Chop Shtick

Comments +
Add comment

It's no surprise, then, that like-minded director Stanley Tong (Supercop, Rumble in the Bronx) had Hung in mind when he pitched a series to CBS TV president and CEO Les Moonves last winter. Tong recalls telling Moonves, ''I need somebody who has the physical skills, but, to me, the sense of humor is more important than the fighting.'' Tong was also betting on Hung to raise the material above the cartoonish: ''You don't want the acting to be over-the-top, and Sammo understands the drama.''

The folks at CBS are convinced Tong made the right call, noting that Hung's acting ability hasn't been lost in the translation. ''I've been watching dailies every day, and there's more going on behind his eyeballs than a lot of other actors on TV,'' observes CBS Entertainment programming executive Terry Botwick. Whether that will also translate into a lot more of the viewers CBS is targeting — advertising's most desirable demo, young men — remains to be seen.

With the network's expectations running high, is Hung sweating the success of Martial Law? Not exactly. His humble charisma, near-legendary status among Hong Kong action fans, and the path forged by Chan's splash into the Western market (as in Rush Hour's recent, record-breaking $33 million opening weekend) all bode well for a future on these shores, regardless of his show's fate. ''I don't care about stardom,'' Hung says. ''I'm famous or not famous? It doesn't matter.''

CBS can't afford to be quite so blase, of course. And as they guardedly celebrate the first episode's Nielsens (No. 1 in its time slot; No. 1 among men and women 25-54), they're also shielding their eyes every time Hung attempts another heart-stopping stunt. ''I try not to look,'' Cuse admits. ''If Sammo goes down, you can't exactly call up Steve Guttenberg.'' Amen to that.

Originally posted Oct 09, 1998 Published in issue #453 Oct 09, 1998 Order article reprints

Previous Page 1 2

Comments +
Add comment

TV Article Remote Patrol
TV Article Fall TV preview: Saturday returning shows
TV Article Black Lieutenant Syndrome
TV Review Martial Law
Cover Story Fall TV preview: Saturday's new shows

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.