After 7+ years of putting the undead out of everyone's misery on The Walking Dead, actress Lauren Cohan is jumping to broadcast TV in 2019 for the new series Whiskey Cavalier. Each new look at the slick and sexy caper dramedy cements its potential to be the first great show of the new year, and fans can check out one such new look below. In it, Cohan exudes all of the confidence of TWD's Maggie Greene, but with zero post-apocalyptic gloom.
As the unwavering CIA op Frankie "Fiery Tribune" Trawbridge, Lauren Cohan is perfectly suited to kick ass, take names and chew bubblegum all at the same time. As seen in the trailer, she's the most assuredly flawless person in the room 98% of the time, and is capable of making verbal and physical mincemeat out of those around her. That absolutely includes her anti-Casanova new partner, Will "Whiskey Cavalier" Chase, who is continuously having to contemplate Frankie's dangerously impulsive actions.
Scott Foley, who dealt with a fair share of no-holds-barred female characters during his run on Scandal, is a solid fit for Will Chase, since Foley always looks bemusedly content with being put in a tough spot. Audiences can expect to see plenty of those popping up in Whiskey Cavalier, which showed off a helicopter explosion, some fistfights, and a most awkward bedroom encounter between the lead characters.
Also along for the ride is Lauren Cohan's former Walking Dead co-star Tyler James Williams, who plays a rogue NSA analyst who has accumulated a wealth of highly classified information. I don't think we can consider his sexual tension assessment as coming from classified sources, though. He just calls 'em like he sees 'em, even if it means taking Frankie's sharp elbow to the chest.
The trailer below works as more of an introductory video, giving viewers the basic hook for both the narrative and the characters. Check out Whiskey Cavalier's super-team in action, noting there are some similarities between the promos.
To me, the editing makes this trailer feel like it's advertising a new movie, as opposed to an ABC series. Whiskey Cavalier does look like it had a suitable budget to pay for all the stunts and effects. (At least in the pilot.) That said, I'm not sure there's any amount of money that would convince Frankie to turn her faux marriage to Will into a real one, at least not this early in the show's run. Calling her "boo" might get somebody thrown out a bedroom window.
As was made pretty obvious by the promos, Whiskey Cavalier will mix up the spy caper and office comedy sub-genres, while sprinkling romantic undertones and overtones throughout. It takes just the right cast members to make such a tricky balance work, and it's easy to picture the show's tone getting derailed by a more limited-scope actress in Lauren Cohan's role. Thankfully, Cohan could play an alluringly determined badass in her sleep, so here's hoping the scripts can keep up with her.
While it's still unclear if or when Lauren Cohan could return to The Walking Dead after Maggie's initial exit, fans can find her on ABC for Whiskey Cavalier's series premiere, which airs on Wednesday, February 27, at 10:00 p.m. ET. To see what else is heading to the small screen in the near future, head to our midseason premiere schedule.
