John Carroll Lynch Movies

The Fox cop drama K-Ville was set in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, hence its title (the designation "K-Ville" was among the graffiti found scrawled on the walls left standing in the wake of the disaster). The focus was on the activities of the NOPD's Felony Action Squad, led by short-tempered Capt. James Embry (John Carroll Lynch). Heading the cast was Anthony Anderson as police detective Marlin Boulet, who, assigned to keep the peace in his old, now devastated Ninth-Ward neighborhood, played by his own rules, never dodged a confrontation with either criminals or colleagues, and swigged bourbon with cavalier abandon. He was also a compassionate family man, though he found it very difficult to carry on a long-distance relationship with his wife Ayana (Elise Neal) and daughter Tawni (Jiya Fowler), who'd been evacuated to Atlanta. Boulet's new partner was the mysterious Trevor Cobb (Cole Hauser), a "loose-cannon" veteran of the Afghan War whose previous criminal record had been fortuitously washed away in the hurricane, a secret that Boulet was willing to keep from the higher-ups so long as Cobb stayed "on task." The rest of the Felony Action Squad ran the usual TV-stereotype gamut, including resident jokester "Glue Boy" Gooden (Blake Shields) and sole female member "Love Tap" LeBeau. Essentially a standard buddy-cop series laced with contemporary cynicism, the location-filmed K-Ville debuted September 17, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though created by Jim Leonard, the weekly, hour-long CBS crime-and-punishment series Close to Home bore the distinctive stamp of executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose previous procedural dramas included Cold Case and the CSI franchise. Jennifer Finnigan starred as Annabeth Chase, a hotshot prosecutor -- and new mom -- living and working in Indianapolis. Returning from pregnancy leave, Annabeth discovered that her motherhood had cost her a promotion, and that during her absence she'd acquired a new boss, Maureen Scofield (Kimberly Chase), who was now worried that Annabeth would let her hormones rule her head in legal matters. Nonetheless, our heroine was dedicated to the point of obsession with ridding her town of serial murderers and sex criminals, especially those who hid behind the veneer of "folks next door" respectability. Also in the cast were Christian Kane as Annabeth's husband, Jack, and John Carroll Lynch as her colleague Steve Sharpe. Close to Home made its network bow on October 4, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although by prior agreement ABC was required to retain The Drew Carey Show on its prime time schedule through 2004 at a cost of $3,000,000 per episode, by the fall of 2002 it was obvious that the series' plummeting ratings no longer justified such a long-term commitment. Thus, only 15 of the 27 episodes filmed for the series' eighth season were broadcast before the network yanked the show from its lineup in January of 2003. At this point, ABC had two options: shelve the remaining episodes (and the subsequent ninth season, then in its early production stages) and take a huge financial bath, or "burn off" the 12 leftover episodes during the Summer of 2003, with two episodes shown back-to-back each week for a six-week period. The latter option was exercised, then repeated for the ninth and final season of The Drew Carey Show in the Summer of 2004. Those few viewers tuning into Season Eight had some treats in store for them, most notably the guest appearances of a different A-list musical group at the beginning and end of each episode. Also, there was an influx of new characters, precipitated by the bankruptcy of Winfred-Louder, the Cleveland department store which employed series protagonist Drew Carey (playing himself) and Drew's mortal enemy (and now sister-in-law!) Mimi Bombeck (Kathy Kinney. The store's new owners are a pair of oafish young techno-nerds named Scott (Jonathan Mangum) and Evan (Kyle Howard), who transform the place into a dot.com called "NeverendingStore." At first intending to fire everybody, Scott and Evan keep Drew on because they're amused by "the old man", and also relent and rehire Mimi (Kathy Kinney)--who immediately develops an intense hatred for newly installed keyboard operator Traylor (Kaitlin Olson), who proves so odious that Mimi ends up trying to murder the girl by stuffing her in a paper shredder! Leaving the series this season is longtime regular Christa Miller), whose character, Kate O'Brien, heads to Guam with her new husband, fighter pilot Kirk (Cameron Mathison). Replacing Kate as one of the "gang"--consisting of Drew, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles)--is another of Drew's former school pals, Kellie Newmark, played by Cynthia Watros. Though his marriage