Striking an “I’m not a lawyer, but I play one on TV!” sort of vibe, The Grinder follows TV lawyer Dean Sanderson (Lowe) whose arrogance leads him to believe he has the expertise and experience to take over his small-town family law firm after his long-running hit show ends. The premise is only slightly less wacky than George Clooney believing he’s qualified to perform surgery after his stint on ER.
The sheer absurdity of the story line – along with imagining the always hilarious Lowe in the lead role – is enough to spark some real excitement. Not to mention the fact that the writing team is comprised of some solid names in the comedy world, including Jarrad Paul (Yes Man, Liar Liar), Andrew Mogel, and Nicholas Stoller (Sex Tape), and Jake Kasdan (The New Girl), who will serve as director and executive producer.
Lowe is no stranger to television, of course — Parks & Rec was only his most recent gig. The veteran actor spent four years as a cast member on The West Wing, worked on the HBO TV movie Behind the Candelabra, and, of course, who can forget his hilarious portrayal of creepy, cuckoo actor Eddie Nero in Showtime’s Californication. Fun fact: while Lowe has carved his name in Hollywood predominantly through movies, it’s possible he could have been an even bigger television star than he is now, having notably passed up the lead role in Grey’s Anatomy which, as we all know, went to fellow ‘80s heartthrob Patrick Dempsey. Then again, it’s Grey’s Anatomy.
The Grinder will be filmed in the popular single-camera format, though there’s no word yet on when it will air.
