In reviewing the season finales of three great US imports for Telly Addict this week – Boss, forever, on More4; The Good Wife, for now, on More4; and Modern Family, for now, on Sky Atlantic – it dawned on me that Nathan Lane stole scenes in two out of three of them. What an asset he is, whether playing a gay wedding planner, or a possibly straight court-appointed trustee – how does Broadway operate while he’s away? Also, the grim documentary series on BBC2 Police Under Pressure; and I am proud to present the clip of David Cameron trying to be cool by mentioning Game Of Thrones on Prime Minister’s Questions, courtesy BBC Parliament. Except he said, “Games Of Thrones.” Of course he did.
Never Knowingly Underwhelmed 
Lane has long been underrated for his acting range (from heartbreaking, emotional performances in Butley, The Nance, The Iceman Cometh, and even the humorous, but also touching, performance in The Birdcage, to The Producers, Teacher’s Pet, Stuart Little, The Odd Couple, etc.). I am so pleased to see that the Good Wife has recognized his (and other Broadway actor) talents and is using him well. He deserves the chance to do good work without the expectation that he will mug his way through the scene. TV has not been particularly good about finding a place for someone like Lane to show off his talents. I’ve often thought that the old variety show format would suit him well but since that era is dead and gone, I would love to see someone offer him a pilot that has a serioius tone to it (though there was word of that happening last year, that project seems to have died on the vine).