I’ve been pretty clear about my feelings about DTF St. Louis, which just wrapped up with its finale as part of the 2026 TV schedule. I think the show was really well constructed and acted, but the way it treated my hometown was, to say the least, disappointing. In the end, it turns out that maybe my favorite single scene was the last between the two detectives, Donoghue Homer (Richard Jenkins) and Jodie Plumb (Joy Sunday). I enjoyed the scene so much that it immediately had me wishing for a spinoff following those two as buddy detectives.

There are very minor spoilers ahead, so if you want to watch the end of the DTF St. Louis before reading, log in with your HBO Max subscription and check it out.

The Two Detectives Couldn’t Be More Different

Homer, an old school kind of detective in every way, bumbles his way through the case, not because he is incompetent, but because he just doesn’t understand the modern…let’s call it… dating scene. He doesn’t understand the bedroom kinks that are so common today, and he really doesn’t understand people being so publicly open about their bedroom proclivities. He’s old-fashioned in every way, but that’s not a bad thing. He’s honest and open about that, at least.

Plumb, on the other hand, really understands what’s going on behind closed doors in the neighbor’s house. In the very first episode of the show, she opens up about being “porn positive” in her sex life with her husband. She can comfortably talk about the kinds of kinks that the three main characters play out over the season, and isn’t shocked by anything people do in bed. This contrast with Homer is evident throughout the show, but it is at its funniest in the excellent finale, as Homer tries to understand things like “BBC,” “SPH,” and nut kicking. Tell me you don’t want to see more interactions like this in a spinoff?

DTF St. Louis Season 2 Likely Won’t Happen, But Let’s Manifest This Spinoff

The creator and showrunner of DTF St. Louis, Steven Conrad, has indicated that the show was always meant to be a limited series, and it’s easy to understand why. There isn’t really anywhere to go here. The show went to some dark places and completed the story brilliantly, turning the whole genre on its head. Sure, maybe it could be turned into an anthology series in the vein of another great HBO show, The White Lotus, but that, too, seems unlikely, even if DTF Detroit or DTF Toledo could be a lot of fun.

However, there’s nothing to say Conrad can’t keep the world alive in a spinoff. Think, Law & Order: SVU, but with the dark humor of DTF St. Louis. It might be a little much, but it just might be exactly the right amount of dark and funny. Frankly, as much as I dissed the show early on for failing to understand St. Louis, it worked out really well, and I want to see this bizarro version of my hometown more. Homer and Jodie would be perfect to explore that.

Spoilers below for the final episode of DTF St. Louis for anyone who hasn’t yet watched it on HBO or streamed it via HBO Max subscription, so be warned!

After seven weeks of Richard Jenkins’ Det. Homer getting bamboozled by one sexual fetish after another, HBO’s genre-mashing mystery DTF St. Louis came to a close with quite the revealing finale. (And I’m not just talking about the two lead actors in their skivvies.) Answers were delivered, and a non-murder was solved, but not before audiences spent a little more time with suspect Kevin, a.k.a. Faux Tiger Tiger, as portrayed by Abbott Elementary great Chris Perfetti.

DTF St. Louis will likely remain one of the most off-kilter and well-structured shows to hit the 2026 TV schedule, and Perfetti’s character entered late in the game as an additional bizarro layer to the fabric of Floyd Smernitch’s death. It’s like the best example of a hat on a hat, and I was happy to talk to the actor about playing a red-haired red herring. A big reason he joined the show was due to creator Steven Conrad, whose past idiosyncratic creations include Patriot and Perpetual Grace, LTD, not that acting opposite Jason Bateman, Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday was a chore.

When I asked the Twinless star for his reaction to the emotional turmoil laid out in DTF St. Louis’ finale, and to the reveal, Chris Perfetti put the focus back on the creator and spoke to how much he loved the thematic throughline combining with the purposefully fractured timelines, saying:

An easy 10 points to Chris Perfetti for perhaps untentionally mentioning CinemaBlend's namesake appliance in the above answer. Now back to our regularly scheduled interview.

He continued, speaking to the idea that the reveal itself wasn't as jarring as how it felt to experience the endgame culmination of everything that led to Floyd's suicide-by-meds. As he put it:

I honestly hadn't considered that element while watching, despite obviously clocking the familiar footage. Having that entire gameplan in mind from the jump was no doubt extremely pivotal to being able to pull this off in an effective way without having to return to previously filmed-at locations.

Chris Perfetti enjoyed the mystery element as much as anyone, even if he didn't share any off-track theories like the ones I formed, but said that learning the answers wasn't as important as getting to knowing the core characters in the first place.

Honestly, I think the least satisfying move would have been if Perfetti's Tiger Tiger was the guilty party who'd drugged Floyd. (Or if Modern Love was responsible.) By keeping it within the characters we followed for all seven eps, there was no risk of it feeling like a stranger invaded these people's lives.

Chris Perfetti On Why Kevin/Tiger Tiger Possibly Wasn't Entirely Honest WIth The Detectives

Tiger Tiger is the kind of dude that I don't mind watching on TV, but if he sat next to me on a bus and started a conversation, I might feel the need to slink down all the way to the floor and shimmy away through people's feet. He's skeezy, but in a way that's hard to pin down.

To that end, I asked Chris Perfetti if he felt that everything Tiger Tiger told the detectives was the 100% truth. Because to me, there were moments when it felt like he was holding back in a way that he most certainly did not when he spoke about his distaste for Floyd's age and belly protrusion. (He was maybe too honest with those comments.) Here's what he told me:

I couldn't have agreed more. This atypical character's spontaneous arrival in the show's suburbia would almost feel cartoonish if the circumstances weren't so dour. Because seriously, how terrible were all the other options for what to do with his day that taking Clark's Tiger Tiger offer was the winner?

In addressing my question, Perfetti leaned into my suspicions about Tiger Tiger's honesty level, but without going all the way in. It's not so much that the character was lying about anything vital to the case, but probably that he wouldn't want to air out his personal details within the confines of an interrogation room. As the actor shared:

Perfetti mentioned creator Steven Conrad again in his concluding thoughts about Tiger Tiger and his wavering moral compass. In his words:

Would Tiger Tiger keep the two detectives talking long enough to ensure that he gets a couple of cups of coffee and a sandwich for lunch? I don't think he'd turn it down. But, for all his quirks, at least he's not a murderer. That we know of....

All seven episodes of DTF St. Louis are available to stream on HBO Max, while Chris Perfetti's terrific performances as Jacob Hill on Abbott Elementary can be streamed via Hulu subscription or Disney+ subscription, with new Season 5 episodes airing Wednesdays on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Created by Alan Ball, Six Feet Under was a drama that explored how people in the business of death struggle with the topic on their own time, as seen through the eyes of a dysfunctional family who run a Los Angeles funeral parlor. During its five-season run from 2001 to 2005, all the way to its highly revered final episode, the series became one of the most acclaimed to ever air on HBO — due in part to the performances of its talented ensemble. In memoriam of this now classic TV show, let’s take a look at what the Six Feet Under cast has been up to in the years since they said goodbye.

