Dennis Quaid is a cowboy sheriff who fights crime by riding a horse through 1960s Las Vegas.
Do you really need to know anything more about the new CBS drama “Vegas”? Personally, I’m already sold.
But it doesn’t hurt that Michael Chiklis (Vic Mackey forever!) is also on board as a “ruthless Chicago gangster,” Carrie-Anne Moss has the plum role of an “ambitious assistant district attorney” and potential love interest for Quaid, and Jason O’Mara rebounds from “Terra Nova” as Quaid’s brother and deputy.
The series comes from “Goodfellas” and “Casino” writer Nicholas Pileggi and the pilot is directed by filmmaker James Mangold (“Walk the Line,” “3:10 to Yuma”). It looks bold and expansive and possibly a lot more serialized than the CBS standard. It also has absolutely nothing to do with NBC’s old show “Las Vegas” or ABC’s even older show “Vega$.”
In fact, Quaid’s character is based on a real person: rancher turned sheriff Ralph Lamb, who just wanted to ensure things didn’t get too out of hand in the man-made mecca in the middle of the desert.
There are a lot of ways this show could go wrong, but based on what CBS presented during their upfront and the behind the scenes featurette they’ve made available to the public, it looks like the pilot will be a lot of fun. With a little luck the series could beat the odds and join “The Good Wife” as the rare CBS show that’s more than just a case of the week.
Check out the featurette below, and place your bets:
“Vegas” premieres Tuesdays at 10 p.m. this fall on CBS