Former New Kid on the Block singer/actor Donnie Wahlberg is heading back to series television. Wahlberg will team with and director/producer Jon Avnet for a new TNT series called Morse Code. The title may change, but the set up is Donnie as a war hero who becomes an officer for the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). His beat is Boston, Donnie's hometown. The show is being scripted by Walon Green (Law & Order) and Avent will direct the pilot. Wahlberg starred in the 2002 NBC drama, Boomtown, a highly touted series that never lived up to the network's expectations. That was the first time Donnie worked with Jon Avnet. More recently, in 2006, he was the star of Runaway for The CW. He received good notices for Spike's
TNT's programming executive Michael Wright, compared Morse Code to Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winner The Departed. The common thread between the projects would seem to be the Boston locale and a Wahlberg; Mark was in the big screen crime epic. "The guy at the center of this is a relatable everyman kind of cop -- an honest, authentic character that our audience can connect with on a personal level," said Wright.
TNT has had a great track record with their original drama series, starting with Kyra Sedgwick's The Closer. Saving Grace with Holly Hunter is also a TNT drama, which is coming back for its second season this summer. They also recently announced Ray Romano joining the network with an hour dramedy called Men of a Certain Age.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-14-2008 @ 1:33PM
Steve said...
Kill Point was on Spike, not FX. After its first episode, it sucked.
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5-14-2008 @ 2:23PM
Steve Flack said...
You need to correct this article. He is not a "former New Kid On The Block" but rather a "current New Kid On The Block".
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5-14-2008 @ 2:53PM
colby said...
Still think his role as Carwood Lipton in Band of Brothers was one of the best parts of the series (which it had many).
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5-14-2008 @ 3:40PM
SJ said...
Agree. He was great.
Band Of Brothers is just pure brilliance.
5-15-2008 @ 7:04AM
Ju-Ju-Bean said...
How's he got time to film a TV show and tour for the NKOTB reunion show? (Which, by the way, I am super excited to be attending. I saw them 19 years ago!!) Donnie was ALWAYS my favourite and I've loved bragging that he's since become the most successful New Kid.
All that aside, Band of Brothers was excellent, as were his appearances in the Saw movies. I’m pretty sure if he could get hooked up with a good TV series, he’d be an Emmy candidate eventually.
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5-15-2008 @ 7:51AM
David said...
He is Johnny Drama right?
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