Peter Krause (Nate Fisher)

Peter Krause, and his onscreen family members, would bid farewell to his three-time Emmy-nominated role as eldest child, Nate Fisher, when Six Feet Under ended. The actor would only continue to find success on the small screen.

Most notably, he starred in another dysfunctional family drama as Adam Braverman in NBC’s Parenthood cast before going on to lead Fox’s 9-1-1 cast as L.A. Fire Department captain, Bobby Nash. Audiences may have also spotted him in movies like 2006’s Civic Duty, a modernized Beauty and the Beast story called Beastly from 2011, and the fact-based 2020 drama, Saint Judy.

Michael C. Hall (David Fisher)

As Nate’s brother, David — who spends much of the series struggling to come to terms with his sexuality — we have Michael C. Hall. Just a year after starring in a show about people struggling with death, the actor led a series about a man obsessed with death as the title “hero” of the Dexter cast.

Following his role as executive producer and narrator of Showtime's prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin, he is set to reprise his career-defining, homicidal role in another follow-up called Dexter: Resurrection. Hall also lent his voice to Sean Conant’s documentary, The Gettysburg Address, which is due in November 2025, and Deadline reports that he is starring in a dramatized film about the infamous cult, Heaven’s Gate, called The Leader.

Frances Conroy (Ruth Fisher)

The Fisher Family matriarch, Ruth — an iconic TV mom who deserved more credit — was played by Frances Conroy. She would find further success as one of the most frequent recurring American Horror Story actors, appearing in eight seasons so far.

Conroy has played a few other notable motherly roles, such as Barney Stinson’s mom, Loretta, on How I Met Your Mother and Penny Fleck in the Oscar-winning comic book movie Joker in 2019. More recently, she appeared in the Oscar-winning Netflix original Western movie, The Power of the Dog, and voiced the role of The Director in the platform’s acclaimed animated 2023 film, Nimona.

Lauren Ambrose (Claire Fisher)

As the youngest Fisher, the free-spirited Claire, we have Lauren Ambrose. Her most notable small-screen efforts following Six Feet Under include producer M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant from Apple TV+ and a Season 2 stint in the Yellowjackets cast for Showtime.

Feature-length highlights on her resume include writer, director, and star Mike Birbligia’s semi-autobiographical film, Sleepwalk with Me, the 2012 comedy Wanderlust, and a great time travel movie called Caddo Lake from 2024. She returns as Van on Yellowjackets Season 3.

Freddy Rodriguez (Federico Diaz)

The Fishers’ business partner, Federico Diaz, is one of the best-known characters played by Freddy Rodriguez, who earned an Emmy nomination for the performance. The actor is also famous for playing Wray in Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror segment from 2007’s Grindhouse and Benny Colón on the CBS legal drama Bull.

Rodriguez more recently played detectives in both Hulu’s Wu-Tang an American Saga and the 2023 anthology horror movie, V/H/S/85, and lent his voice to Max’s animated sci-fi thriller Scavengers Reign. He has a romantic dramedy in post-production called Day When the Rains Came and, according to Deadline, is set to star in an upcoming horror movie called You Lose You Die.

Mathew St. Patrick (Keith Charles)

David’s on-and-off cop boyfriend, Keith, was played by Matthew St. Patrick. He would later make several guest appearances in various cop dramas, including Law & Order: SVU and Hawaii Five-0.

St. Patrick has also starred opposite Jason Statham and Jet Li in the 2007 revenge thriller War and had a four-episode stint on the final season of Sons of Anarchy. His most recent acting role was in the 2019 ensemble drama Ice Cream in the Cupboard, but he worked as a production consultant for a 2021 special called Night, Mother.

Rachel Griffiths (Brenda Chenowith)

Nate’s on-and-off girlfriend, Brenda, was played by Rachel Griffiths, who had earned an Academy Award nomination for 1998’s Hilary and Jackie before she was cast on Six Feet Under. Following the series end, she starred on another dysfunctional family series called Brothers & Sisters from 2006 to 2011 and appeared in movies like the original Step Up from 2006, 2013’s Saving Mr. Banks, and the Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge in 2016.

More recently, she appeared in the hit 2023 rom-com, Anyone But You, and in an Australian political drama series called Total Control, which she also produces. She was last seen leading a 2024 series dramedy about an escort agency called Madam.

Jeremy Sisto (Billy Chenowith)

Brenda’s younger brother, Billy, was played by Jeremy Sisto. The actor has achieved a very successful career in the years since Six Feet Under, which includes the acclaimed 2007 dramedy Waitress, a stint on Law & Order as Det. Cyrus Lupo, and the ABC comedy Suburgatory from 2011 to 2014.

He would later go on to lend his voice to animated films Ferdinand and Frozen II and currently stars in CBS’ FBI as Jubal Valentine. Sisto also recently starred in a 2023 horror movie called Last Straw.

James Cromwell (George Sibley)

Academy Award nominee James Cromwell (for 1995’s Babe) joined the cast in Season 3 as Ruth’s second husband, Prof. George Sibley. He would later reunite with Conroy on Season 2 of American Horror Story before appearing in more Oscar darlings, like the 2012 Best Picture Oscar winner, The Artist, and more acclaimed series like The Young Pope and Succession.

He more recently voiced Alfred in Amazon’s great superhero Christmas movie Merry Little Batman, starred in Jeremy Saulnier’s acclaimed Netflix movie, Rebel Ridge, and appeared in Fox's Murder in a Small Town. As reported by Deadline in 2022, Cromwell is producing a political docudrama called Nixon's Nixon and is starring in a modernized update of Alice in Wonderland called Get Lost.

Justina Machado (Vanessa Diaz)

Justina Machado had a recurring role (which became a main role in the final season) as Federico’s wife, Vanessa. The vocational nurse was, coincidentally, one of many characters in the medical field the actor has played — most notably Penelope Alvarez on Netflix’s reimagining of the classic sitcom, One Day at a Time.

She is also well-known for her recurring role on Jane the Virgin, an impressive stint on Dancing with the Stars, her successful voice acting career (including Elena of Avalor and the Gears of War video games), and her reputation as a Scream Queen, having starred in the likes of Final Destination 2 and The Horror of Delores Roach. She starred in a 2024 comedy film called The Throwback and is now set to play another medical professional in the upcoming series, Pulse.

Richard Jenkins (Nathaniel Fisher Sr.)

Despite his death in the pilot, Nathaniel Fisher Sr. was a pivotal presence on Six Feet Under in spirit, in hallucinations, and in flashbacks. He was played by veteran character actor Richard Jenkins, whose Academy Award-nominated performance in 2008’s The Visitor rejuvenated his career.

He went on to play larger roles in films like the horror-comedy movie favorite The Cabin in the Woods and Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water (which earned him a second Oscar nod) and more acclaimed series like Netflix’s Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Following his voice acting role in the 2024 movie, IF, Jenkins is set to star in Amazon’s upcoming drama series, Criminal.

While Six Feet Under may be gone (unless there is still a chance for a reboot), it will continue to live on in our memories and through the talents of its brilliant cast.

When Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story came out, like a lot of people, I watched it all over the course of a single weekend. And while watching 10 hours of Evan Peters’ portrayal of the notorious serial killer did mess with my head, watching the true crime show marathon allowed me to really focus on the performances of the star-studded cast. This was especially true for Richard Jenkins, who did an outstanding job with his portrayal of the father of the “Milwaukee Cannibal.”

After finishing Ryan Murphy’s limited series I couldn’t stop thinking about the various other Richard Jenkins movies and TV shows that have come out over the years, and how his performances in each of those were often the highlight of each respective project. That being said, here are 12 movies and shows to watch if you like what you saw of Jenkins on the 2022 Netflix series and want to see more.

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story focuses on the life and crimes of the notorious serial killer who killed and dismembered 18 victims over the course of a 13-year period before finally being brought to justice. 

Richard Jenkins better receive awards, or at least get nominated for some, for his portrayal of Lionel Dahmer in the unsettling yet highly watchable limited series. At times a character you can’t help but feel sorry for, while at others the biggest jerk in the room, Jenkins’ performance elevates just about every scene in which he is featured. It is arguably one of his best appearances to date.

Stream Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix.

The Shape Of Water (2017)

Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Guillermo del Toro, the 2017 fantasy romance film, The Shape of Water, tells the story of a mute woman named Elisa (Sally Hawkins) who meets and falls in love with a creature that is part man and part amphibian (Doug Jones).

One of the best things about The Shape of Water is Richard Jenkins’ character, Giles, a closeted man who lives next door to Elisa in their apartment building. As Elisa faces her own battles and path to growth, so does Giles, who builds the courage to make his feelings known. The kindness and gentle nature of his character also provides great contrast to some of the movie’s more sinister characters and situations.

Stream The Shape of Water on Freevee.
Rent/Buy The Shape of Water on Amazon.

Six Feet Under (2001 - 2005)

An HBO classic drama series with one of the best endings in the history of TV, Six Feet Under ran for five seasons on the premium cable channel, telling the story of the Fisher family and how the death of family patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins) changed their lives and funeral home business.

Though he dies in the opening moments of the pilot, Nathaniel Fisher Sr. is a major part of Six Feet Under throughout its run, appearing in various dream sequences, flashbacks, and hallucinations. How Jenkins didn’t win any awards for his performance remains a mystery two decades later, because his hilarious, sorrowful, and well-rounded portrayal of the character was outstanding.

Stream Six Feet Under on HBO Max.
Buy Six Feet Under on Amazon.

Burn After Reading (2008)

The Coen Brothers’ 2008 spy comedy, Burn After Reading, centers on the the misplaced memoirs of former CIA analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) as they fall into the hands of gym employees Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), who attempt to take the “secretive documents” and put a get-rich-quick scheme into action.

Jenkins steps in as Ted, Linda’s boss and secret admirer who will do anything to help her out in a bind. This includes breaking into the home of Osbourne Cox to gather more intel for her plan, a sequence that ends with one of the most startling moments in the entire movie.

Stream Burn After Reading on Freevee.
Rent/Buy Burn After Reading on Amazon.

The Visitor (2008)

Before writing one of the best journalism movies with Spotlight, writer-director Tom McCarthy released the phenomenal The Visitor, a drama about a widower (Jenkins) who comes home to his New York apartment to find two strangers living there. Instead of kicking them out, the college professor accepts the guests, kicking off a story of rebirth and heartbreak.

Jenkins’s portrayal of Walter Vale earned the actor an Academy Award nomination, but he ultimately lost out to Sean Penn in Milk. Easily one of Jenkins’ best performances, The Visitor sees the actor appear as soft and caring as ever, creating a charming and endearing experience for all.

Stream The Visitor on Tubi.
Rent/Buy The Visitor on Amazon.

The Cabin In The Woods (2012)

As a group of college friends settle in for a weekend of partying and relaxation in a cabin deep in the forest, none of them have any idea of the dangers that await them in the darkness or the ramifications of their decisions.

Without giving too much away for those who have yet to watch The Cabin in the Woods, this movie is equal parts horror and comedy, which becomes fully realized as the unique and convention-busting narrative unfolds. Plus, the banter between Jenkins and Bradley Whitford’s characters is more than worth the price of a rental.

Rent/Buy The Cabin in the Woods on Amazon.

Olive Kitteridge (2014)

Based on Elizabeth Strout’s novel of the same name, the 2014 HBO miniseries, Olive Kitteridge, tells the story of a strict former schoolteacher (Frances McDormand) as she attempts to navigate life and interpersonal relationships with her family and fellow residents in the seaside town of Crosby, Maine.

Olive Kitteridge went on to win six Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie for Richard Jenkins. Able to stand toe-to-toe with his Burn After Reading co-star and fellow award winner, Jenkins’ portrayal of Olive’s husband, Henry, was one of the best of the actor’s career and earned him his first and only (so far) Emmy.

Stream Olive Kitteridge on HBO Max.
Buy Olive Kitteridge on Amazon.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

When a tribe of cannibalistic Native Americans abduct several residents of a small town in the American West, Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell) puts together a posse to rescue the townsfolk before they are killed, or worse, eaten.

Doing what he does best, Richard Jenkins shows up as a supporting character by the name of Deputy Chicory who helps Sheriff Hunt track down the cannibals and prevent them from doing any more harm. Jenkins is phenomenal as the elder character who doesn’t want his old age to hold him back, and is at the center of some incredible scenes in one of the best horror movies of 2015.

Rent/Buy Bone Tomahawk on Amazon.

Flirting With Disaster (1996)

Not wanting to name his newborn son until he uncovers the identities of his own birth parents, Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller in one of his best movies) sets off on a wild and crazy cross-country road trip to find the couple that gave him up for adoption decades earlier.

On his journey, Mel encounters some truly bizarre characters, including ATF agents Tony (Josh Brolin) and Paul (Richard Jenkins), who happen to be partners in more than one way. These two find themselves at the center of some of the movie’s best scenes, including the hilarious “acid freak out” sequence where his character is accidentally given LSD.

Stream Flirting with Disaster on Starz.
Rent/Buy Flirting with Disaster on Amazon.

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

In an attempt to make sense of the chaos of his life, Albert (Jason Schwartzman) enlists the services of so-called existential detectives to investigate the strangeness of his everyday existence. As part of the process, the neurotic environmentalist is paired up with an even more off-his-rocker fireman (Mark Wahlberg).

Though he only appears briefly in I Heart Huckabees, Richard Jenkins steals his scene as the overbearing father of a religious family (including a young Jonah Hill). The lunch scene Jenkins’ character shares with the stars is maddeningly funny. As great as Jenkins is in more subdued roles, he is an absolute gem whenever he freaks out and loses his top.

Stream I Heart Huckabees on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy I Heart Huckabees on Amazon.

Let Me In (2010)

One of the few horror remakes that actually don’t suck, Matt Reeves’ 2010 vampire movie, Let Me In, follows a young loner named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as he befriends a mysterious girl named Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz), who isn’t as young as she’s letting on.

The performances by the two young leads help make Let Me In a great adaptation of the Swedish film Let the Right One In, but also making the movie worthwhile is Richard Jenkins and his portrayal of Abby’s human companion, Thomas. A bit more nuanced than some of his other roles at the time, Jenkins is amazing here.

Stream Let Me In on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Let Me In on Amazon.

Step Brothers (2008)

And then there is Adam McKay’s 2008 comedy, Step Brothers, which tells the story of two immature grown men — Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) — who become siblings after their parents get married to one another. Hilarity ensues.

Before even getting too far into the movie, it becomes apparent that at some point Richard Jenkins’ character, Dr. Robert Doback, is going to drop the facade of an understanding and empathetic parent and have an epic meltdown. The movie slowly teases at it as the story unfolds and then turns it up a notch for one of the most ridiculous scenes of the actor’s career.

Rent/Buy Step Brothers on Amazon.

These are just some of movies and shows you should check out if you are a fan of Richard Jenkins or want to see more of his work after completing Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. As we wait to find out if Jenkins is going to be nominated for his latest performance, now is a good time to check out the 2022 TV schedule or the updated list of all the upcoming new movie releases.

There are few American serial killers whose name carries as much weight as Jeffrey Dahmer, whose years-long killing spree earned him a dreadful reputation and nicknames like “The Milwaukee Cannibal” and “The Milwaukee Monster” before and after his 1991 arrest and conviction. And, over the years, Dahmer’s story has been told time and time again with multiple actors, including Jeremy Renner coming in to portray the notorious killer.

Now, more than 30 years after the convicted murderer and cannibal's reign of terror came to and end, a new 2022 Netflix series explores not only Dahmer’s life but also those of his family, victims, and the detectives who were successful in bringing him to justice. Below is a breakdown of the major members of the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer cast and where you’ve seen them before, starting off with Evan Peters in the lead role.

Evan Peters (Jeffrey Dahmer)

Following in the footsteps of fellow Marvel actor Jeremy Renner, Evan Peters joins the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast in the titular role in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true crime show.

Peters should be instantly recognizable for comic book movie fans as the actor played Peter Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, in various films, starting with X-Men: Days of Future Past. He also played a different take on the character in the 2021 Marvel series, WandaVision. Outside of the X-Men movies and WandaVision, Peters has spent his career appearing in film and TV projects like Kick-Ass, Elvis & Nixon, Mare of Eastown, and various seasons of American Horror Story, the most recent being 2021’s Double Feature.

Richard Jenkins (Lionel Dahmer)

Taking on the role of the infamous serial killer’s father, Lionel Dahmer, in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast is veteran film, TV, and stage actor Richard Jenkins, whose career goes back nearly five decades.

Over the years, Jenkins, not to be confused with Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings, has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards for his work in movies like The Visitor and The Shape of Water, and has even taken home a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in Olive Kitteridge. At the same time, Jenkins has appeared in more comedic roles in movies like Burn After Reading, The Cabin in the Woods, and the 2008 Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly comedy, Step-Brothers, to name only a few. He has also appeared in shows like Six Feet Under (he played deceased family patriarch Nathaniel Fisher), Ally McBeal, and Into Thin Air: Death on Everest.

Molly Ringwald (Shari Dahmer)

Molly Ringwald, who was at the height of her fame as a member of the “Brat Pack” when Jeffrey Dahmer was in the middle of his reign of terror in the 1980s, portrays the killer’s step-mother, Shari Dahmer.

One of the most recognizable faces in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast, Ringwald became a star with a run of hits in the 1980s that included Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, to name only a few. More recently, Ringwald has appeared in modern romantic comedies like The Kissing Booth movies, All These Small Moments, and Siberia. She’s also been a consistent presence on the small screen with major roles on teen dramas like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Riverdale, and as part of The Bear cast in 2022.

Michael Learned (Catherine Dahmer)

Longtime TV star Michael Learned shows up in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast as Catherine Dahmer, the convicted killer’s late grandmother.

Throughout her career, which goes back to the early 1960s, Learned has appeared on shows like The Waltons as Olivia Walton (a role that earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards), Nurse, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Promised Land, Cold Case, and an assortment of soap operas that includes General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, and All My Children.

Niecy Nash (Glenda Cleveland)

Glenda Cleveland, the neighbor who tried to stop Jeffrey Dahmer from continuing his years-long killing spree in real life, is portrayed by Niecy Nash on the new Netflix limited series.

Prior to showing up in one of the more prominent roles in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast, Nash made a name for herself with her portrayal of Deputy Raineesha Williams on the long-running Comedy Central series, Reno 911!, a role that she picked back up in the 2020 revival. She's also starred on shows like Scream Queens, Getting On, and Claws, which came to an end in 2022. Biographical drama series are nothing new for Nash, as she has landed memorable roles on limited series like When They See Us and Mrs. America. She currently appears on the Netflix comedy series, Never Have I Ever.

Penelope Ann Miller (Joyce Dahmer)

Penelope Ann Miller shows up in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast as the convicted killer’s mother, Joyce Dahmer.

Over the years, Miller has popped up in movies like Adventures in Babysitting, Big Top Pee-Wee, Awakenings, Kindergarten Cop, Chaplin, The Artist, The Birth of a Nation, and Saving Lincoln, to name a few. Prior to appearing on the new Netflix show, Miller’s TV contributions included The Popcorn Kid, Men of a Certain Age, Mistresses, and American Crime.

Shaun J. Brown (Tracy Edwards)

And then there is Shaun J. Brown, who shows up in the Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast as Tracy Edwards, the man who survived one of the serial killer’s attacks and later became instrumental in his conviction.

In recent years, Brown has found success with a number of different TV shows including The Dropout, Dear White People, The Great Indoors, and Run. Prior to that, Brown landed roles on Bunheads, True Blood, The Newsroom, and Glee, to name only a few.

You can see all these familiar faces (plus many others) in action as all 10 episodes of Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story are currently streaming for anyone with access to a Netflix subscription. If you want to know what other shows are coming out in the final few months of the year, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule.

Stream Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix.

Cases of mistaken identity probably aren’t all that uncommon for celebrities. People recognize them from somewhere, and maybe they get mixed up about exactly where they’ve seen them before. However, Ken Jennings — who was recently made a permanent host of Jeopardy! alongside Mayim Bialik — shared some fan mail he got in which he was asked to sign photos of esteemed actor Richard Jenkins. In addition to not looking anything alike, Jennings and Jenkins have a wholly different body of work, and this led to some pretty amazing jokes from the Twitterverse.

Ken Jennings, one of the biggest winners in Jeopardy! history, doesn’t share much in common with Richard Jenkins, the Emmy winner and two-time Academy Award nominee, who’s known for his work in the theater, as well as movies and TV series including The Shape of Water, The Visitor, Olive Kitteridge, Six Feet Under, Burn After Reading and many more. So one can’t fault the trivia master for being a little confused when he received this package in the mail. Jennings shared:

The photos are all from Richard Jenkins’ 2008 comedy Step Brothers, in which he plays Robert Doback, father to John C. Reilly’s Dale and stepfather to Will Ferrell’s Brennan. A classic, to be sure, but not in the same “please phrase your answer in the form a question” way that Ken Jennings is accustomed to. The strange occurrence even caught the attention of comedy actor Andy Richter, who hilariously told him:

Ken Jennings relented, telling the Semi-Pro actor, “ok but I’m signing them ‘J. K. Simmons.’” In all likelihood, an autograph-seeker probably just put the wrong photos in the envelope, and one Twitter user imagined that somewhere out there, Richard Jenkins was having a similar experience:

Others, like this fan, saw the opportunity to fulfill a classic gag from The Simpsons, in which a photo of Sean Connery featuring Roger Moore’s autograph was being sold for $150. Do I smell a collector’s item in the making?

