Curtain Call: Ian McShane

“No one gets out alive, Doc.” – Al Swearengen

I suppose when you’re a show as large as Game of Thrones, and every last A-list British actor that passed on a role back when this was a badly written pilot about a weird dragon lady that the BBC was getting nervous about doing in conjunction with HBO is now knocking at your door asking if you’re quite sure there isn’t a cameo spot for them, stunt casting is inevitable. And Season 6 has had its share, mostly with the “Game of Thrones Players” in Braavos. And at first blush, Ian McShane’s pass through Westeros in “The Broken Man” is more of the same.

But McShane was not brought on as a quick way to make another A-lister with connections happy. His casting was done for a very specific purpose. His character, Brother Ray, would not be interacting with the likes of Cersei Lannister, Jon Snow, or Daenerys Targaryen—McShane was brought on because he was an actor capable of anchoring Game of Thrones’ first spin-off, a running set of scenes so far removed from the rest of the story they almost felt interpolated from another series altogether, one that starred Al Swearengen and his faithful Hound.

Writer Bryan Cogman said this week that the production felt that the audience’s connection to the Hound, combined with Rory McCann’s fantastic acting abilities, was strong enough to support the Hound’s own separate adventure. But in order to pull it off, they needed someone who could hold their own against him, as well as bring in his own gravitas to the part. (He also had to sound believable swearing like a sailor.) McShane fit the bill perfectly. His monologues this week were fantastic, and served as a counterpoint to all the other dramatic plotlines happening elsewhere on the continent. And although he and McCann were completely separated from the rest of the world, theirs was the story that most clearly articulated the theme that held the episode together this week: “It’s never too late to come back.” (Here, here! says Benjen.)

Then there was the matter of Ian McShane’s disdain for spoiler culture—the Hound’s return was supposed to be a surprise, but the actor spoiled it well ahead of time. The production had to be aware that when asked about the show, McShane would not comport himself as the rest of the cast members do when it comes to giving away plot points. But considering how barricaded off from the rest of the action McShane’s role was, what did it matter if he spilled a few beans? (And his bean-spilling didn’t travel that far. I saw quite a few folks this week who marveled at how well the show kept the Hound’s return under wraps.) Basically, it was a win-win-win situation all around.

The only thing bad about McShane’s role was that it lasted just one episode. At the end of “The Broken Man,” McShane found himself hanged from the building he and his followers were working so hard to make. His death was another blow to the Hound, and a reason to drive him back into the plot. For the rest of us, it was a real loss, as actor who can do justice to the kind of monologue Brother Ray gave here are all too rare.

We’ll just have to wait until next year, when McShane returns to TV as Mr. Wednesday in American Gods, to enjoy Al Swearengen again.

• Published on 06/08/2016 at 9:00 AM CDT
• Last updated on 06/08/2016 at 9:00 AM CDT