Memphis Beat
Encyclopedia
Memphis Beat is an American
drama
series that debuted on TNT on June 22, 2010 and ended on August 16, 2011. Memphis Beat was officially canceled on October 14, 2011.
), a police detective assigned to the General Assignment division of the MPD
, who loves his mother, the blues, his city, and Elvis Presley
and calls himself "the keeper of Memphis
". His fierce dedication to his home town is offset by his easygoing approach to his job, an attitude that irks by-the-book Lt. Tanya Rice (Alfre Woodard
), his new boss.
The title Delta Blues was originally considered, but it was eventually changed to Memphis Beat. The show was created by married couple Josh Harto and Liz Garcia, with actor George Clooney
and his production partner writer/actor/director Grant Heslov
serving as executive producers. Harto and Garcia wrote the first two episodes of the series. Liz Garcia said of the show, "Broadcast TV is being influenced by cable in so many ways in terms of reinventing genres and taking chances, and this is part of it. [...] The forefront of creativity is on cable TV."
Despite the show's setting, the first season was primarily filmed in Laplace, LA and New Orleans, LA with only some key locations and exteriors filmed in Memphis. This has largely been attributed to the better tax incentives by filming in a state other than Tennessee
.
On September 16, 2010, TNT announced that Memphis Beat was renewed for a second season, the first episode of which was broadcast June 14, 2011.
On October 17, 2011, TNT decided not to pick up a third season of Memphis Beat.
. The New York Times said of the pilot episode "This series is to Memphis what the HBO series “Treme” is to New Orleans and “Justified” on FX is to Harlan County in Kentucky — timeless indigenous music is set against the exoticism of temporal subcultures. The New York Daily News
gave another positive review saying that "TNT's new "Memphis Beat" has a great soundtrack and a pretty good cop drama in between.". The Hollywood Reporter
also gave the pilot a positive review:
Television in the United States
Television is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-nine percent of American households have at least one television and the majority of households have more than one...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
series that debuted on TNT on June 22, 2010 and ended on August 16, 2011. Memphis Beat was officially canceled on October 14, 2011.
Overview
The show follows Dwight Hendricks (Jason LeeJason Lee (actor)
Jason Michael Lee is an American actor and skateboarder known for his role as the title character on the NBC television series My Name is Earl, his portrayal of Syndrome in the film The Incredibles, his role as Dave Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and his work with director Kevin...
), a police detective assigned to the General Assignment division of the MPD
Memphis Police Department
The Memphis Police Department is the law enforcement agency of the City of Memphis, Tennessee.-Administrative Services:Provides services that enable the other programs to effectively respond to service calls...
, who loves his mother, the blues, his city, and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and calls himself "the keeper of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
". His fierce dedication to his home town is offset by his easygoing approach to his job, an attitude that irks by-the-book Lt. Tanya Rice (Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
), his new boss.
Cast
- Jason LeeJason Lee (actor)Jason Michael Lee is an American actor and skateboarder known for his role as the title character on the NBC television series My Name is Earl, his portrayal of Syndrome in the film The Incredibles, his role as Dave Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and his work with director Kevin...
as Detective Dwight Hendricks - Alfre WoodardAlfre WoodardAlfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
as Lieutenant Tanya Rice - Sam HenningsSam HenningsSam Hennings is an American actor with German, English and Scotch-Irish ancestry. Hennings was born in Macon, Georgia, United States and spent most of his youth in Athens, Georgia...
as Detective Charles “Whitehead” White - DJ Qualls as Police Officer Davey Sutton
- Celia WestonCelia WestonCelia Weston is an American actress of stage, film and television, and a character actress. Professionally, she may be best known for her role as Jolene Hunnicutt on Alice.-Life and career:...
as Paula Ann Hendricks - Leonard Earl Howze as Detective Reginald Greenback
- Abraham BenrubiAbraham BenrubiAbraham Rubin Hercules Benrubi is an American character actor known for his appearances as Jerry Markovic on the long-running U.S...