There’s a joke to be made there about Sean Connery and Will Ferrell in the classic Saturday Night Live “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketch, I’m sure. Some fans were suspicious that Ken Jennings might be the victim of a prank, because Jeopardy! fans know fellow super champ James Holzhauer can never resist the chance to take a crack at the GOAT. One Twitter user said:

And of course there was the Step Brothers humor, with one fan tweeting that there might be some pretty high stakes involved in the autographing of the photos:

Ken Jennings may not have Richard Jenkins' comedic acting credits to his name, but the man has been known to crack a dad joke or two, even if they were so bad Jennings offered an apology, despite fans appearing to be into it. Similarly when he returned to Jeopardy! to host Season 38’s final episodes, Jennings made a real groaner of a joke about circumcision.

Fans look forward to seeing more of Ken Jennings when Jeopardy! returns for Season 39. In the meantime, Mayim Bialik will be behind the lectern when Celebrity Jeopardy! premieres on Sunday, September 25. Check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other premieres are coming up soon!

Over the years, everyone with a Netflix subscription has offered access to some of the most riveting and horrifying true crime documentaries and dramatic series based on history’s most notorious criminals. And while Mindhunter portrayed the lives and crimes of real-life serial killers of the 1970s and early 1980s, the show stopped short of one of the most infamous names in American criminal history: Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster. 

Well, that will soon change with Ryan Murphy’s upcoming limited series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which will dive into the psyche of the seemingly meek yet incredibly vicious serial killer who killed, dismembered, and ate at least 17 victims before he was finally brought to justice. And here is everything we know about the series so far.

The Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Cast Includes Evan Peters, Richard Jenkins And Penelope Ann Miller

Evan Peters, who has worked extensively with Ryan Murphy on the American Horror Story franchise, will step in for yet another dark role as has been cast to to play the Milwaukee Cannibal on Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. But the WandaVision star isn’t the only big name attached to appear on the Netflix limited series, as Richard Jenkins and Penelope Ann Miller have been cast as the convicted killer’s parents, Lionel and Joyce Dahmer. 

The cast, according to Deadline, also includes Niecy Nash, who will be taking on the role of Glenda Cleveland, Damher’s concerned neighbor who tries to notify the authorities of the killer’s strange and downright terrifying behavior. Other members of the Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story cast include Shaun J. Brown and Colin Ford.

Monster Will Consist Of 10 Episodes Spanning Jeffrey Dahmer’s Entire Life

When news first broke that Netflix had greenlighted Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Deadline reported that the limited series would play out over the course of 10 episodes, though a length of each of those chapters has yet to be revealed. One thing we do know about the true crime show is that it will span Jeffrey Dahmer’s entire life with portions of the series taking place in every decade between his birth in 1960 and eventual capture in 1991 and subsequent murder while in prison in 1994, according the the extensive timelines of his exploits found on Biogrphay.com.

Jeffrey Dahmer’s Crimes Will Be Told Through The Eyes Of His Victims On Monster

Whenever someone makes a show (or movie) about someone who committed crimes as atrocious as the ones Jeffrey Dahmer carried out, there needs to be a way to go about it delicately to avoid glorifying the crimes and criminal opposed to paying respect to their victims. Well, it sounds like Ryan Murphy and his creative team have found a way to go about this ever-so-delicately as Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story will be told through the eyes of the boys and young men who fell victim to the sadistic killer, according to Variety.

It has not been revealed if each of Dahmer’s 17 victims will be featured in the 10-episode limited series, but Monster will examine the killer’s white privilege and how he used it to evade capture despite being picked up by authorities at least 10 times before he was finally brought to justice in 1991.

Evan Peters Did A Lot Of Research And Wants To Make His Portrayal Of Jeffrey Dahmer Authentic

When it comes to a serial killer as infamous as Jeffrey Dahmer, there is a ton of information on the subject, which could make for quite a research project for an actor preparing to portray the Milwaukee Monster. And that’s the dilemma Evan Peters found himself in while preparing for his appearance in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. In an April 2021 interview with Variety, Peters explained that he had to find a balance between the real-life killer and the character he is set to play, stating:

The Mare of Easttown star went on to reveal that once he completed all his research and read the scripts, he went through a great deal of trial and error and experimentation to get everything worked out and find that balance.

Mindhunter And Pose Directors Helmed Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Ryan Murphy and his long-time producing partner have put together quite the team to tackle Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, a team whose members have directed episodes of shows like Mindhunter, The Leftovers, Pose, and Hollywood, to name only a few. In October 2020, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Carl Franklin, who directed multiple episodes of Mindhunter Season 2 (including a large portion of the Atlanta Child Murders storyline) had been tasked with directing the show’s pilot episode.

Janet Mock, who wrote and directed multiple episodes of Pose and Hollywood, will helm multiple episodes of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, though the exact count has not yet been announced. On top of that, Mock wrote several episodes as part of a writers room that also included David McMillan, who serves as the show’s supervising producer.

Production On Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Was Reportedly Underway In June 2021

When Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was announced in late 2020, there was talk that production would get underway at some point the following year, and it appears that’s exactly what happened. In June 2021, People.com published a photograph of Evan Peters dressed up to look like Jeffrey Dahmer while on set of the upcoming Netflix limited series. There wasn’t a lot of information on how long the shoot had been going on when the photo was released, nor anything on how much was left to film.

There is still a lot we don’t yet know about Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story at this point, but there are plenty of great upcoming Netflix shows to hold you over in the meantime.

Crimson Peak and Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro often has several irons in the supernatural fire, though his fans are never 100% sure which in direction his storytelling senses are going to send him. In the wake of last year's Crimson Peak, the filmmaker has flirted with a Pinocchio adaptation, Pacific Rim 2 (which someone else will direct), and the ever-possible Hellboy 3. Now, instead of any of those, we're learning that Guillermo del Toro is moving forward on The Shape of Water, and he already has a ridiculously impressive ensemble in his hip pocket.

In a press release today announcing the start of principal photography, Fox Searchlight confirmed that The Shape of Water will be Guillermo del Toro's next picture. Co-written by Game of Thrones scribe Vanessa Taylor, the movie is being described as "an other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America circa 1963." Beyond that, we don't know much beyond the movie's incredible cast, which is led by:

Sally Hawkins

An Oscar nominee for Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, Hawkins has been turning heads since playing the impossibly perky Poppy in 2008's Happy-Go-Lucky. IMDB says she'll be playing Elisa, but we don't know yet the true nature of the character.

