If you’re like me, your head is already spinning with all the news of upcoming shows. You’re probably having trouble telling them all apart from each other. But NBC’s upcoming series Kings is important. Take notice! It’s not that it’s an updated Biblical narrative, certainly. It’s not even that NBC execs loved the test footage so much that they didn’t even ask for a pilot before ordering the series. Its that Ian McShane is starring in it. Who is Ian McShane, you ask? Read on.

Ian McShane is, in my personal opinion, one of the most underappreciated actors in the business. I first encountered his olive good looks on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, which featured the low-budget Hawaiian caper Code Name: Diamond Head. As the villain, McShane played a master of disguise who was slightly hampered by the film’s subpar makeup artist. He also had the opportunity to deliver what is, arguably, the best analogy ever made:

“Espionage is such a small community. It’s quite like a little family, really.”

To which MST3K’s host Mike Nelson quipped, “…in that we all drink and hurt each other.”

About a decade later, McShane would really break through as the star of the 1980s British comedy/mystery series Lovejoy. As the titular character, McShane was a roguish antiques dealer who often found himself tangled in intrigue and murder that centered around valuable artifacts. Despite the fact that he was what dealers call a “divvy” - someone with a unique ability to tell the genuine from the fakes - he never managed to make any money. His constant struggles with his landlord and bill collectors, his romantically charged friendship with the married Lady Felsham, and his partnership with his two employees made an entertaining mix. The show was very popular in Britain. (In fact, on MST3K, Mike and the robots often refer to his character as “Lovejoy.”)

But American audiences, of course, know a very different McShane. Now grizzled with age and more intimidating than ever, McShane landed himself a role on the critically acclaimed HBO series Deadwood. As real-life brothel owner Al Swearengen, McShane was often lauded as the most appealing character on the show. When Deadwood went down, it was assumed that McShane’s career would capsize with it. The failure of the fantasy film The Seeker, which featured him in a main role, confirmed this.

But now - blessedly - Ian McShane is back on T.V.

Godspeed, Lovejoy!

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