| Deadline | |
|
| |
| Format | Drama |
| Picture Format | |
| Running Time | 40–45 minutes |
| Created by | Dick Wolf |
| Starring | Oliver Platt Bebe Neuwirth Tom Conti Lili Taylor Hope Davis Damon Gupton Christina Chang |
| Narrated By | |
| Opening Theme | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language | English |
| Original channel | NBC |
| Original run | 2 October 2000 |
| Finale | 7 April 2001 |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (8 unaired) |
| List of episodes | See below |
| IMDB profile | Deadline |
| TV.com summary | Deadline |
| related shows | Law & Order franchise |
In "Deadline," the stories of crimes and heroics went from the police precincts to the offices of the New York Ledger, showcasing the journalists behind the publication that graced the desks and newstands of "Law & Order."
Based on true stories and captivating headlines, the series focused on Wallace Benton (Oliver Platt), a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Ledger columnist. Working alongside his soon to be ex-wife Brooke Benton (Hope Davis), Benton's story focused on his daily dealings with hard-hitting reporting and his investigative journalism student recruits who dive deeper into the lives of New York City citizens, unearthing secrets and front page stories in the process. The Ledger team also featured Nikki Masucci (Bebe Neuwirth), Si Beekman (Tom Conti), Hildy Baker (Lili Taylor), Brooke Benton (Hope Davis), Charles Foster (Damon Gupton), and Beth Khambu (Christina Chang).
"Deadline" was created by Dick Wolf and executive produced by Wolf and Robert Palm for NBC.
Cast and Characters[]
- Oliver Platt as Wallace Benton
- Bebe Neuwirth as Nikki Masucci
- Tom Conti as Si Beekman
- Lili Taylor as Hildy Baker
- Hope Davis as Brooke Benton
- Damon Gupton as Charles Foster
- Christina Chang as Beth Khambu
Production[]
Platt had been approached numerous times to do a television show but it was Wolf's reputation and the chance to do it in his hometown so that he could be close to his family that persuaded him. Wallace Benton was modeled on veteran New York journalist Jimmy Breslin, Mike McAlary, and other New York tabloid columnists. To research for the role, Platt spent time with crime reporters Phil Messing of the New York Post, Lenny Levitt of Newsday, and Juan Gonzalez and Jim Dwyer of the New York Daily News. The actor went out on stories with them, watched them interview and listened to them work the phones. During lunches, he remembers that he "got them to tell me their trade secrets."
The New York Ledger's offices were constructed at the old New York Post building on South Street in New York City. The show based their look of the their offices on old black and white photographs of the newspaper. The Post allowed the show to shoot the pilot episode in its old offices and then agreed to a short-term lease through November 2000. Shooting started in mid-July 2000 and the first episode debuted on October 2, 2000. Deadline was scheduled to run Mondays at 9 pm opposite ABC's Monday Night Football and Fox's Ally McBeal.
Episodes[]
| Episode # | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1.01 | Pilot | October 2, 2000 |
| 1.02 | Lovers And Madmen | October 9, 2000 |
| 1.03 | Perception | October 16, 2000 |
| 1.04 | Daniel In The Lion's Den | October 23, 2000 |
| 1.05 | Howl | October 30, 2000 |
| 1.06 | The Old Ball Game | March 17, 2001 |
| 1.07 | Don't I Know You? | March 17, 2001 |
| 1.08 | The Undesirables | March 24, 2001 |
| 1.09 | Somebody's Fool | March 24, 2001 |
| 1.10 | The First Commandment | March 31, 2001 |
| 1.11 | Just Lie Back | March 31, 2001 |
| 1.12 | Shock | April 7, 2001 |
| 1.13 | Red Herring | April 7, 2001 |
Reception[]
Variety magazine praised Platt's work on the show in their review: "Platt, best-known for his work on the big screen, is a colorful choice for Benton, and, judging from the first episode, he can carry the bulk of the action." USA Today criticized the show's authenticity in their review: "The only thing accurate about Deadline is the sense of urgency implied by the title. Someone had better fix this show fast, before it becomes yesterday's news." The Boston Globe found fault with some of the characters on the show: "Benton's merry band of journalism students are silly, and the show should replace them with an expanded cast of Ledger co-workers."
The Pilot episode was seen by 14.3 million viewers but its rating declined steadily afterwards with 6.8 million viewers watching the last episode. NBC cancelled the show after five episodes.