Looking for a new show to watch this fall? Want to see more Asian American faces on your screen? Well you’re in luck! Here are four of the fall television shows with Asian American actors that we’re most excited for.
THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA, NBC
Fresh off her role as the witch Tessa in Vampire Diaries, Janina Gavankar joins the cast of the new NBC series The Mysteries of Laura, which stars Debra Messing (Will & Grace) as Laura Diamond, a NYPD homicide detective who’s juggling her professional and personal lives as a working mother of twin boys. Gavankar plays her colleague and rival Detective Meredith Bose, whom she has describes as a “buff, which is somebody who takes their job a little too seriously.” The Indian-Dutch native of Joliet, Ill., is also known for her roles as Papi in The L Word, shapeshifter Luna Garza in True Blood, Detective McKenna Hall in Arrow and Shiva in The League. Having grown up studying classical piano, percussion and voice, Gavankar is also a singer. She was once in the girl group Endera on the Cash Money label, shot a music video cover of Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown,” and most recently released her single “Waiting for Godot,” which will be part of a forthcoming EP on Randy Jackson’s label. Details: Premieres September 24.
SCORPION, CBS
Inspired by a true story, Scorpion follows eccentric IT genius Walter O’Brien, played by Indian-Tunisian British actor Elyes Gabel, who leads a tactical team of brilliant, nerdy misfits, including Asian Canadian Jadyn Wong as Happy Quinn, a “mechanical prodigy.” When Homeland Security comes calling, the team must utilize every trick in their genius book to protect the country from high-tech threats. The pilot, directed by Justin Lin (Fast & Furious), is a wild ride, with the team scrambling to prevent a plane crash. Details: Premieres September 22.
SELFIE, ABC
Selfie, a loose adaptation of Pygmalion and My Fair Lady, stars Karen Gillan as Eliza Dooley, a fame-obsessed social media star whose public image takes a dive after a humiliating breakup, and John Cho as Henry, a marketing guru who’s going to teach her how to re-brand herself (and hopefully become a better person in the real world). Though casting directors were originally looking for an older British actor for the romantic lead, Cho eventually won them over, and creator Emily Kapnek (Suburgatory) told reporters she was especially excited about growing the characters’ relationship after seeing the natural chemistry between her two stars. Details: Premieres September 30.
STALKER, CBS
If you’ve ever been stalked, you’re going to relate to this one. In this psychological thriller, Maggie Q is head of the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD. Working on cases ranging from voyeurism, cyber harassment and romantic fixation, Q’s Beth Davis is opinionated, obsessive and a workaholic – for a reason. “Anyone can be a stalker; anyone can be a victim. That’s where I come in,” she says in the pilot. When she is joined by a brash new transfer from New York, played by Dylan McDermott, who jokes that he joined the unit to meet Scarlett Johansson, Q is not pleased. In fact, there’s more to Q’s Davis than just dedication to her job – while trying to calm one victim of a stalker who has already killed, she assures him, “There is nothing that you’re feeling that I don’t know. Believe me, I know.” Details: Premieres October 1.
–STORY BY ANNA M. PARK & ADA TSENG.
This story was originally published in our Fall 2014 issue. Get your copy here.
SCORPION PHOTO BY MONTY BRINTON/CBS© 2014 CBS BROADCASTING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; STALKER PHOTO BY RICHARD CARTWRIGHT/CBS ©2014 CBS BROADCASTING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; SELFIE PHOTO BY CRAIG SJODIN/ABC.