to Kate has fallen through, Drew stubbornly books a chapel for his wedding--then spends the rest of the season searching for an appropriate bride, with the help of former coworoker and now professional matchmaker Larry Almada (Ian Gomez). After a tentative romance with Kellie comes acropper, Drew settles upon a ditzy Southern belle named Lily (Tammy Lauren), with whom he ultimately marches down the aisle...and then... Although billed as regulars this season, John Carroll Lynch as Drew's brother and Mimi's husband Steve and Craig Ferguson as Drew's ex-boss Mr. Wick appear only sporadically. The reason for Wick's non-appearances are fairly obvious (why should he hang around a place where he's been canned); as for Steve, he abruptly vanishes from view after Mimi catches him in an extramarital affair, one that forces poor Drew to act as surrogate father for his nephew Gus for the duration of the series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As America geared itself for another possible armed conflict in Iraq, the HBO cable service offered a dramatization of events surrounding the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Originally telecast on December 8, 2002, Live From Baghdad recounted the efforts by the CNN network to be first on the scene when hostilities broke out in the Gulf in late 1990. Inaugurating round-the-clock coverage of the warfare with the invasion of Kuwait, dauntless CNN producers Robert Wiener (Michael Keaton) and Ingrid Formanek (Helena Bonham Carter), aided and abetted by on-the-scene reporters Bernard Shaw (Robert Wisdom), Peter Arnett (Bruce McGill), and John Holliman (John Carroll Lynch), among many others, represented the only American news service on the scene during the first night of bombing on January 16, 1991. Not only does Live From Baghdad celebrate the heroism (and meticulous fairness) of the CNN crew, but it also vividly demonstrates how a tiny but tenacious basic cable channel managed to out-scoop the Big Three networks, thereby becoming one of the most powerful and influential journalistic forces in the world. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Drew's sprained--uh--organ has completely healed, so now the time has finally come for Drew (Drew Carey) and Kate (Christa Miller) to have sex. Just before the Main Event, Kate stumbles onto a meeting of the "Been Dumped by Kate Club", a support group consisting of all her ex-boyfriends. Worried that she'll "ruin" Drew as she has so many other lovers, Kate calls the Big Night off--but won't give him the real reason why. In another development, Drew is forced to drive Mimi (Kathy Kinney) to a fertility clinic when Steve is called out of town. No one should be surprised that this episode concludes with a splashy (and Emmy-nominated!) production number--not to mention a startling plot twist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season Six of The Drew Carey Show opens with the title character (played, naturally, by Drew Carey losing his job at Cleveland's Winfred-Louder department store and ending up slinging hash at his former high school's cafeteria--and despite this enormous setback, our hero is bound and determined to propose marriage to his longtime friend Kate (Christa Miller). Unfortunately, Drew is sidetracked into a sham "gay" marriage with his Winfred-Louder boss Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson), who must be hitched in a hurry lest he be deported to his native England. Despite his marital status, Drew still finds time to date a vegetarian activist named Rachel (Ileana Douglas)--whom is promplty "corrupted" by Drew's friends Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and transformed into a meat addict! Former recurring player John Carroll Lynch is promoted to full-scale regular in the role of Drew's transvestite brother Steve, now also the husband of Drew's mortal enemy (and reluctant next-door neighbor) Mimi (Kathy Kinney), who in the course of events becomes pregnant. This plot development figures prominently in a bizarre three-part story arc wherein Drew, rendered comatose in an accident and hovering between life and death, finds he prefers the Next World to This One--and while trekking Heavenward, he profoundly alters the future of Mimi's yet-unborn baby Gus. As a postscript, Drew returns to life only to discover that he's been declared legally dead, inspiring him to re-invent himself as a "born to be wild" cycle freak named Kyle! Upholding the tradition of past years, Season Six offers the second "Drew Live" episode (originally telecast live by ABC, in three different versions for the three main timezones) and the fourth and final error-ridden "What's Wrong With This Episode". And in a wacko plot twist that would not be resolved until the following Autumn, Season Six concludes as Mimi literally drives Drew insane and into a mental institution! