Izzard cast as Grandpa in 'Mockingbird'; Michael Bay is an idiot

After NBC fast-tracked the Bryan Fuller’s reboot of The Munsters to series as Mockingbird Lane, the production was put into turnaround in January and the start date was shifted to June, with the peacock network noting that it was due to casting issues. Now we know why, as it was British comedian Eddie Izzard who NBC, Fuller and pilot director Bryan Singer wanted for the role of Grandpa. But Izzard was attached to a project he was developing over at F/X, which left the network with no choice but to stall the show. Still – while work progressed on the concept and design of the show, which will apparently be in the vein of Fuller’s short-lived but brilliant Pushing Daises- Izzard’s deal went south and was also passed on another pilot, and thus was available when NBC approached him again. According to Deadline, Izzard was “impressed by the Fuller and Singer’s vision for the Munsters world, he came on board the Universal TV-produced project as a star and a producer.” The vision of Grandpa –once played by the late Al Lewis- is that he’s the “Munster family patriarch, a powerful, ancient vampire with an irrepressible twinkle in his eye. He can shapeshift into rats, wolves, and other creatures at will, but he’s also dapper and charming in a fedora; he is a Don Juan-type womanized with penchant for flashy, sexy outfits.” Izzard is the first to be cast on the show, which should quickly bring other performers on board in the coming weeks. If the series does begin shooting in June now, NBC will still hold the show until mid-season (though there had been rumors when the show was first announced last fall it was destined as a summer-run). 

Director Michael Bay is not a subtle man, as he’s proven with the movies he has helmed. Explosions are used where dialogue and exposition could be used better to move the story along. His quick editing and continued movement of the camera is, more or less, designed to appeal to people ADHD. Yet no where can you say anything of his films is actually grounded in any science. So why is the reboot version of The Teenage Mutant Turtles, which he’s producing, changing its origin concept of radiated turtles that become superheroes into space aliens who become superheroes? Bay recently spoke at Nickelodeon Upfront in New York where he announced that this live-action reboot will feature far more realistic, relatable ninja turtles. “When you see this movie, kids are going to believe, one day, that these turtles actually do exist when we are done with this movie. These turtles are from an alien race and they are going to be tough, edgy, funny, and completely lovable.” It seems this will upset fans of the original comic, cartoon and live-action series and anyone who can read and understand sentence structure. Or, of course, fans can ignore the TMNT’s murky canonical start in favor of Bay’s more “realistic” take.