Posted in: Preview, Showtime, TV | Tagged: brendan gleeson, cable, donald trump, james comey, jeff daniels, preview, showtime, streaming, television, the comey rule, tv

The Comey Rule: Showtime Airing Comey/Trump Series Post-Election

Published Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:35:19 -0500

by Ray Flook

Last updated Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:39:19 -0500

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Showtime has released preview images and a premiere window for The Comey Rule, the cable network's $40 million adaptation of former FBI head James Comey's New York Times bestselling book A Higher Loyalty. Based on the book as well as a year's worth of additional interviews with key players from the time, the limited series stars Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) as Comey and Brendan Gleeson (Mr. Mercedes) as President Donald J. Trump (both featured in the preview images below). Detailing the devolution of Comey and Trump's relationship and the battles that ensued even after Comey left his position as FBI director, the project seemed perfect to air during the election cycle so the news the series' premiere is set for back-to-back nights in "late November" is surprising.

Deadline Hollywood reports that some are wondering if influence from the Trump administration factored into the project being moved until later in the month. CBS Viacom head Shari Redstone and Trump are known to have mutual respect for one another, though sources say that there was an initial push for the limited series to be ready in time for the presidential elections, with Daniels apparently making "special scheduling accommodations" after leaving To Kill A Mockingbird in preparation for The Comey Rule to premiere prior to voting.

THE COMEY RULE takes us on an insider's journey down the corridors of power, where decision-makers struggle to apply old norms to a dramatic new paradigm in the face of Russia's deep and unprecedented penetration into American politics, with our nation's rule of law hanging in the balance. Each character's actions in these historic months made the careers of some, destroyed the careers of others and helped shape the incendiary political landscape we live in today. Part one of the series examines the earliest days of the Russia investigation, the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails and their impact on Election Night 2016, when Donald Trump stunned the world and was elected president. Part two is a virtual day-by-day account of the tempestuous relationship between Comey and Trump and the intense and chaotic first months of the Trump presidency – where allies became enemies, enemies became friends and truth depended on what side you were on.

In addition to Daniels and Gleeson, The Comey Rule features Holly Hunter (The Piano) as former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, Michael Kelly (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan) as former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty) as Patrice Comey, Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire) as former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul) as former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) as former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience) as former FBI lawyer Trisha Anderson, Steven Pasquale (The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story) as former FBI agent Peter Strzok, Peter Coyote (The Disappearance) as Robert Mueller and Kingsley Ben-Adir (High Fidelity) as President Barack Obama.

In addition, the Showtime limited series stars Steve Zissis (Togetherness), Shawn Doyle (House of Cards), Brian d'Arcy James (Spotlight), Dalmar Abuzeid (Anne with an E), William Sadler (When They See Us), Richard Thomas (Tell Me Your Secrets), T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy), Joe Lo Truglio (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Spencer Garrett (Bombshell), Michael Hyatt (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Damon Gupton (Black Lightning), and Seann Gallagher (Good Witch). Adapted for the screen and directed by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Billy Ray (Captain Phillips) and executive produced by Shane Salerno, Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, and Ray, The Comey Rule was produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Home Run Productions, The Story Factory, and Secret Hideout.