Michael Shannon

General Zod, himself, will take a break from haunting Superman to possibly fight off spirits in Del Toro's next drama. OK, we don't know if The Shape of Water will involve ghosts, but given the director's penchant for the supernatural -- on display in movies like Crimson Peak and The Devil's Backbone -- then it's a safe gamble that there might be Cold War-era spirits on the screen with which Shannon will have to contend.

Richard Jenkins

From the Character Actor Hall of Fame, we borrow Richard Jenkins, a brilliant performer whose previous credits range from the Oscar worthy (2007's The Visitor) to the insane (Will Ferrell's Step-Brothers). Jenkins was recently spotted in the genre exercise Bone Tomahawk, and will be part of the upcoming LBJ, starring Woody Harrelson and directed by Rob Reiner.

Doug Jones

Doug Jones might be Guillermo del Toro's lucky charm, though every time they work together, the actor's usually buried under layers of prosthetics. After turns as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, and a role in Pan's Labyrinth, Jones will return to Del Toro's team for an unspecified part in The Shape of Water. Either way, we're just happy he's part of this ensemble, even though there's a very good chance we won't see his face in the final film.

Michael Stuhlbarg

Our favorite role of Michael Stuhlbarg's remains A Serious Man, though he's been collecting parts in stellar ensembles over the years, from Trumbo and Seven Psychopaths to the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Basically, any cast can only improve by adding Stuhlbarg, so we feel better about The Shape of Water already.

Octavia Spencer

Finally, Octavia Spencer continues to choose eclectic roles following her Oscar win for The Help. With the Divergent series sputtering to a close, Spencer is filling her time in the NASA historical drama Hidden Figures, and the Christian drama The Shack. What will her role in The Shape of Water involve? We can't wait to find out. The Shape of Water is eyeing a 2017 release date. We'll bring you the latest details as they arrive.

John Slattery's tenure on the long-running series Mad Men has afforded him the opportunity to flex his filmmaker muscle, having directed four episodes of the show, but now he's ready to take his behind-the-scenes prowess to the big screen. And what's more, he's bringing one of his co-stars, Academy Award winner, and two of the best character actors we have along with him.

According to Deadline, Slattery is now getting ready to make his feature directorial debut on God's Pocket, an adaptation of the Pete Dexter novel that he scripted with Alex Metcalf, and has signed Christina Hendricks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, and John Turturro to star. Set in South Philidelphia, the story follows a man named Mickey, whose psychotic stepson is killed on a construction site due to an "accident." While Mickey tries to quietly get rid of the body, his life becomes complicated when a reporter starts snooping around. From there, the site says, the protagonist "finds himself stuck in a life and death struggle between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please and a debt he can’t pay." The article makes no mention of what characters any of the actors will be playing. The film is being sold at the Cannes Film Festival, but there's no mention of when production is scheduled to start.

Speaking of directorial debuts, Hendricks is currently in production on Ryan Gosling's, a fantasy thriller called How To Catch A Monster. Hoffman will be seen later this year in both The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, in which he plays Plutarch Heavensbee; and the John le Carre adapted thriller A Most Wanted Man. Jenkins has both White House Down and Turbo due out this summer, and Turturro is in post-production on his latest directorial effort, Fading Gigolo.

Jack Reacher is undoubtedly a movie about a man who works solo, a man who solves cases, and a man who is a bit of a loner. However, secondary to the plot is Reacher’s partner in crime, a defense lawyer named Helen who has a tempestuous relationship with her DA father, resulting from years of distrust and fighting for the other side. Now, Paramount Home Entertainment has extended us an exclusive Blu-ray bonus clip that looks into the relationship portrayed by Rosamund Pike and Richard Jenkins in the film.

Reacher’ s a little lacking in the emotional department and its nice to get a few father-daughter moments between Pike’s Helen and Jenkins’ Rodin, because even if the two don’t get along, the audience can see how invested they are in each other. That butting of heads with a caring component certainly adds to the watchability of the film and in the clip it's nice to see how the actors felt about their characters and how they were able to bring that strained but precariously balanced relationship to the table.

If you haven’t been able to catch the thriller, Jack Reacher is hitting Blu-ray and DVD next Tuesday, May 7, following an early digital release on April 23. Blu-ray copies will offer several bonus features, including audio commentary from Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie, a “Combat and Weapons” featurette, and more. You can check out the full list of bonus features in our earlier post. With a sequel potentially coming our way, the flick may be one worth checking out, and you can obtain the flick digitally, or pre-order it on Amazon right now.

Despite being German-born, filmmaker Roland Emmerich has made arguably the most patriotic American action movie of all time with Independence Day. Since then, however, he's stumbled with clunky epics like Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow. But with rumors of Independence Day 2 brewing, and his return to Washington D.C.-set thriller, White House Down, Emmerich seems primed for a revitalization! And those who like our action big and repentantly rah-rah couldn't be happier.

So, consider it gravy that Emmerich is collecting a truly incredible band of actors to fill out his cast. Man of the moment and Magic Mike star Channing Tatum will headline the production playing a secret service agent who is obliged to save the president's life when a mysterious paramilitary force invades the White House, taking it under siege, and planning to assassinate the Commander-in-chief. Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx will play the president, while Oscar-nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal and two-time Academy Award nominee James Woods will co-star as high-ranking Secret Service agents. And now Variety reveals that Emmerich may have wrangled another Oscar-nominee, as the always engaging Richard Jenkins is in talks to join the ever-more impressive ensemble.

Jenkins, who most recently delighted audiences as a jaded control room operator in Drew Goddard's mind-bending horror-thriller The Cabin In The Woods, has signed on to play the Speaker of the House. For those not up on their Social Studies, the Speaker of The House is second in line for the presidency in the event of the president's death, meaning he (or she) is right behind the Vice President according to the presidential line of succession. Between this key fact about American government structure and Variety's assurance that Jenkins would play a "key role," we might be able to assume who might be behind the film's treasonous plot.

Andrew Levitas is a man of many talents. A heralded painter and sculptor, he's also dabbled in TV acting and now is preparing to direct his first feature, Lullaby. The ensemble drama also marks Levitas's first produced screenplay, but despite his newcomer status to this field the modern Renaissance Man has already secured an impressive cast.

Deadline reveals Garrett Hedlund, Amy Adams, Richard Jenkins, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard have already signed on to star in Lullaby. Hedlund, who has been scoring an array of high-profile projects including the Cannes selection On the Road and the upcoming Coen Bros' drama Inside Llewyn Davis, will lead the film, which will follow his character's reunion with his estranged father following news that the latter is on his death bed. Jenkins will play the patriarch who has elected to go off of life support, and will likely die in the next 48 hours. At this point little else is known about the film's plot or how the rest of the cast factors in, but with so many heavy-hitters in its ranks, Lullaby is looking promising.

Hedlund's a leading man on the rise, while Jenkins is a character actor with a remarkable range who is utterly beloved by critics. Of course, Amy Adams is always an asset, carrying with the dizzying title "three-time Academy Award nominee." Findlay is one to watch in the wake of becoming a fan favorite on the phenomenon that is Downton Abbey. Howard is sure to bring intensity to the proceedings, and hopefully the feature's musical title will mean Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls, will lend not only her acting abilities to Lullaby but also her incredible song stylings.

