A slightly unhinged cop is partnered with a veteran detective trying to maintain a low stress level in his life. Mostly these remakes tend to get the serious route, using the original as a footprint only and forgetting to incorporate the same sense of humor which helped make the prequel very funny. What's surprising, then, is the trouble with FOX's Lethal Weapon series has nothing to do with an overabundance of self-seriousness or a tone that's too grim. For all the diminished returns of Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 they managed to double on the Riggs/Murtaugh dynamic and the bonds of brotherhood that were a huge part of the original film's conceit. All that is present in the new series. In fact, though forced in the way most ideas are in a series premiere, it's one of the strongest components of the hour. Instead, the problem is that, in spite of having an idea at its foundation, Lethal Weapon doesn't seem interested in doing much with it. If it's true that Crawford is to be replaced, this is, in my opinion, a big mistake by the powers that be, and would be the kiss of death for the show. It seems ironic (and somewhat hypocritical) that an actor can be hired to play a crazy character, such as Martin Riggs, and be successful at it, yet is removed for possibly having a similar personality to the character he is playing. Talented people can often be, shall we say 'difficult' but that is what gives them an edge, and Crawford is no doubt talented and is about the most perfect person to take Mel Gibson's creation and mould it into something more. After two series, changing to a different actor just will not work, and, despite the comments about alleged tensions on set, this, if true, does not show in the finished product. The on-screen chemistry between Crawford and Wayans is one of those rare couplings that doesn't come around too often. Each has their own individual character and plays them well, and sympathetically As others have said, without Crawford there is no show, since Rigg's character was the main one in the original movies and is so in the tv series, and the executives would be wise to reconsider re-casting the role at this point. I for one will not be watching the show with a different actor in the role.
Jezicer replied
344 weeks ago