Enrico Colantoni: Veronica Mars' Landing Still Hurts

"It's a huge win for us," star Enrico Colantoni says of CBS's decision to move Flashpoint to Thursday nights at 10 pm/ET. Averaging 7 million viewers a week, the cop/negotiator series has proved a modest hit for the network and the onetime dad of Veronica Mars, who plays team leader Sgt. Gregory Parker. Here, he reveals what drew him to the CBS drama and updates us on the outlook for a Mars reunion. - Joseph Hudak
TV Guide: What attracted you to Flashpoint?
Enrico Colantoni: My brother was a cop for 30 years in Toronto and I've always been in love with the whole police thing. I wanted to be a cop until he sat me down and said, "You're too sensitive" - which sort of destroyed me. So I've always wanted to play a cop. [On Veronica Mars, I played] a private investigator, but a different kind of cop. [ Flashpoint's Parker is] the cowboy cop that I've always wanted to play. My brother isn't on the force anymore, but this is sort of my homage to him.
TV Guide: He's the inspiration for how you play Parker?
Colantoni: In a lot of ways. I just remember how stoic he was and how calm he was about everything. The guy had to buck up and do some crazy-ass stuff. And I never knew that he was carrying this stuff around. All [cops], you look at them and they're just so affable and generous. They love what they do. And that's how we want to play [them], as human as possible.
TV Guide: Is that what sets this apart from other cop shows?
Colantoni: I think it does. There is an element here that is really emotional. This generation of television has gotten away from that. We've totally embraced reality TV. Let's go back to a little heart, a little warmth. Let's feel for these people a bit, let's go on a little emotional ride. Which at the same time is what people are criticizing us for.
TV Guide: How do you feel about the way Veronica Mars went out?
Colantoni: Not good. [ Laughs] Not good at all. People still want to know what happened to Veronica. So let's have one last season where we can say goodbye to her. To deny us that still sits really poorly with me.
TV Guide: Fans are still clamoring for a movie.
Colantoni: I hope to god it happens. I haven't heard anything official, but wouldn't it be nice? I'm sure they can scrape up $10 or 12 million somewhere. They would recoup it in a weekend!
TV Guide: You were terrific on Just Shoot Me. Ever want to do another sitcom?
Colantoni: I long for it. It's the greatest. You're doing a little play every week. The process is just so much closer to home for me, because it is theatrical. You are rehearsing every week. You are going to work and figuring it out and making it better. Not to mention the hours are so great. Anybody will tell you that. It's got to be the best job in Hollywood. A smart actor would want to do it.