(by James Kille) If you have tuned into the new Fox cop show called "The Good Guys," you can be happy that another Hollywood television production has taken advantage of local tax incentives and chosen Dallas as the setting for its action series. Much like the long-running "Walker" series, the writing has much to be desired, but it's fun to see Dallas used as a backdrop for a television show, even if the writer doesn't know how to use a Mapsco.
From the two episodes (the pilot and the "Bait & Switch" episode) that I have have seen, there is much to like about this energetic and unconventional cop show, most notably the performance by Bradley Whitford, who seems to have loads of fun shaking off the remnants of his (award winning) role in "The West Wing," now a piece of television history. However,as a Dallas resident, I am continually puzzled by the locations and directions given to further the action.
Most notably, Dan Stark (Whitford's character) lives in a trailer under the shadow of the "Texas Star," the iconic Ferris Wheel in Fair Park. It was featured in both episodes, and it is unmistakeable that Stark's humble trailer is within spitting distance of the famous Star, and the top of the Cotton Bowl is seen in some of the shots of his trashy trailer. To any Dallas resident, it is obvious that Stark's "home" is inside the confines of Fair Park, a National Historic Landmark, 277 acres owned and controlled by the City of Dallas, which does not have and would not allow a private residence, let alone a trashy trailer to exist within its confines. Furthermore, it is a fairly established fact that most Dallas Police Officers live in suburbs, not Dallas proper. Even Jack Bailey, (Hank's character) tells a villain in "Bait & Switch," "not far," when asked, "how far away do you live." They were at a swanky, fictitious 'romantic' restaurant, which would be somewhere in central Dallas. Does Jack Bailey live in a Highland Park apartment? Possibly an Uptown overpriced highrise, or possibly an East Dallas duplex? In any case, he could not live 'minutes away' in Garland, or Grand Prairie, or Desoto, or Richardson, or Plano, or any of the other suburbs that true Dallas Police officers populate.
Even if Stark and Bailey truly worked in Dallas, they would need a Mapsco to navigate the streets and find the bad guys. In the opening shots of "Bait & Switch," the director unfortunately gives us a street sign in the shot, where I saw the street name, "Fulton." Fulton St. is a mile-long stretch of quaint East-Dallas residential real estate, so it is hard to mistake where it is. The good guys then supposedly use an ingenious plan to find the bad guy's hideaway, a warehouse that is actually the Centennial Building once again at Fair Park, (south of Downtown) one mile away from the Fulton St. area. This is supposedly a remote warehouse that "no one else knows about," far away from the action of Central Dallas. This "warehouse" is recognizable by the singular arched windows, part of the design of the Art Deco building that millions of Dallas residents have visited.
Our bad guy (Nigel) wants to ship his stolen cars to Baton Rouge by train, and the director places his "train" scene in front of the 50-100 year-old trains of the Museum of the American Railroad, another resident of Fair Park. These trains haven't run the rails for 50 years; they're museum pieces. It's laughable to Dallas residents that a criminal would think he could load his vintage stolen goods onto a train that is not connected to any working rail line, much less try to get that 50-year-old train to move its dead ass more than an inch towards Baton Rouge.
While we're in Fair Park, why doesn't Stark (a detective with good instincts) realize that this 'warehouse' is several hundred yards from his trashy trailer, also in Fair Park?
Also laughable to Dallas residents is the direction to "go south on McKinney" when the good guys are trying to find Stark's snitch, Julius. They end up at an underpass near Fair Park, which would be logical if the bad guys had their hideaway at the Centennial Building. Unfortunately, McKinney does not go south, but hits downtown Dallas, only to curve west, and end as it merges into Woodall Rogers. Our good guys would have been looking for Julius in the 'Victory Park' area of western Downtown Dallas, a good two miles away from where the true action was.
