Oscar Goldman wouldn't be happy

The news broke yesterday that Grey's Anatomy pariah and public relations Typhoid Mary, Isaiah Washington, will join the cast of NBC's new Bionic Woman for a number of episodes.

When I first heard about a remake of BW, I rolled my eyes and gave it little thought. However, when I learned that one of the masterminds behind Battlestar Galactica (David Eick) was involved, I decided to give it more consideration. Then, BSG's Starbuck, Katee Sackhoff, was cast as the "bad" bionic gal, and I was ready to start typing out B...I...O...N... on my Tivo season pass list.

Now I'm back in eye rolling mode. I know, one actor can't necessarily "make or break" your enjoyment of a show. And I'm not typically one to carry over the personal lives, political leanings and off screen shenanigans of actors into my appreciation of their craft. After all, Alec Baldwin is brilliant in just about everything he does and despite Tom Cruise's couch jumping lunacy and Xenu believing hysterics, I thought MI:3 was the best of the series. But Isaiah Washington is an arrogant, pompous blowhard who just doesn't know when to shut up. And when I seriously gave Grey's a chance before realizing that every single character was completely insufferable, I disliked his character intensely and didn't think his acting was anything to petition the Emmy voters for.

Why on earth would the powers that be decide to add this toxic PR nightmare to a show that's been gathering solid to good buzz for the last month or so? Hey, I'm all in favor of second chances, but doesn't it seem like there should be some type of "penance" first? Like having to do a silly Saturday night Sci-Fi movie where he plays a half-man/half-squirrel first? Or being the fourth lead on a Lifetime flick where Tori Spelling is being stalked?

Some people are taking the news worse than me. I can't blame them, really. I'll probably still check out the show for its production pedigree, my love for Katee and the character she'll be playing, and my affection for the original show (Jamie Sommers was one of my first "TV girlfriends." And Lindsay Wagner was considered for the role of Captain Janeway. How cool would that have been?). But my enthusiasm has been dampened.