WISH-CRAFT: CASTING BY THE BAY

While watching the latest episode of 'Monk' on USA Network ("Mr. Monk And Mrs. Monk"), I found myself thinking about all of the location filming used to properly evoke the belief that Adrian Monk lived in San Francisco.

And, obsessed with TV crossovers as I am, I began to think about all the Frisco characters from other shows that could be incorporated into an episode now and again in order to expand the TV Universe.

By that next commercial break, I had come up with the following list:

'IRONSIDE'
Ed Brown (Don Galloway)
Mark Sanger (Don Mitchell)
Eve Whitfield (Barbara Anderson)
Fran Belding (Elizabeth Bauer)

'MACMILLAN & WIFE'
Sally MacMillan (Susan St. James)
Charlie Enright (John Schuck)

'THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO'
Mike Stone (Karl Malden)
Dan Robbins (Richard Hatch)
[Not that Michael Douglas would ever be available to return, but his character of Steve Keller had been murdered in a reunion movie. And I would suggest the producers don't waste much time if they're mulling over the idea to cast Malden as a guest star.]

'AMY PRENTISS'
Amy Prentiss (Jessica Walter)

'CHRISTINE CROMWELL'
Christine Cromwell (Jaclyn Smith)

'MIDNIGHT CALLER'
Jack Killian (Gary Cole)
Billy Po (Dennis Dun)
[This might cause a problem, as Cole already appeared in an episode as the publisher of a men's magazine. For TV Universe fanatics like myself, it might raise questions as to why Monk doesn't recognize Jack Killian as the doppelganger for a murderer.]

A quick visit to the fantastic "TV ACRES" website (the link can be found to the left) yielded more possibilities:

'Aaron's Way'
'All-American Girl'
'Bert D'Angelo/Superstar'
'Billy'
[I'd love to see Tony Shalhoub play off the Scottish madness of Billy Connelly!]
'Black Tie Affair'
'The Brothers'
'Brother's Keeper'
'Charmed'
[Aaaah! How could I have forgotten that one? Probably because I would find it hard to accept the concept of magic in the world of 'Monk', even though I know it does exist. It's just that the TV populace at large shouldn't be aware of it......]
'Checkmate'
'Crazy Like a Fox'
[But as is the case with Karl Malden, the producers should hurry if they want to avail themselves of the talents of Jack Warden.]
'Crisis Center'
'Dharma & Greg'
[I would not be surprised if Natalie knew Dharma back in school.]
'The Doris Day Show'
[Her DVD box set was just recently released, not that it will probably rise to the fore in the public's consciousness. But an appearance might make for a nice swan song should Ms. Day like one last chance to appear before the cameras.]
'The Division'
'Fay'
'First Years'
'Fitz & Bones'
'Fortune Hunter'
'Foul Play'
'Freebie & the Bean'
'Full House'
'Girl's Club'
'Good Time Harry'
'Hagan'
'Half and Half'
'Hooperman'
[Well, at least a few of the supporting cast could appear, sadly.....] 'Hotel'
'House Calls'
'Jessie'
'The John Forsythe Show'
'Kindred: The Embraced'

And just over the bridge in Oakland:
'Birdland'
'Hangin' With Mr. Cooper'

And the easiest of all connections to make would make for an excellent in-joke, which I hope they some day consider. (Shout out to Lee Goldberg re: the novels, at least!)

Use the Hotel Carlton as a location for an episode. That way there is an historical connection to Richard Boone's series 'Have Gun Will Travel'. Paladin used the Hotel Carlton as his base of operations, and the 1906 high-stakes poker game which featured Bat Masterson, Bart Maverick, and 'The Gambler' Brady Hawkes was held at the Carlton. ("Gambler 4: Luck Of The Draw")

Just sayin', is all.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby