One Sorry Blog

Let’s Hear It For The Boys

By Julie Nisbet

I love the Eighties. Although I am more a product of the nineties since my formative teenage years occurred during that decade (flannel shirts anyone?), I still hold a candle for the decade of power ballads, side pony tails, shoulder pads, snap bracelets, mall rats and most importantly, cheesy romantic comedies. One thing I love about TV these days is that it has afforded some of my favorite 80s actors a medium to break into super stardom. The following is a list of my favorite 80s actors that have resurrected their careers, or completely redefined their legacy through the small screen rather than the silver screen.

 Patrick “McDreamy” Dempsey

Before Grey’s Anatomy came along I don’t think many people had any idea who Patrick Dempsey was. Of the people that knew who he was, a lot remembered him only as Reese Witherspoon’s sweet faced fiancé from Sweet Home Alabama or from his 3 episode stint as Will’s boyfriend on Will and Grace. The true 80’s nuts out there will always know him as Ronnie Miller from Can’t Buy Me Love. It’s hard to believe but for almost 20 years, McDreamy’s most famous role was as a geeky teenager who bribed the popular girl in school to pretend to go out with him. Thanks to the overwhelming popularity of one of the most unrealistic medical shows in television history Patrick will now be remembered as second only to George Clooney in the TV Doctor with the best hair category. Oh yeah, and for being a pretty good actor too.

Kiefer “I Can Play a Good Guy Too!” Sutherland

I love Jack Bauer. You would think that his intense, half whisper would get annoying, but it doesn’t. You would think that his saving the president, world and universe several times over would get annoying, but it doesn’t. You would think that after 6 seasons, I would have developed some sort of aversion to the excessive use of the line “I did what I had to do” as a moral justification for torture, but I haven’t. The main reason I love Jack Bauer though, is because that character has made me realize just how much I love Kiefer Sutherland. To be honest, I’ve always been afraid of Kiefer because of his tendency to play bad guys. But then, all of a sudden, he takes the role of Jack Bauer, conflicted family man and serial bad ass. I love that he’s the only guy who can get away with breaking the rules, I love that his biggest weakness is his love of the ladies, and most importantly, I love that Jack Bauer has redefined Kiefer’s legacy as more than just the scary guy.

Jason “Teen Wolf Too” Bateman

Before Arrested Development, Jason Bateman was on his way to becoming a “never quite has been.” He did flirt with success, mostly based on the fact that he was Justine Bateman’s brother and had some supporting roles in which he was hilarious (The Sweetest Thing, Dodgeball anyone?), but it wasn’t until Arrested Development that he really broke out into true stardom. Part of the reason I like Arrested Development so much is that it’s the show that keeps on giving. The humor is so subtle that it truly gets funnier the more you watch it. Each episode is like watching a 30 minute Wes Anderson movie. Unfortunately, the average American doesn’t like to use their brain when they watch TV, so while the critics loved it, the ratings never picked up. Jason Bateman was the cornerstone of this groundbreaking show, and thankfully, he will now be remembered for more than some cheesy 80’s TV shows, and surfing on top of a van in a werewolf costume.

Jeremy “Not Just John Cusack’s Sidekick Anymore” Piven

Jeremy Piven grew up with John Cusack, and spent the better part of 2 decades playing his sidekick. You probably didn’t even realize it, but he’s in pretty much every John Cusack movie ever made. Thanks to a little show called Entourage, the secret is out. Jeremy Piven is hilarious. Sure, those of us lucky enough to have seen PCU knew this for years, but now instead of being remembered in the ranks of Clint Howard, he’s getting the credit he deserves as one of the funniest comedic actors of our time. Tell you friends to watch Entourage, and don’t forget to “hug it out.”