Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Information Page

Chris Hardwick a.k.a. The Nerdist

2011-12-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

David Tennant and Chris Hardwick from The Nerdist.com

American comedian Chris Hardwick conducted an interview with actor David Tennant for BBC America, and released a one-hour interview between them on his website, Nerdist.com. In the interview, Tennant made brief mentions of the 2010NBC Universal/BermanBraun pilot, "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer."

Tennant explained how he missed the opportunity to be in the 2010 John Landis film, "Burke & Hare," with actor Simon Pegg as William Burke (Andy Serkis replaced Tennant in the role of William Hare):

[49:50 in] - "We were due to do a film together, but I... because of that pilot we were talking about earlier, I got-- the dates got all messed up and we never got to work together, which was a real disappointment."

"Fright Night" Holiday Greetings

2011-12-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

Note: the above poster is the modified English version (North American and U.K.) of the Craig Gillespie-directed film, "Fright Night" (2011). Click on the following links for the Russian version (Дэвид Теннант "Ночь страха" or "The Night of Fear"), the Spanish version ("Noche de Miedo"), the Italian version ("Il Vampiro della Porta Accanto") and the French version. [Note that the French version (Poster #3) has "Fright Night" in the corner but actually goes by the title, "Vampire, vous avez dit vampire?"] In Romania, the film is called "Noapte de Groază." In the Ukraine, "Fright Night" is "Нічка жахів." In Japanese, it's "フライトナイト" and David Tennant (デヴィッド・テナント) is Peter Vincent (ピータービンセント).

In the 2011 remake of the '80s classic film "Fright Night," David Tennant plays Peter Vincent, a Las Vegas stage magician who helps Charlie Brewster to uncover and conquer the vampire who is out to silence him.

The "Fright Night" trailer first debuted in U.S. movie theaters ahead of the film "Priest" in Spring 2011. The 3-D film is due out on August 19, 2011 in the U.S. and September 2nd in the U.K.

"Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" Photos

2011-12-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

Please help! I'm looking for a scan of the cover art for the "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" NBC-TV Publicity DVD, released in 2010, and a scan of the DVD itself. I do not need or want the actual item, just a scan of the paper sleeve!

Feel free to visit the "Rex" gallery on Picasa!

Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Information Page

"Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" Show Information

2011-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Got questions about "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer"? Well, we have answers...

What was "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer"? "Rex" was a pilot produced by BermanBraun / Universal Media / NBC-TV. It starred Scottish actor David Tennant (a.k.a. the 10th Doctor on the popular BBC One science-fiction television series, "Doctor Who"). Tennant played Rex Alexander, a lawyer with anxiety issues who finds himself unable to speak in court after a series of panic attacks, and so he must coach his clients to defend themselves. The pilot script was accepted by BermanBraun and bought by NBC in early 2007 in a "first-look" deal with the writers, David Lampson and Andrew Leeds. It was delayed at least twice in pre-production (once by the Writers' Strike of 2007, and due to a rejection in 2008), and was finally shot in December 2009. However, instead of airing "Rex" on the Fall 2010 lineup, NBC Universal opted for Jimmy Smits' "Outlaw"... a show which aired only three episodes before its cancellation.

Where can I watch "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer?" You can't. This 43-minute pilot is not available for viewing or purchase, nor is it online as a torrent. BE WARNED: TORRENT SITES THAT SAY THEY HAVE IT ARE LYING. (see "Torrent Warning" post).

Is the pilot anywhere online? Not in its entirety, but if you would like to watch a 1:20 clip of "Rex," check out the clip on YouTube (above). PLEASE bear in mind that this clip was originally uploaded to blip.tv by Lindsay Kraft's agent as an example of her acting skills, not one that particularly showcases those of David Tennant. (Quite frankly, David has much better scenes elsewhere in the episode, such as the anxiety attack scenes. After those scenes were shot, everyone on the set from the crew to the extras applauded his efforts, even though almost nobody had any idea who he was or knew that he wasn't an American.)
Isn't there anything else from the show out there? Aside from a few seconds of the pilot that were included in Sam Carson's acting reel, no. But I did recreate the golf course scene between the characters of Rex and Bruce, using the script as a guide and utilizing photos from Zimbio.com and audio from two audition tapes. American actor Joe Mangianello ("How I Met Your Mother") and Irish actor Emmett J. Scanlan ("Charlie Casanova," "The Phone") were two of the men who submitted audition tapes for the part of Rex in 2009, and they later posted their tapes online. The golf course scene was filmed in Palos Verdes, California at Trump Golf Course in mid-December 2009. The first half of the scene between David Tennant and Jerry O'Connell was shot in a golf cart; the second half of the scene was edited out of the final version of the pilot altogether.

