Casting is under way for Aaron Sorkin’s unnamed HBO pilot centering on a cable news show. Jeff Daniels is in talks to play the lead role, anchor Will McCallister. McCallister was described to Deadline as a character, not unlike Anderson Cooper or Brian Williams, a smart and talented guy, but a pain in the ass to work with and for. Still needing to be cast is the female executive producer, and the rest of McCallister’s staff.
Jeff Daniels has done a lot of great indie work, and was nominated for a Tony last year for his role in "Gods of Carnage." However, my favorite role of his is Larry from "Dumb and Dumber." I'm not kidding.
I’m excited that the show will potentially be a part of HBO, giving it leeway to explore content that’s off-limits on a network. However, the downside is that a full season on HBO rarely lasts more than 13 episodes. When a show is really great, which I suspect Sorkin’s will be, I much prefer a season that spans 22-24 episodes.