When Stark uses his snitch, Julius, again to hunt down the bad guys, he ends up in Deep Ellum (with Downtown Dallas in the background), yelling at the laptop computer that it's "go time," and threatening to shoot it if it doesn't tell him where Jack is. Julius figures out how a laptop works, and tells him to "go east on 30 to Westmoreland," to find Sammy's Metalworks (the new hideout). Unfortunately, Westmoreland is positively WEST of downtown Dallas. If these idiots went east on 30 from downtown, they would end up in Mesquite, miles from where they needed to be.
We also see our heroes constantly crossing the Trinity River using the Houston and Jefferson Viaducts, as if these are the major arteries in and out of Downtown Dallas. In fact, these viaducts do not even connect with the major highway, I-30. If Stark was so concerned about getting to his partner in time, he would have used any one of the streets or highways that connect with I-30 to take him WEST to Westmoreland and the warehouse area there. Once there, of course he uses the obligatory car-smashing-through-a-large-window action sequence, plus a shoot-the-propane-tanks-instead-of-the-bad-guys-to-make-a-large-explosion to bring this preposterous plot to its conclusion.
Mayor Tom Leppert recently welcomed the cast of "The Good Guys" to Dallas, hopefully encouraging them to stay a long time and spend lots of money. He should have included a Mapsco in his welcome gift. Apparently, they need to learn their way around Dallas.
If you watch "The Good Guys" to see a few snatches of recognizable Dallas scenery and a few entertaining moments, be sure to have a tall Long Island Iced Tea sitting within reach. As you watch the comedy ensue, make a drinking game of it. Take a swig every time you see Fair Park in the shot, or double gulps when bad directions are given. "The Good Guys" airs Monday at 8:00 pm, KDFW, Fox, channel 4, repeated Friday, 8:00 p.m.
Being from Houston, I have noticed something else about this show: no one speaks with a Texas accent. They all sound like they are from Los Angeles. The episode I watched last night about the vending machine was void of anyone who sounded like they lived in Dallas. Not the prostitute, not the pimp, not the pimp's helper, not the hotel personnel, not the other police officers, not the D.A. lady, not the business owners, not the people who were suppose to be residents of Dallas. No one. I find that odd.
ReplyDeleteSomeone else told me about the "east to Westmoreland" directions, but thanks for capturing and distilling all the geographic anomalies. I haven't seen the show, but if I do I'll be sure to pretend I'm watching a different Dallas.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Dallas for 19 years, the accents sound about right with the exception of the ADA who is clearly trying too hard. And since it's a TV show, not a documentary, I'm okay with buildings in Fair Park (where the show's studios are located) pretending to be other buildings. Some of the directions are funky but nothing will ever top the wormhole-riddled geography of "Walker". My favorite is Walker escorting a lawyer down the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse to her car... parked under the interstate in the Dallas West End.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be alot of concern, on your part, as to the exact addresses and direction and landmarks around the city as it relates to the show. Also, the reality of where the characters reside at the potential expense of the show's validity. I think you've lost sight of the show point; it doesn't take itself seriously. The saying on most sets is "If they're seeing that, they're watching the wrong show". That statement is used to justify completion, rather than perfection. Obviously, some people will focus on the writer(s) lack of regional geography and sense of driving direction known (and treasured, to some) to us who live in our great city. Being a film crew member for over 20 years, I could become jaded to ALL things incorrect on screen. Suspension of disbelief is key, even for me. You're supposed to enjoy the show for it's silliness, not for it's ability to accurately portray our city geography or stereotype everyone here to have a Texas accent. I, for one, enjoy the fact that the show is here and I can work at home, near my family. I'd rather hear the Texas accents coming from my crewmates than have to hear a Louisiana or New Mexico accent. Don't be jaded about the show and mock our mayor or city for the open arms, it's keeping some great LOCAL film crews working and home. If you want, Dallas (the TV show) and Walker is on DVD if you want to live some sort of glory days for stereotyping our city. Maybe they have the streets and accents figured out for you.
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