Where was the pilot shot? In and around Los Angeles, California. The setting of the show was intended to be Chicago, Illinois (according to the script), but in the "Rex" clip that is now online, the hotel where Rex lives reads "Wilshire Regal Hotel"which suggests that the show's setting had been changed to Los Angeles. The Hilton Checkers was used as the Wilshire Regal setting, and its logo has been digitally removed and replaced by Stargate Studios.

When was (or is) the"Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" air date? The pilot episode was never shown on television, and it may never air. Pilots are merely prototypes, and random pilot episodes almost never see the light of day after a full series is rejected by a network. Nor will "Rex" be made available for purchase as a download or a DVD; its only release was as a publicity DVD that was distributed to various media sources and critics (with a warning that it was not to be used for critical review). A photo of other NBC publicity DVDs--for "Undercovers," "Outlaw," "Outsourced" and "Chase"--can be viewed here. I've also seen DVDs for "The Biggest Loser" and "School Pride" that were created in the same "More Colorful" NBC-TV 2010 campaign style.

What happened to the show? NBC-TV decided to pass on "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer." During the making of the pilot in December 2009, the production team at the time hinted that (with network approval) the show could have been up and running in a matter of weeks. At the TCAs in January 2010, it was mentioned that "Rex" might be "fast-tracked" to appear as a mid-season replacement, then it was considered for the Fall... then silence. There was never an official NBC rejection in a press release--only its absence from the network's schedule. Media sources speculated that the show could have done well in a Thursday night time slot, however at the end of the pilot, the voiceover gave the date as "September 24, 2010," indicating that this was probably planned as a Friday night program by NBC.

Are you SURE "Rex" is not going to be produced? Someone at Spoilertv.com posted a question on Fancast.com, asking if David Tennant said anything about "Rex" during the Emmy awards (he made an appearance on the red carpet and was an audience member). The reply from Spoilertv.com was: "I did ask about ‘Rex’ – which last I heard was being eyed by USA Network after NBC opted not to order the series – and Tennant confirmed what we sorta knew: It’s truly and sincerely dead. Shame, too – in addition to the former Doctor Who, ‘Rex’ also starred ‘Mad Men’ schoolteach Abigail Spencer."

When were your YouTube video and photos taken? Per an online request, and because I live less than ten minutes from downtown Los Angeles, I went to the Hope Street Base Camp on December 5, 2009. About a week later, during another trip into the city to go ice skating at Pershing Square, I stopped across the street from the Hilton Checkers and got a few photos of production equipment (they were re-shooting a scene on the roof that had previously been rained out), and took a few shots of David Tennant leaving the hotel:

Are there official publicity photos anywhere? Sadly, there are an untold number of "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" publicity photos--like the ones used for the covers of the 2011 NBC Publicity DVDs--that are currently stored in the NBC Universal photo library. They will never be made accessible to the general public. I requested, but was not permitted to purchase, one of these photos for the "Rex Is Not Your TV Show" e-book cover... hence the reason I used one of my own photographs.

"Daredevil" Comics

2011-10-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

It seems that #4 of the "Daredevil" comic series is taking a page from "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer"--hero Matt Murdock is coaching clients to defend themselves in court. For those who liked the concept of a lawyer unable to represent others in a court of law, and who must rely upon their clients' own abilities to win a case, this makes for an ideal comic read. (And for those who just want "Rex"/David Tennant inspired fanfic, click here.)

Written by Marc Waid and edited by Stephen Wacker, the #4 edition of "Daredevil" was released September 21, 2011 from Marvel Universe.

"Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" Torrent Warnings

2011-08-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

When you do a torrent search for "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" through a search engine, you are given thousands of options... all of them are fake. I've been researching this TV show for two years now, and I know that "Rex" IS NOT online a torrent! (Although if anyone has a legitimate link, feel free to prove me wrong!)

The results that come up (usually under "sponsored sites" or "external sites/links") will have listings like this:

- Free Version Rex Is Not Your Lawyer

- Rex Is Not Your Lawyer [FullVersion] (or "Full Version")

- Rex Is Not Your Lawyer - Fast Download (or "Free Download")

- Rex Is Not Your Lawyer (2010), [2011]

- NEW / TRUSTED / HIGHSPEED / COMPLETE / STREAMING, etc.

Beware! These are all IDENTICAL RESULTS generated by software, often listed under a "Sponsored Links" section at the top of a page, and are NOT actual listings! Each alleged listing in that section is automatically generated by the site's software. Those titles are posted on parent sites, and are then passed down to child/mirror sites. Then, to complicate things, other torrent sites pick up the bogus titles from there.

Another dangerous scam is to get you to sign up with a website that has its own torrent software. Then you're told that you can download TV shows, movies and games (using programs such as "FAST download on Ares" or "MediaGet"). At best, these are efforts to get your credit card information; at worst, you could download dangerous torrent software onto your computer, installing a program that might bombard you with phishing scams, pornography or even corrupt and crash your entire system.

Simply put, there are a LOT of torrents on the internet that can be downloaded for free (albeit illegally). If you pay someone for a torrent, then you're getting scammed.

Don't be fooled, and don't sacrifice your safety and the security of your computer looking for something that isn't out there!

"Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" Mentions in the Media

2011-05-07T02:19:00.000-07:00

David Tennant wrapped up his filming for the remake of "Fright Night" at Albuquerque Studios in New Mexico, left the States on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010, and participated in a number of television and radio interviews to promote BBC One's "Single Father" after returning to his home in London.

In one of the interviews, a prominent mentions of "Rex" was made during the "The Richard Bacon Show" on BBC Radio 5:

RB: Just very quickly, David. Before you go. You've made a pilot in America, didn't you? For, I think, it's called "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer," which didn't get picked up. I saw an interview in the Radio Times where you're talking about that. Most pilots don't get picked up in America. It's a strange and expensive system that they have. Do you want to make it in America? Is that, is that your plan? Do you want to make a TV series in America?

DT: Em, well... when that didn't happen, I made some films there instead. So I, I, I... you know... I don't really, I don't really think that tactic. I just kind of go wherever the next interesting project comes from.

RB: It's not put you off making, say, another pilot for another American television series?

DT: I think it was interesting to see how that network television situation in America works, and I would go into any other situation with the knowledge I... gained.

[At this point, David Morrissey, seated beside him in the studio, gave him the "thumbs up"]

DT: I have to be very, you know, I have to be very careful (laughing) of what you say!
RB: Do you think they promised you a lot and gave you an impression of what might happen and so--

DT: No, no, no. No, it's just, it's a funny world. It's a funny world.

RB: Okay, I understand why you're being careful and diplomatic.

And the topic of "Rex" also came up on "The Graham Norton Show" on BBC Radio 2 (Saturday, October 9, 2010):

Graham Norton: [We've got emails from] People who saw your pilot, "Rex"--

David Tennant: Really?!?

GN: All going, "Tell him it was really good--"

DT: Ah!

GN: "There were just too many law shows on, and..."

DT: Oh, well. Yea!

GN: Very kind of industry, kind of--

DT: Very industry. Very insider.

GN: Yea!

DT: You're not supposed to see that. I'm sure it's in a safe at NBC somewhere. I think you get shot if you try and get that out.

GN: Well, maybe that's why they're anonymous. Here's one's called "Joanne." Start looking for her now, NBC.

DT: (laughs)

GN: You could do, you could do another show about looking for people who've seen the pilot.

DT: Yes! Yes, like "Bounty Hunter" for pilot leaks.

Although the NBC Boards once had a thread for "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" under "Fall Preview and Upcoming Shows," all mention of the show been wiped clean from both that thread and from the site's search engines. Sadly, and rather oddly, there is no "Rex" thread even in the NBC Primetime Vault.

The only area at NBC.com where "Rex" exists is on the NBC Help Desk, which has left a few posts up in the myNBC Community section. The few fan comments that remain from 2010 run along the lines of, "To hell with this, I'm back to watching UK television. The TV execs in my own country are far too frustrating" and "I really was hoping that it would get picked up. I love David Tennant, and would have watched it. There is not much I really watch on NBC anymore."

Admittedly, there is growing public frustration with the techniques used by network television--not just at NBC, but towards all the major networks. As one viewer remarked, "How long is a season now? Four months? It seems reruns start earlier every year. Most shows get canceled, regardless if we like it or not. The plug is pulled sooner than in years past. I honestly see no reason to get hooked on a show anymore. Networks spend endless hours running promos and for what? It usually does no good. If those all important "Nielsen" numbers don't do it, the execs ax the shows. They say advertising revenue is down, so in the past 10 years, we have seen an increase in commercials per hour. This does little but frustrate viewers. I don't understand how the network bosses think. What do they expect? They want huge ratings, but are also destroying the prime time experience with too many commercials, not to mention all the promos we have to sit through for other shows. Can't forget the [network] logo on our screens all the time, too, reminding us of other shows coming on. It's just plain bad, execs, and it's not getting any better.

In a May 7, 2011 article in the Belfast Telegraph, American actor Jerry O'Connell ["Stand By Me," "Sliders"] complimented his co-star David Tennant: "Man, he is great. He's just really good at what he does. It's funny, we both played lawyers in the show that we did. To be honest I stole a lot of stuff that I'm doing in my show [The Defenders" on CBS-TV] from watching him."

However, the article mistakenly labeled Tennant as a co-star in the current CBS show, which he is not. Roger Crow remarked on Twitter, "I wrote the original piece. They interpreted it wrong. O Connell was inspired by tennants work on Rex."

David Tennant Rumor Control

2011-04-20T18:46:00.001-07:00

Someone asked: "Wonder if you've heard anything about the reason behind Rex not being picked up? Some fans were speculating DT told NBC he was no longer interested, the week before Upfronts, which imo seems unlikely, but maybe possible?"

In a word? No. Those are fan rumors trying to find an excuse or blame someone for why the show didn't get picked up. Tennant was contractually obligated to "Rex" and had to follow through no matter what; in fact, that obligation led to him turning down the lead role in "Burke & Hare" and altered his plans for appearing in "The Retreat." The real reason for "Rex" being dismissed was due to the glut of new legal shows hitting the air on several different networks this fall--something reinforced recently by an E! article, "Crime Wave Sweeps NBC's Fall Lineup in Undercovers, Chase, Outlaw & LOLA." It pretty much came to a showdown between "Rex" and "Outlaw," and NBC went with the Jimmy Smits show... which lasted three episodes before being taken off the air.

Tennant auditioned and signed contracts for both "Rex" and "Burke & Hare" in late Summer/early Fall of 2009. If NBC had stuck by its original plans to put "Rex" on in Fall 2010, there would have been plenty of time for Tennant to shoot the pilot in December 2009, go to the U.K. to complete "Burke & Hare," and then return to Los Angeles to start on "Rex" six weeks later. However, the network altered its plans; NBC-TV played with, then abandoned, the idea to "fast-track" the show--which would have meant showing "Rex" in Spring or Summer 2010, with filming to commence in January 2010. Thus, Tennant was forced to withdraw from "Burke & Hare" due to the unexpected scheduling conflict, even though (as things turned out) he could have appeaered in "Burke & Hare" without a problem.

To cover any other rumors...

1. The new "Hulk" film - NO, David Tennant is NOT going to be The Hulk/Bruce Banner, and by all indications was never seriously in contention for that role--it was announced at Comic Con 2010 that the role would go to Mark Ruffalo);

2. The new "Batman" film - NO, David Tennant is NOT going to be The Riddler--he was never seriously in contention for that one, either, and that part is allegedly going to Benjamin Ciaramello;

3. "Love on the Murder Mile" - "Love on the Murder Mile" has been in the early pre-production stage for years, and there has been no indication that David Tennant has even signed a contract to act in it--there was only the initial journalistic hype (hope?) of the film reuniting Tennant and Billie Piper back in 2009. The project was then slated to be directed by Laurence Fox, husband of Billie Piper, and produced by Robin Fox, Laurence's brother.

There is news that the production will be filmed this summer, however there is no confirmation as to the cast list. Tennant is committed to perform in "Much Ado About Nothing" this summer, and there is no word on what his schedule will or will not allow him to act in over the next several months. So at this point, NO, David Tennant is NOT going to be in "Love on the Murder Mile."

This intended motion picture version was based on a 2007 comedy short titled "Love On The Murder Mile," which was made for "Film 4" and directed by Douglas Hodge. One of the actresses in the 2007 production was Lily Cole, who played Polly in "St. Trinian's." Other crew members on the project were Sam Fox (Producer), Simon Bysshe (Second Boom/Assistant), Ben Smithard (D.O.P.), Charles E. Northam (A.D.) and Jamie Gambell (Sound Mixer);

4. "Doctor Who: The Movie" - NO, David Tennant is NOT going to be The Doctor in a motion picture. Rumors have circulated about "Doctor Who: The Movie" for years, with the most recent rumor having The Doctor played by Johnny Depp. However, the BBC insists there are no such movie plans in existence;

5. "Cheerful Weather for the Wedding" - NO, David Tennant is NOT in this film, either. The film script, directed by Donald Rice (who wrote and directed the short film "Traffic Warden" with Tennant in 2004), was based on a 1932 novel by Julia Strachey. InBaseLine put the alleged release date as "2010," however some online reports mentioned this was a possible role for Tennant as far back as 2006 (Screen Daily), or as something to be shot "in the spring" after Tennant's run in "Doctor Who." It never happened. Sinead Cusack, Emily Blunt and Tennant were a few of the names that various internet sources linked to this potential project. IndieWire.com reported, "shooting is underway... [with] Luke Treadway, Felicity Jones, Mackenzie Crook and Elizabeth McGovern." The production was shooting as of December 2010 in Wiltshire, and should have a theatrical release in 2011.