By: debbie lynn elias
If you’re already a fan of DirecTV’s FULL CIRCLE, you’re in for a real treat this week as the Neil LaBute written la ronde drama delivers two new characters and delves deeper into its encircling storyline as everyone’s favorite vampire turned FBI agent, David Boreanaz, goes toe-to-toe with delicious demon turned plastic surgeon, Julian McMahon. For fans of Bones, Angel, Buffy, Nip/Tuck and Charmed, this is THE episode of FULL CIRCLE you’ve been waiting for. And for everyone else, this is about as good as it gets with a tour de force dynamic between these two acting veterans.
For the as yet uninitiated into the world of FULL CIRCLE, the premise is self-contained and simple: A 10-episode arc with each episode taking place in the restaurant, Ellipsis (a double entendre if you are familiar with LaBute), where two characters are having dinner, drinks, and engaging in conversation. The key, however, with the la ronde format, is that one character in the first half hour is then the link to the next character introduced in the second half hour and so on and so forth. As the weeks progress and we witness more of these dinner exchanges, like flies on the wall, we are privy to conversations that the missing partners are not, allowing us to slowly build to what, I am assured by Robin Weigert who appears in episode 10, is “explosive.”
As Stanley and Jace, McMahon and Boreanaz, respectively, both actors are at the top of their game. 40-something year old Stanley is an exceedingly handsome, workaholic attorney/agent. Oblivious to his own marriage, Stanley’s primary focus is his client Jace, a stand-up comic with an abrasive, foul-mouthed style, whose comedy stylings and content have allegedly resulted in the death of a young bullied teen.
Both actors have nothing but praise for not only LaBute’s works as a whole, but particularly FULL CIRCLE. For McMahon, coming on board was a “no-brainer.” “I liked the script and I connected with the character. . . I thought conceptually it would be a challenge, shooting an episode in a day. . .The writing’s great. Conceptually it’s just a great idea. The whole ten arc episode thing is really quite fascinating.” Described by Boreanaz as “an intense piece that you had to really do your homework to get it down and then find the rhythm of this piece”, key was “just focusing on that and getting an overview glance of the situation when I went to set.”
“A nice joust between the two of us”, Boreanaz has nothing but praise for McMahon. “Being there for each other on a piece that’s so heavy and so complex character -wise and so daunting and challenging, and in today’s world, very relevant. . .there’s a sense of being able to travel with your partner across the way in working a piece character-wise and being able to really so emerge yourself; you start to see the little details in what he’s doing and what he’s bringing to the table which enhances your next step or word.”
As it is with all LaBute works, FULL CIRCLE is dialogue heavy, as well as having a distinctive cadence and lyricism. As noted by McMahon, “ I think episodes come out at about 24 minutes. We shot another 10 minutes, at least. So there’s another 10 minutes of dialogue that you didn’t even see.”
Both actors agree that FULL CIRCLE is a prime example of programming that’s “allowed people to take breaks from things that they’re normally doing and explore different avenues.” As a triple threat actor/director/producer thanks to Bones, Boreanaz sees a show like FULL CIRCLE and programming avenues like DirecTV, NetFlix and the internet as more than just “another outlet to explore” in terms of performance. “With network television it’s very challenging because you have rules that you can’t cross and I think that’s a very challenging medium to be a part of. I really enjoy network television. [But] everyone wants to be on a cable show because you can swear or you can push the boundaries or show an ass [laughing].” What network television and cable television “brings to the table are two different types of mediums and subject matter. I think that network television should have its own category for the Emmys and I think cable television should have its own category for the Emmys. I think there’s a lot of great material out there that now.” FULL CIRCLE is just one small piece of that great material.
FULL CIRCLE airs on DirecTV Audience Network on Wednesdays at 9PM.
8/26/13
