Bob Balaban's C.I.A clan of weasels. Again, it would be a challenge to accept him as anything but Martin Riggs but it would be a bigger challenge for the actor in Clayne to portray a character totally opposite to his crazy cop one.