David Tennant will forever be remembered as three different Doctors inDoctor Who, but many viewers are probably unfamiliar with what was supposed to be his first show after leaving the TARDIS.David Tennant’s best TV showsinclude a lot of different genres, from dark thrillers to theStar Warsuniverse, and while he made his mark on pop culture throughDoctor Who, the 54-year-old actor has had several other great roles.
It’s strange to think that David Tennant, a worldwide success, stars in aTV show that never made it to air, considering how popular he is. While there are many brilliantDavid Tennant movie and TV characters, his name was not enough to saveRex Is Not Your Lawyerfrom being scrapped after the pilot.
David Tennant Portrayed Anxious Litigator Rex In Rex Is Not Your Lawyer
Tennant Dominates As Rex Is Not Your Lawyer’s Titular Character
Tennant plays Rex Alexander in NBC’s failedlegal comedy drama TV show, a top-quality litigator who, sadly, is so consumed by his crippling anxiety that he struggles to be present in the courtroom.The unaired pilot, entitled “Mabel Howard’s Wrongful Termination,” introduces Rex and establishes his personality,which sees him teaching his own clients how to represent themselves in court.
Rex is a fascinating character,and it’s a shame we didn’t get to see more of him in this role. He’s brilliantly clever, and there are even moments in which he can be compared toBenedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes. Even though there are typical sleazy lawyer traits about him, Rex also cares about his clients and seeks justice for them.
Tennant’s monologue in the scene where Rex’s panic attacks first overcome him is stellar,and once again, shows his skills as an actor. Rex Alexander had a lot of potential as a character, which is why it’s so frustrating thatRex Is Not Your Lawyernever made it to air.
Why The Pilot Of NBC’s Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Never Aired
Audiences Didn’t Respond To The Pilot
Behind the scenes,several things attributed toRex Is Not Your Lawyer’s failure.The show was initially sold during the 2007-2008 WGA strike, years before Tennant was even cast, and so this caused delays in getting it off the ground. Tennant’s casting was announced in November 2009, two months before his last episode asthe Tenth Doctor inDoctor Who.
Just before filming,Rex Is Not Your Lawyer’s setting was changed from LA to Chicago,but a lot of establishing shots were still filmed in the original location. During shooting,actor Jerry O’Connellwas seen on-set as Bruce Sweet, which threw many people off, seeing asHeroesstar Sendhil Ramamurthy had previously been announced as the character.
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Mable Howard
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During filming, which was in December 2009, rumors began flying around that the show was preparing to film the rest of the season’s episodes. However,by January 2010, the sets ofRex Is Not Your Lawyerhad seemingly been packed upand disappeared, and later that same year, Tennant confirmed in multiple interviews that the show wasn’t happening.
It was never made exactly clear whyRex Is Not Your Lawyerwasn’t picked up for a full season. According to the bookRex Is Not Your TV Show: An Unofficial, Unauthorized look at ‘Rex Is Not Your Lawyer’by M.L. Zambrana,there were two screenings of the pilot episode, but the audience response wasn’t great.
However,people can now make their minds up for themselves about the pilot ofRex Is Not Your Lawyer.In recent years, a couple of versions of the pilot have been uploaded online, including the director’s and producer’s cuts of the episode.
The show had a lot of potential, even if the execution of the pilot wasn’t the best. While it’s unlikely that theDoctor Whoactor would return forRex Is Not Your Lawyerall these years later, I would love if NBC would revisit the concept altogether and try again with a new cast.
Source:Rex Is Not Your TV Show: An Unofficial, Unauthorized look at ‘Rex Is Not Your Lawyer’
Doctor Who
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Doctor Who: Doctor Who is a British sci-fi television series debuting in 1963, following The Doctor, a time-traveling alien Time Lord. The Doctor explores the universe in the TARDIS, accompanied by companions, confronting various adversaries and striving to save civilizations while addressing injustices.
