Oh I am delighted to hear this! 'Without A Trace' is an excellent show with good writing, and I've heard some actors say that being a recurring guest allows for plenty of time to pursue other interests while still providing a good reliable paycheck (at least that was Armin Shimeman's opinion).

embers | August 15, 17:19 CET

James to too good to not to have good reliable paycheck...or a fantastic big screen career. Funny that they mention a slight southern accent. Am I crazy or have I not heard several times that in the first script it stated that Spike should have an English OR Southern (US) accent???? I usually do not watch "Without A Trace" but as long as I can figure out what episodes he will be in, I'll be there...

Jonas | August 15, 17:28 CET

Fantastic news! Good on James :) I don't watch Without a Trace either, but I will now.

TheSpark | August 15, 17:33 CET

Great news! I've been watching the show for a couple of years and it's well done.

Bobbi | August 15, 17:59 CET

possibly from around the Washington DC area, so could have a slight southern accent.

Wait, what? It's obvious that whoever wrote the blurb has no idea what people in DC sound like, because I'm from DC and on my street there are families and people of all types. There's no rule saying that being from DC means you have a slight southern accent.

Plus, by and large, not very many people in the Northern Virginia area consider that part of Virginia part of the South, and many of the Central and Southern Virginians will happily acknowledge that Northern Virginia is NOT part of the South.

CaffeinatedSquint | August 15, 18:00 CET

So so so so so excited.
I love Without a Trace, it is one of my have to watch shows and I love James...YAHOO!!!

SillyD | August 15, 18:10 CET

How does saying 'could have a slight southern accent' equate to everyone in the Washington DC has to have a southern accent?

Anyway, I'm thrilled by the news, this sounds like a good role for James and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

helcat | August 15, 18:23 CET

"How does saying 'could have a slight southern accent' equate to everyone in the Washington DC has to have a southern accent?"

It's very simple, really. It's the "possibly from around the D.C. area, *so* could have a slight Southern accent." The one leads from the other. Not a huge deal, imo, although since I am a DC native, I can say with authority that most people from the D.C. area have as much to do with Southern accents as native New Yorkers. It'd be like saying, "possibly from around the NYC area, so could have a slightly Southern accent." Which would be silly.

Enough of that. I'm so happy for our Blondie Bear. I don't watch Without a Trace, but will probably tune in from time to time to see James strut his stuff. It's a big hit, no?

phlebotinin | August 15, 18:35 CET

Great for James.
Well, after all Armin was doing Buffy at the same time he was doing a Star Trek show, right? (yeah, non-trekkie right here, so I prefer to be general, rather than making a mistake).

Numfar PTB | August 15, 18:49 CET

To HelloSpooky:
I am Swedish and find my self living in Lynchburg, VA. What you are saying is correct. During my first stay in Virginia I went to college with many kids form Northern Virginia and many of them were actually quite shocked over how southern this state really is. I do not think I know ANYONE (OK, I am Swedish, but I have lived Central Virginia now for 5 years and attended college in western Virginia between 1992-96) who sees Northern Virginia as part of the south. Some folks I know call it “Occupied Virginia” because all y’all up there are all Yankees, French and a bunch of liberals. (Once again, NOT my words I am quoting people I know). Funny (or sad) how a state that ranks as No #1 state to do business in by Forbes have a hard time providing water to parts of it’s own state!!! (Obviously Forbes only spend time in McLean, Prince William, Alexandria etc and not enough time in Lynchburg, Rustburg, (who came up with these names?!?!?!)Danville, Farmville, Cedar Bluff , Amelia etc, etc. People down here are VERY,VERY proud of their southern heritage. It is not uncommon at all to have a portrait (many times several portraits) of confederate General Robert E. Lee.

However, having James character speak with a slight southern accent is something I would be in favor of. Many times southerners are many times portrayed in very negative stereotypical manners. Now, most southerners (or even Americans I know) do fit the stereotype in one way or another (Yes, I do need to get out more, much more..I really, really do). This character seems to NOT fit the stereotype. Having someone speak with a southern accent and living in DC is not an outrageous concept. A fair amount of people in Culpeper and Fredericksburg do have a slight southern accent and is these days considered part of Northern Virginia. I do know a hand full of blue collar guys from Northern Virginia have a slight southern accent as well.

To phlebotinin:
People in DC/Northern Virginia probably over all have more in common with New York then they have with folks in Christiansburg, Lynchburg or Danville.

Jonas | August 15, 19:03 CET

This is excellent news... I watch and enjoy Without a Trace. I believe James will be great for the show. I love that his character will be "...bright, full-of-life personality, charming...". The character development of the regulars on the show has been increasingly darker and so hopefully James' Mars will bring a much needed smidgen of lightheartedness and fun.

coolpeace | August 15, 19:15 CET

Yes, Numfar PTB, Armin was reoccurring on Buffy without heavy makeup at the same time he was reoccurring on Deep Space 9 with heavy makeup, and he still found time to write books and teach acting classes. So I hope that this means that James Marsters will enjoy doing 'Without A Trace' and still find time for movie roles and his music.

embers | August 15, 19:21 CET

IMO, Without a Trace has been sliding downhill for awhile, with the various intra-departmental 'ships taking up too much airtime, and just a lack of sharpness in the writing in general. Anthony LaPaglia has started to display Mandy Patinkin levels of boredom in certain episodes, and that's not good...

