Bill Paxton is Your New Corrupt Cop for CBS ‘Training Day’

CBS’ adaptation of Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day made clear early on that it would reverse the racial dynamic between its two leads, but there is an obscure bingo winner out there who had Bill Paxton replacing Denzel Washington. That’s right, the guy from Big Love is your new corrupt cop, and King Kong … well, probably has a thing or two on him.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Paxton will make his broadcast series regular debut as veteran LAPD detective Frank Rourke, heading up up the Special Investigation Section to chase after the worst of the worst. The character is described as living “by the law of the jungle and believes that real courage is the will to chase the bad guys where the law won’t. Needless to say, Frank isn’t too keen to be babysitting a new trainee, Kyle Craig.”

Set in modern L.A. 15 years after the events of the Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow film, CBS’ new Training Day will folllow “an idealistic young African-American police officer appointed to an elite squad of the LAPD where he is partnered with a seasoned, morally ambiguous Caucasian detective.”

Danny Cannon will team with Jerry Bruckheimer for the pilot, alongside CSI alum Jonathan Littman, with the script itself written by actual former LAPD detective and Gangster Squad writer Will Beall. The film also notably included Daredevil star Scott Glenn, Fear The Walking Dead lead Cliff Curtis, Eva Mendes, Terry Crews, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray.

Fuqua dropped out of directing over a scheduling conflict with The Magnificent Seven, remaining on board as an executive producer, while talks to feature Ethan Hawke reprising his role as Jake Hoyt, whether as the elder, corrupt cop, or in a minor Deputy Chief role, have scuttled for now.

There’s every chance Paxton has his own memorable take for the series, but what should we make of Training Day thus far?