Casting News: DEXTER Gains a Nemesis, 24 Adds New Faces

It’s rare that I get to comment on any of the three shows I cover for GMMR while they’re on hiatus, but this is a rare occasion. Both “24” and “Dexter” have made some casting decisions, both big and small.

In Miami, “Dexter” has gained a new enemy for season four. John Lithgow (“3rd Rock from the Sun, Footloose) will play Walter Simmons, a seemingly normal man who just happens to be one of the country’s most prolific serial killers – The Trinity Killer. His M.O. is killing people in groups of three. Dexter will be brought on to the Trinity Killer’s case by Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) who we saw in the second season.

My experience with Lithgow is mainly comedic, so I’m not sure how to think about him as Simmons, or the Trinity Killer. I don’t even know if knowing the identity of the killer is a spoiler, but I’m thinking that it almost has to be, with a high-profile star taking over the role. The encouraging news about this is the return of Agent Lundy. Not only did he provide Deb a love interest for a little bit, but his borderline creepy demeanor and instant liking to Dexter were fascinating and I can’t wait to see them continue this season.

And now on to New York, where the next season of “24” will be set. A few new faces will be hanging with Jack Bauer next season. Look for actor John Boyd to join the show playing a new CTU analyst. Jennifer Westfeldt, whose biggest credit seems to be “Kissing Jessica Stein” (and being the girlfriend of MAD MEN’s Jon Hamm) will be playing a journalist with ties to Anil Kapoor’s UN ambassador character. You probably know Kapoor from “Slumdog Millionaire” as the host of “Millionaire.” And finally, word on the street (and by the street I mean TV Guide), is that Freddie Prinze Jr. will also be joining the CTU team.

To my recollection, we’ve never had a journalist as a main character in “24.” The possibility of Jack dealing with the press is intriguing. I can’t imagine that his public relations skills are the best in the world. This news also confirms what we already knew, for the most part: that CTU will be returning next season in a more scrutinized and lawful form….but this time with a Prinze. As for who will be the head of CTU 2.0, that has yet to be released. Director Bauer, anyone?

So DEXTER and 24 fans, are you excited about these new cast additions?

Philboy is GMMR’s resident Dexter, 24, and True Blood analyst. He is currently jobless in the Midwest, looking for a job he’s remotely qualified for. His can’t miss shows for the summer are “Burn Notice,” “Psych,” and “The Closer.” The thought running through his head is, “The Spelling Bee is tomorrow!”