7 Movie Stars Who Flopped On TV

1. Paul Giamatti - Hoke

2014's Hoke didn't make it past pilot stage. This wasn't merely a crying shame but a low down dirty one to boot, and I'll tell you why. Hoke Moseley was the invention of writer Charles Willeford and appeared in books with such great titles as New Hope For The Dead. Fred Ward played the shambling, seemingly redundant enforcer with an ex-wife and false teeth in Miami Blues, though Alec Baldwin's Hare Krishna-killing psychopath was the star of that movie. Giamatti would have made a great Moseley, short of stature but big on sleazy charisma. Alas, FX opted not to hand the actor his badge. Reluctantly I have to concede this potentially brilliant development turned out to be a big fat flop. Thankfully he's had enough good fortune on TV before: Presidential miniseries John Adams caught award fever, and he squeezed in a guest appearance for British behemoth Downton Abbey.
Contributor
Contributor

I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.