Whoever asked the question “What’s in a name?” had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. Names mean a hell of a lot; in television they can tell us almost instantly whether or not a project is worth our time. Sometimes it takes a truly outrageous name to capture out attention, and get us to sign on to a series. Kevin Bacon seems to realize this, as his next TV role has one of the most ridiculous titles in recent memory: I Love Dick.
Yeah, you read that right; Kevin Bacon’s next TV project is called I Love Dick. Based on a new report from Deadline, it seems that Kevin Bacon has finally signed on to the upcoming Amazon pilot I Love Dick after lengthy negotiations. The series centers on a dysfunctional Texas couple struggling to hold their marriage together. Through their trials and tribulations, they eventually make the acquaintance of an oddly magnetic professor named Dick (Bacon), who piques both of their interests. The pilot is based upon a 1997 novel of the same name and will premiere on Amazon’s streaming service.
Despite the relatively small amount of concrete information we have about I Love Dick, I can think of few other actors who could embody the weirdness of the project better than Kevin Bacon. The Footloose star has fostered an entire career off of his ability to inhabit odd yet charismatic characters, ranging from the wickedly villainous to the humorously benign. His take on Dick sounds like it requires a balance between gravitas and raw repugnance, two qualities he has in spades.
It’s also worth noting that it makes a great deal of sense that Kevin Bacon would have no qualms about signing on to a project with a title as provocative as I Love Dick. Although there appears to be nothing specifically phallic about the pilot itself, the actor has made it abundantly clear that he wants to see a less repressed attitude towards sexuality and overall edgy content in the film industry. All you have to do is watch his video campaigning for more onscreen penises in movies to see that the man relishes his slightly weird reputation as an actor.
Of course, aside from its absurd title, I Love Dick does sound like a keeper of a series. Between its intriguing concept, its strong cast – which includes actress Kathryn Hahn, in addition to Kevin Bacon – its utterly bizarre Rashomon-style point-of-view format, and its wonderfully phallic title, I Love Dick might turn out to be one of the best streaming series of the near future.
We will keep you up to date regarding any and all pertinent information related to I Love Dick as it becomes available to us. For news concerning other major upcoming TV series, be sure to check out our summer TV schedule for more.