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just as they are about to have sex for the very first time, Kate (Christa Miller) and Drew (Drew Carey) get into a huge argument. Figuring that there is too much pressure on both of them to perform, the couple subsequently works overtime to be "spontaneous". Alas, this strategy is scuttled thanks to the omnipresence of Drew's pet dog Speedy. And if that wasn't bad enough, Drew manages to trip over Speedy and sprain his...well, let's just say he sprains a Vital Organ. Meanwhile, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) becomes so emotionally overwrought while taking hormones to get pregnant that she can't even work up a good insult. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Kate (Christa Miller) complains that Drew (Drew Carey) is spoiling his dog Speedy, the mutt responds by turning hostile towards Kate--and by biting Oswald's supervisor on the eve of a job evaluation. Dr. Kelly (Bari Hochwald), DrugCo's resident animal psychologist, declares that Drew has triggered an emotional tug of war between Speedy and Kate. It soon develops that only way Drew can keep both his dog and his girlfriend under control is by arming himself with a squirt gun! Meanwhile, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) and Steve (John Carroll Lynch) go to great and ridiculous lengths to have a baby. This episode was directed by series regular Ryan Stiles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although Drew (Drew Carey), Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles) are all still dating Tracy (Diane Farr), Drew isn't getting as much time with her as his friends. At Kate's suggestion, Drew arranges a boy-girl pajama party at his home, replete with sexy Winfred-Louder catalogue models, then invites Oswald and Lewis, with the intention of sneaking out and visiting Tracy in the course of the evening Alas, Cleveland is hit with a heavy snowstorm, leaving all of the guys alone and dateless--whereupon Oswald and Lewis plot an elaborate "swing dancing" revenge against Drew. Elswhere, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) holds a phony business seminar which has curious consequences for both Kate (Christa Miller) and Drew's cross-dressing brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A victim of cutbacks at Winfred-Louder, cross-dressing Steve (John Carroll Lynch) decides to move in with brother Drew (Drew Carey) during his layoff. When Mimi (Kathy Kinney) happens to see Steve without his female drag, she is instantly attracted to him. Drew is disgusted by this turn of events, but not nearly as disgusted as Mimi when Steve adamantly refuses to appear in public without women's clothes. The ensuing temper tantrums and screming sessions are halted only when Steve issues an ultimatum to Drew and Mimi--one which may change the whole course of The Drew Carey Show, at least until the end of the episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast in September of 1999, the opening episode of The Drew Carey Show's fifth season vividly reflects the paranoia surrounding "Y2K"--specifically, the then-prevalent belief that virtually every computer in the world would automatically crash on January 1, 2000. After a Y2K dry-run goes awry at Winfred-Louder, Drew (Drew Carey) consults with the store's resident computer geek Hal (Dean Stockwell), who dolefully warns our hero that an even more devastating disaster is sure to take palce on New Year's Day. In a panic, Drew talks his current girlfriend Sharon (Jenica Bergere) into building a fully-stocked shelter for himself and the gang--but Sharon isn't so eager to do so when a Drew's true feelings toward Kate (Christa Miller) are accidentally revealed. Elsewhere, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) is hounded by a hero-worshipping little person named Doreen (Debbie Lee Carrington), who transforms herself into "Mini-Mimi"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Much of this episode is filmed on location at Cleveland Browns Stadium, where the "new" Browns are poised to begin their freshman football season. Steve (John Carroll Lynch) wins two tickets to the sold-out first game, but since he's angry at Drew (Drew Carey) he invites Mimi (Kathy Kinney) instead. Sharon (Jenica Bergere) offers Drew the use of her big-screen TV to watch the game, but curiously will not be present to watch along with him. Thanks to suspicions fueled by Mimi, Drew becomes convinced that Sharon is cheating on him. Meanwhile, Lewis (Ryan Stiles) hatches a scheme for the gang to sneak into the game by hiding in a row of porta-potties. The episode's finale offers a Big Revelation, beamed out to each and every Browns fan via the stadium's jumbotron! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide