Steal This Actor: Jason Dohring

I'll be honest: I hadn't intended to watch Lie to Me on Monday. After watching an episode of the show earlier this year, I found the cases of international lying-liar expert Cal Lightman to be inoffensive, but generally uncompelling. Since we're in the summer tv doldrums, though, I left it on the other night, where it was working primarily as a dispenser of white noise. And then I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey," I thought. "I recognize that obligatory psychotic jackass."



And yes, as fans of Veronica Mars must already know, it was Jason Dohring, best known for his work as OPJ Logan Echolls on that show. Suddenly, I was compelled to keep watching. Sure, I let my attention wander during a snoozy UFO subplot. But anytime Jason Dohring was on screen, I had laser focus.

Dohring played a charming grad student who shook Lightman's credibility as a human lie detector by misleading the face-reading expert not once, but twice. Lightman took him at once for a psychopath and, remembering a recent missing persons case, set out to prove that Dohring's character was involved. This gave Dohring many opportunities to be charismatic and/or menacing. It's a good look for him.

After the episode, I found I was not alone in my realization that the public needed to see a lot more of Dohring. Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog beat me to the punch by a few days. So now the question is, where should Dohring pop up? I considered some prospects, sticking to drama as I think Dohring brooding is essential, and comedies aren't going to allow that—whereas a good drama could certainly let him have some comedic moments.

True Blood
Pitch: Dohring plays a vampire! (Again.)
Analysis: It seems like there's always room for more hot men in Bon Temps. Still, I'm having trouble figuring out where to place him. He doesn't seem to fit any of the vampires in Charlaine Harris's books, and the showrunners seem to be mostly sticking to the characters she originated, even if they take them in new directions.

House
Pitch: Paging Dr. Dohring!
Analysis: He could handle Patient of the Week, no problem. Ideally, though, I'd really like to see him on a regular basis as a doctor at Princeton-Plainsboro. Some actors on House seem to only get a few minutes a week with anything substantial to do, however, which isn't enough for the talented Dohring.

Mad Men
Pitch: Dohring meets the 60's!
Analysis: A actor of Dohring's charm and charisma could certainly be convincing as a successful ad man. Is Sterling Cooper Draper Price hiring? Another case in which the ensemble might make it difficult for Dohring to get enough face time, though (quite shallowly) I would enjoy seeing him dressed in the fashion of Don Draper.

?????
Pitch: Dohring stars as an FBI Agent/Doctor/UFO Expert/Baker/Etc.!
Analysis: Here's what it boils down to—Jason Dohring can be the star, or co-star of his show. Strike that—I think he needs to be the star. The material doesn't even have to be that remarkable. It would sure help if it were, but he still did a great job on the so-so Moonlight, for example. The important part is that he needs a weekly vehicle with lots of time to ply his trade. I'd prefer something that gives him the opportunity to do some angst with a touch of crazy, as that is an area in which he excels, but I'm flexible as to the particulars.

Hollywood: Let's get on this.