Ananta Productions and Avenue Pictures are producing the feature, which is slated to begin shooting in New York in June.

When Aladdin first arrived in theaters it changed the world of animation forever. While up to that point the medium largely relied on professional voice actors to bring characters to life, the 1992 Disney film was the first to ever have a major movie star be a main focus in a project's advertising. Animation hasn't been the same since, as studios now regularly turn to big name actors to voice the leads in their projects, be it Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy in Shrek, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy Story, or Jack Black and Angelina Jolie in Kung-Fu Panda. Now the cast list for the upcoming DreamWorks Animation project Turbo has been announced and it's clear that tradition is still alive.

THR is reporting that Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Kurtwood Smith, Snoop Dogg and Samuel L. Jackson will all be voicing characters in the animated film. The film follows a garden snail (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who dreams of racing and moving fast. While his desire has resulted in him becoming an outcast in the snail community, when his wish is granted he begins on a path that will lead him to the Indianapolis 500. The article doesn't specify who any of the new actors will be voicing in the film. David Soren, who has served as a story artist for years under DreamWorks, is directing the project based on a script that he wrote with Robert Siegel and Darren Lemke.

I've seen some pretty outstanding casts in animated films before, but this may very well be the best I've ever seen. Let's hope that the finished product is just as solid.

The new comedy A.C.O.D. already has one amazing thing going for it: the movie is set to star Adam Scott. Between his roles on Party Down and Parks and Recretation, Scott has proven himself to be one of the funniest young talents around and it's only a matter of time before movie audiences start recognizing it. So what's the only thing that could make an Adam Scott-led comedy about divorce better? You cast Richard Jenkins as his father.

Deadline reports that Jenkins has signed on for a part in A.C.O.D., which stands for Adult Children Of Divorce. The story centers on a young man (Scott) who has been dealing with his parents' bitter divorce for almost his entire life. But just when he thinks things couldn't possibly get worse, his younger brother gets engaged and the protagonist's parents are forced to be in the same room together against their will. The film is being helmed by Stuart Zicherman, who is making his directorial debut, and the script was crafted by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart-writer Ben Karlin.

It should be noted that this isn't the first time that Adam Scott and Richard Jenkins have worked together, as the two actors were both in Adam McKay's Step Brothers. While I understand why McKay's film turns some people off, I personally find it hilarious and both Scott and Jenkins are two of the biggest reasons why. In that film Jenkins played Scott's step-father, but while they got along well in that film I suspect that A.C.O.D. will have them at odds. I can't wait until we find out who is going to play the mother.

Next week, one of TV’s ultimate dads returns to television. ABC has Last Man Standing set to make it’s debut next Tuesday night, which brings Tim Allen back to television as family man and father. Recalling Allen’s days as Tim Taylor on Home Improvement had us thinking about some of our other favorite TV dads, inspiring us to make a list of the actors we’d love to see back on television in a dad-like role.

Bryan Cranston’s dadding it up on Breaking Bad, although there’s barely a trace of his character Hal from Malcolm in the Middle in his part as Walter White. Meanwhile Ed O’Neill is both father and grandfather in Modern Family. Which other actors would we love to see back on TV playing a father once again?

John Goodman

(by Leslie Kasperowicz)

In spite of the shrieking, looming shadow of Roseanne, Dan Connor remains one of the most memorable fathers in TV history. He was the working class everyman who always did whatever it took to keep his family’s heads above water. Dan was a softie with a gruff exterior and a dreamer who was without real ambition to move beyond his simple life. He was a dad who could take things in stride but whose anger was something to behold when his lines were crossed. He reminded me of my own father, and I’m sure I am not the only one. A return to television playing a father – perhaps a father to much older children – for John Goodman would be a must-see for me. What Goodman brings to the screen is the feeling that he isn’t really acting; even in some of his more over-the-top roles (The Big Lebowski), he is simply believable. Goodman just looks like the kind of father who has your back, who gives the best hugs, and knows when a raised eyebrow is enough. Whether in comedy or in a drama, Goodman can create the kind of father role people can’t help but gravitate towards – he’s the TV dad TV is really missing right now.

James Gandolfini

(by Scott Heisel)

The Tony Soprano character's claim to fame isn't exactly exclusively based on his status as a father but that doesn't take a thing away from James Gandolfini's fantastic portrayal of the mobster dad. Not only is The Sopranos one of the greatest achievements in television, Gandolfini's character is one of the most original and well-played fathers in recent memory. The show dedicated an admirable amount of its content to addressing Tony's fatherly dilemmas, many of which focused specifically on his two children. We also got to see Tony playing an entirely different kind of father for his mobster nephew and the evolving relationship with his wife. Anyone who would attempt to argue that Tony is a good father would have some serious work cut out for them --there can be little doubt of the danger his career put his entire family in and the transgressions of his children were likely to send him into fits of rage-- but he is not nearly as bad as he might have been, being capable of brief moments of wisdom and honesty. We're missing James Gandolfini on television in general, and most definitely as a father.

Bob Saget

(by Mack Rawden)

With his cleaning obsession, awesome job at Wake Up, San Francisco and unending hatred for Kimmy Gibbler, Bob Saget’s Danny Tanner raised three lovely girls and kept his house of obnoxious hooligans in order for eight seasons on Full House. I still can’t get enough, probably because I watched every episode so many times as a child. I still laugh every time Joey makes one of his awful jokes, still smile every time Michele says, “You got it, dude” and still secretly wish I could watch Bob Saget play a dad again on television. He already does, in a way, on How I Met Your Mother, but his voice just isn’t enough to satiate my craving. Many stand-up comedy fans probably know in real life the actor is world renowned for his filthy, almost sociopathic mind, which is why I see this show blending Danny Tanner’s G-rated persona and Saget’s vile putrescence. He could play a married, involved husband and father who handles domestic issues with grace and tact, only to hit up the bars once a weekend for nights of aggressive debauchery.

Richard Jenkins

(by Jessica Grabert)

Richard Jenkins is not a man to shy away from a father role. He has played a wry father, a slightly muddled dad, a good dad, and a remarried dad just looking to catch a break from his thirty-something son. He’s lit up film performances for over thirty years and he generally always brings something to the table, whether he’s playing any given father or a Buddhist hippie opposite Julia Roberts. What he hasn’t really been is a fan of television. In thirty years Jenkins has managed recurring roles in the eighties cop franchise Miami Vice and a role as a dead father on the HBO program Six Feet Under. As Nathaniel Fisher, Jenkins achieved the near impossible: In twenty episodes he fed life into a cigarette-loving, dead character, and he figured out the quirks and mechanisms of a hallucinated dude who, for practical purposes, couldn’t take himself too seriously. If Jenkins can play a dead father to such high esteem, just think what he could do as a fleshed-out TV dad. I know I would tune in to watch.

