'Carter': Jerry O'Connell and Sydney Poitier Cast in Cop Show 'Castle' Viewers Might Love
Jerry O'Connell ("Sliders") will headline a new cop show that "Castle" viewers might love. The actor will work alongside Sydney Poitier ("Chicago P.D.") as they solve cases in their sleepy hometown in AXN's "Carter."
O'Connell is going to play Harley Mackay, who was a former TV star whose career was defined by playing Detective Carter on television. A public meltdown forces Mackay to hibernate in his childhood hometown where he somehow ends up working for the police, specifically alongside Sam St. Clair (Poitier).
Cinema Blend noted the similarities between the premises of "Carter" and the defunct series "Castle." The latter show was also a cop drama that featured a famous best-selling novelist, Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), who helped out the police in their investigations. It ran on ABC from 2009 to 2016.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
AXN, a Sony cable network that services international subscribers, has ordered "Carter" to go straight to series with 10 episodes. Garry Campbell ("MADtv") and John Tinker ("Chicago Hope") wrote and developed the show. Production will begin in August in Ontario, Canada. A premiere air date has not yet been confirmed. It's also unclear if the show will air in the U.S. where there is no AXN service.
"Carter" will be the second original series produced for AXN and Sony Pictures Television Networks. AXN also ordered 10 episodes for the crime series "Absentia," which incidentally stars former "Castle" actress Stana Katic.
"Our channels are hungry for easy to watch, easy to program procedurals, and 'Carter' more than fills that void," Sony Pictures Television Networks executive Marie Jacobson said. "The scripts are smart and charming, and Jerry and Sydney are great together. We love this show for our channels," she added.
O'Connell, who is best known for his work in the sci-fi procedural "Sliders" (1995 to 2000), last headlined the family drama "We are Men" in 2013 on CBS. He has had semi-regular guest stints on shows like "Billions" and "Mistresses." Poitier, the daughter of legendary Hollywood star Sidney Poitier, was a semi-regular on "Chicago P.D." and starred in the "Knight Rider" TV reboot in 2008.
