Recent NCIS addition Gary Cole has given us plenty of memorable roles over the years. These days, he plays FBI Agent Alden Parker on the long-running criminal investigation series. But if he had to go back and pick a character from his past to reprise, which role would he choose? Spoiler alert—it’s not Reese Bobby from Talladega Nights.
And despite the place in pop culture that his infamous boss character Bill Lumbergh from Office Space has achieved, it’s not him either. Even though “that would be greaaat.” To our surprise, the NCIS star chose a little-known character from a short-lived TV series in the 1990s. It turns out it was a perfect choice, with Halloween right around the corner.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the NCIS star explained his choice.
“Sheriff Lucas Buck on American Gothic. We only did one season of it in 1995. It took place in a small South Carolina town called Trinity. It was a little bit after Twin Peaks came on, so it had that kind of flavor. There were demon elements and dark humor in a stylized way,” Cole told the outlet.
Let’s just say American Gothic saw Gary Cole play a slightly darker character than he does on NCIS. Sheriff Lucas Buck presided over the small South Carolina town with a set of powers he used to compel people into doing evil things. The show was short-lived but picked up a cult following over the years. Many feel that American Gothic was before its time and that Lucas Buck was one of the best villains they’ve ever seen.
McGee or Parker? Which Will Take the Lead on ‘NCIS’?
From the time Gary Cole was announced as an addition to the NCIS cast, fans suspected that he’d be stepping into Mark Harmon’s shoes. Harmon’s Gibbs did indeed make the tough decision to step away from his NCIS team earlier this season. Now, it appears as if Gary Cole’s Alden Parker is taking charge.
It was seemingly Timothy McGee’s (Sean Murray) job to lose, as he has been with the team since the beginning. But by his own admission, he doesn’t know if he’s cut out for the responsibility. At least, not in the same way Gibbs was.
“It was Gibbs that shot me. Twice. He put two bullets through me. It saved my life. It hurt like hell getting shot, but I can’t imagine what it felt like pulling the trigger. Who can do that? Could I do that?” McGee told Torres last episode.
McGee continued by telling Torres he just couldn’t bring himself to take the job because of his family responsibilities. McGee’s admission is no guarantee of Gary Cole’s Parker character taking the lead, but it leads us to believe Alden Parker will be the new team leader beyond the interim.