Loudon Wainwright III

(by Jesse Carp)

You may know him as Loudon Wainwright III, folk singer and father of Rufus, Martha and Lucy. I know him as Hal Karp, father to Jay Baruchel's Steven on Judd Apatow's short-lived sitcom Undeclared. He's the funniest thing on a show with Baruchel, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Carla Gallo and Timm Sharp not to mention cameos from Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell (among others). Singing the horrifyingly embarrassing 'Baby I'm a Man,' in front of Sandler et all in "The Assistant" sums up my love for Hal, the recently separated, walking mid-life crisis and cause of endless awkwardness for his ever patient son. Oh, but Hal's got a great heart too, even if he comes on way too strong and says the wrong thing. That's the Apatow stamp, a lot of crude, cringeworthy comedy but also a lot of heart. I would love to see Wainwright return to TV in a fatherly role (a one-hour dramedy seems perfect) because he's just a great showman. I also find it interesting that a man who apparently had quite a distant relationship with his own children could also play one of my favorite TV dads of all-time. All in only 17 episodes.

Enrico Colantoni

(by Kelly West)

Enrico Colantoni’s role as Keith Mars proved to be one of the best things about Veronica Mars. Serving as both a father and the boss to teen detective Veronica, Keith Mars was the kind of dad who used humor to lighten the mood when times were tough, but stepped up as an authority figure whenever Veronica crossed the line, which she had a tendency to do. He balanced authority with love and friendship perfectly, rising up when necessary and proving to be the kind of father who would, quite literally, walk through fire to protect his daughter if push came to shove. Colantoni is technically a father on his current series Flashpoint, however it would be great to see him star in a TV role that has fatherhood among his primary responsibilities. The Mars family wasn’t a big family, being made up of just two people, but Keith Mars was a family man and it worked for the show. It’d be great to see Colantoni in another role that has him tackling the challenges of fatherhood with with humor and heart as he did on VM.

Richard Jenkins, the actor known for making just about everything he's in better no matter how small his part, is about to work his magic opposite Tom Cruise. Variety reports that the veteran actor has signed on to join One Shot, the sniper drama and adaptation of Lee Childs's book starring the character Jack Reacher. Cruise is playing Reacher, of course, but Jenkins has a pretty substantial role as the district attorney responsible for prosecuting the person accused of the sniper attacks.

You may remember that Rosamund Pike is also set to play the district attorney (and Cruise's love interest), and that's no mistake-- Jenkins is playing her father, so they've got some kind of family legal legacy going on. The actor has always been pretty much everywhere throughout his long, long career, but he seems all the more visible since his Oscar nomination for The Visitor in 2008-- this year alone he's been in Friends WIth Benefits and Hall Pass, and will appear in The Rum Diary before the year is over. LIke I said, he's a worthwhile addition to pretty much anything-- if I were Tom Cruise I'd be worried about Jenkins stealing the movie out from under me.

One Shot still remains a tricky prospect not only as a new starring vehicle for Cruise-- who, aside from how good Mission: Impossible 4 looks, seems to be a little past his prime as a leading man-- but as an adaptation of a series of books with a loyal fan base who didn't seem to want Cruise as the star. But Christopher McQuarrie, who is directing, seems like a smart enough guy to bring something interesting to what sounds like a standard thriller plot. I mean, if he's smart enough to cast Jenkins, he must have something up his sleeve.

With a director like Andrew Dominik, a cast that already includes the likes of Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell, James Gandolfini and Bella Heathcote, a story that involves a heist during a mob-run poker game, Cogan's Trade is a film that should already be well established on everyone's radar. But seeing as the movie is being sold as an Ocean's 11 style ensemble, we always knew that the casting was only going to get better and better, and now it has added yet another awesome name.

Variety is reporting that Richard Jenkins is all set for a part in Dominik's follow-up to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. In the film, Jenkins will play a lawyer who provides inside information to the robbers about the game. The projectwill start shooting later this month in New Orleans and is scheduled to be released sometime in early 2012.

Strangely missing from the cast list thus far is Casey Affleck, who was among the first names mentioned when reports about the film surfaced last November. Perhaps with Brad Pitt involved there was some nerves about having too many connections to Steven Soderbergh's Ocean movies. Either way, this cast just keeps getting better and better.

For as many doubts as we all had about Matt Reeves's plan to remake the Swedish vampire love story Let the Right One In as the Americanized Let Me In, the minute we learned that Richard Jenkins had been cast as the mysterious, nameless father figure to Abby (Chloe Moretz), it felt perfect. The versatile character actor didn't just look the part, with his craggy face and ability to look beaten-down with a single shrug of his shoulders, but just off his Oscar nomination for The Visitor, Jenkins was in the process of proving to a wider audience that he had the ability to play virtually any role thrown his way.

When I got the chance to interview Jenkins at San Diego Comic Con back in July, I hadn't yet seen Let Me In, and asked him a little about the changes between the character in the original film and the new one, and a lot about his working relationship with Moretz, who you'll know from the original movie isn't exactly the daughter she initially appears to be. Now that I've seen Let Me In I can tell you, as if you had any doubt, that Jenkins is fantastic in the role, soulful and menacing and vulnerable all at the same time. His onscreen relationship with Moretz is pretty lovely as well, tender while always maintaining that dark, literally bloody edge to it.

With Let Me In hitting theaters tomorrow, check out my video interview with Jenkins, in which we talk about his long career playing dads, working with child actors, and even a little bit about Cabin in the Woods, the upcoming horror movie he made with Matt Reeves's pal Drew Goddard.

Tomorrow veteran actor Richard Jenkins will be making his Comic Con debut as part of the panel for Let Me In, Matt Reeves's adaptation of the Swedish novel Let The Right One In (and, of course, Tomas Alfredson's movie based on it). Jenkins plays the guardian/lover of Chloe Moretz's vampire Abby, and we talked a lot about the violent and utterly creepy elements of his role, and why working with kids like Moretz and co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee doesn't worry him in the least after this many years in the business. It was a great conversation that I'll be bringing to you in full sometime after the Con is over.

But of course, I also had to ask him about some other things, and after Eric heard from Adam McKay last week that he was thinking about making a Step Brothers 2, I asked Jenkins, who played the beleaguered dad in the movie, if he'd heard anything about it. I brought it up with the attitude that these things are cool to talk about but probably would never happen, but Jenkins told me not to be so skeptical:

So there you have it-- Adam McKay isn't just talking to random journalists about Step Brothers 2, but actually bringing it up with the stars of the first film. Does that make it any more likely to happen? Of course not. But at least now we know Jenkins would be down to make it.

I’ve seen way too much of Billy Crudup. That would have been a bad thing if Watchmen weren’t so great, but instead, it ended up showing how far Zack Snyder was willing to go for his adaptation. It’s hard enough to justify a blue penis in even the raunchiest of comedies, much less a philosophical superhero drama.

We won’t be seeing Crudup’s manhood in his next role, though. Variety reports that Billy has signed on to star in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s hit memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. Crudup will play the ever-sympathetic baxter of the movie: Gilbert’s husband, whose desire for a typical domestic lifestyle pushes Gilbert to leave him and explore new things. Crudup joins Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem and Richard Jenkins.

The book was popular amongst the Oprah crowd, and with this cast and the right type of promotion (i.e. the Oprah promotion), the filmmakers will definitely have a hit on their hand. I prefer Gilbert’s fiction, to be honest. Don’t get me wrong. Eating and loving are both amazing and all, but I just can’t get behind the praying. Booooring.