as Sgt. JC Lightfoot
Production
Jason Lee said he was drawn to the show because the concept was original and the protagonist was fun to play. Lee said, "The whole package was unique and once I came to found the character and the material and the scenarios and his relationships and he’s such a great guy and is so multi-layered and cares such a great deal for his city and his family and the people that he’s protecting." Lee listened to hundreds of Presley songs in preparation for the role, and said his respect for the artist grew as a result. The vocals for Lee's character are sung by Mark Arnell.The title Delta Blues was originally considered, but it was eventually changed to Memphis Beat. The show was created by married couple Josh Harto and Liz Garcia, with actor George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
and his production partner writer/actor/director Grant Heslov
Grant Heslov
Grant Heslov is an American actor, film producer, screenwriter and director.-Early life:Heslov was born in Los Angeles, into a Jewish family and was raised in the Palos Verdes area of Los Angeles. He attended Palos Verdes High School, the University of Southern California along with friend Tate...
serving as executive producers. Harto and Garcia wrote the first two episodes of the series. Liz Garcia said of the show, "Broadcast TV is being influenced by cable in so many ways in terms of reinventing genres and taking chances, and this is part of it. [...] The forefront of creativity is on cable TV."
Despite the show's setting, the first season was primarily filmed in Laplace, LA and New Orleans, LA with only some key locations and exteriors filmed in Memphis. This has largely been attributed to the better tax incentives by filming in a state other than Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
On September 16, 2010, TNT announced that Memphis Beat was renewed for a second season, the first episode of which was broadcast June 14, 2011.
On October 17, 2011, TNT decided not to pick up a third season of Memphis Beat.
Critical Reception
Memphis Beat has received mixed to average reviews, earning a score of 56 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The New York Times said of the pilot episode "This series is to Memphis what the HBO series “Treme” is to New Orleans and “Justified” on FX is to Harlan County in Kentucky — timeless indigenous music is set against the exoticism of temporal subcultures. The New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
gave another positive review saying that "TNT's new "Memphis Beat" has a great soundtrack and a pretty good cop drama in between.". The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
also gave the pilot a positive review:
But even as the cop genre seems beyond saturation, along comes TNT's Memphis Beat, a series with a fresh character in a fresh environment with a fresh look and sound that proves, against all odds, that good actors and agile execution trump format every time.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Actor | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award An NAACP Image Award is an accolade presented by the American National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature.... |
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:*Most Wins**Loretta Devine & S. Epatha Merkerson- has three wins*Most Nominations**1. S. Epatha Merkerson- 6 nominations**2. Pam Grier- 5 nominations... |
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss... |
|
| 2011 | NAMIC Vision Awards | Best Performance - Drama | Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss... |
|
| 2011 | Gracie Allen Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series | Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss... |
International broadcasting
| Country | Network | Series Premiere |
|---|---|---|
| Super Channel | September 9, 2010 | |
| CNBC-e CNBC-e CNBC-e is a hybrid business/financial and entertainment channel operated in Turkey by CNBC Europe and the NTV Group.The channel shares its name with a co-owned magazine about CNBC-e.... |
September 23, 2010 | |
| AXN AXN AXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America... |
November 25, 2010 | |
| Viasat 4 Viasat 4 Viasat 4 is a television channel broadcasting to Norway owned by the Modern Times Group. The channel was launched on 8th September 2007, a week after the launch of the digital terrestrial television network in Norway, replacing ZTV which ceased broadcasting shortly before.The channel opened with... |
April 11, 2011 | |
| Mnet Series MNET Series MNET Series is a television channel which is part of the popular South African satellite television network, DStv. This channel broadcasts television series 24 hours a day to viewers in Africa. Most of the programmes broadcast are unique to MNET Series but some are re-broadcasts of episodes... |
April 27, 2011 | |
| AXN AXN AXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America... |
June 23, 2011 | |
| TV Puls TV Puls TV Puls is a Polish commercial television channel, which was based on Telewizja Niepokalanów with the support of companies such as PKN Orlen, KGHM Polska Miedź, PZU Życie, Prokom and which started broadcasting in March 2001. Due to financial problems, ended broadcasting on April 1, 2003... |
September 5, 2011 | |
| LTV 7 | September 30, 2011 | |
| HOT3 | 2011 | |
| MTV3 MTV3 MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials... |
October 6, 2011 | |