HOWEVER...James hopping on board might give this series the jolt it desperately needs. Pleeeeeease don't pair him up with Poppy Montgomery. Please.

cjl | August 15, 19:22 CET

Very excited about JM's new role. I'm not a fan of procedurals generally speaking (I was hoping JM would get a part on next season's Damages) but I will learn to love Without a Trace.

Reddygirl | August 15, 19:38 CET

Hello, mainstream visibility. Yea!

There are soooo many things that phrase "from around the DC area" could mean that I really think getting upset that he also might have a slight Southern accent because that would be impossible for anyone described that way, may be jumping the gun a bit. Just my opinion.

newcj | August 15, 19:46 CET

According to Michael Ausiello at tv guide:

Scoop! Without a Trace Locates Spike!
Now this is what I call a bloody brilliant piece of casting.

James Marsters is joining Without a Trace as a character named — get this — Detective Mars. I kid you not. The role is recurring, but I hear there's definite series-regular potential.

Pretty fraktastic, eh?







Yes,Mike....I'd call that "pretty fraktastic!!!

Berry | August 15, 20:40 CET

Aww I like Mr Ausiello :)


* pretty fraktastic* indeed

debw | August 15, 20:53 CET

Good news!! :) Neilson says the show ended as no. 13 in the ratings last year. Not bad!

spikeylover | August 15, 21:03 CET

I've been a fan of the show, but this should add a needed jolt to the show. One thing though...he's called Detective Mars? Who going to be the first to ask him if Keith Mars is a cousin of his? Come to think of it, has he ever met Seeley Booth (get it, hint-hint)?

impalergeneral | August 15, 21:48 CET

I am soooo excited!! 'Bout time someone recognized great talent when they see it. I really hope this works out for him. I have never seen this show before, but it is now my new favorite. Gotta go set my DVR!!!

luvspike | August 15, 22:21 CET

It is actually a pretty good show...some very gritty episodes.
I don't watch it regularly as I am usually hitting the sack by 9 PM....but now I think I'll have to stay up later.

I am really happy for James and I hope this turns into a long term project for him.

Just the thought of having him back on my TV on a somewhat regular basis makes me one very happy Marsters fan.

By the way... is this show out on DVD??? I assume most of these shows do offer DVD's for each season.

kathylovesspike | August 15, 22:34 CET

Most excellent news. I do enjoy this show and it's a good bunch of actors. Congrats James!!!

JuliaL | August 15, 22:41 CET

Looks like the first two seasons are out on DVD.

karosurly | August 15, 22:49 CET

Great news ! Well done, James - and I really like this show !

Shade of Pale | August 15, 22:55 CET

Yea, James! I only watch the show spottily, but it is enjoyable and look forward to catching his episodes.


So, people from the rest of the state of Virginia and surrounding states, those who do have slight southern accents, they are allowed to live in DC, right? Mind you, I've only passed through The Capital on road trips, but I don't recall any, "Rebels, Go Home" signs on the highway exits. Therefore, people with southern accents could conceivably -- nay, even likely -- live in DC.

Is this the battle one picks to fight?

Love's Bitch | August 15, 23:23 CET

Well done James - nice to see he is getting into mainstream shows. I don't normally go for procedurals (apart from Bones) but I will try and catch his episodes.

The Do That Girl | August 15, 23:42 CET

This is really good news. I used to watch the show a fair bit, but haven't watched in awhile. I'll have to start again. And, at last, JM is in an established show on one of the major networks! And since the show is already in syndication, he'll get more longterm exposure when the new season's episodes join the others.

palehorse | August 16, 00:06 CET

I'm not worried about him paired up with Poppy Montgomery's character or anybody else. Recurring guest star, capich ?
Without a Trace is one of the few non-genre shows I watch with any sort of regularity so I am delighted he got the gig. I think it gets something like 9 million viewers which is more than twice what Buffy got in it's heyday. Plus he'll be brand new to most of these viewers as not even a hint of those old Goldilocks to remind them :)

cousine | August 16, 00:23 CET

Brilliant news!

With this in the fall, PS I Love You in December & Torchwood in Jan we have a lot of JM goodness to look forward to in the near future.

This Neilson list shows it with more than 13 million vierwers.

http://www.tv.com/without-a-trace/show/7449/story/9459.html?tag=story_list;title;1

Top 20 programs for the week ending April 29, 2007 (figures in millions)
1. American Idol (Wednesday) (Fox) 26.93
2. American Idol (Tuesday) (Fox) 26.55
3. House (Fox) 20.81
4. CSI (CBS) 20.20
5. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) 20.08
6. Dancing with the Stars - Monday (ABC) 18.87
7. Desperate Housewives (ABC) 17.17
8. CSI: Miami (CBS) 17.03
9. Dancing with the Stars - results (ABC) 16.56
10. NCIS (CBS) 14.17
11. Shark (CBS) 14.10
12. Survivor: Fiji (CBS) (Wednesday) 13.83
13. Without a Trace (CBS) 13.72
14. The King of Queens (CBS) 12.63
15. Two and a Half Men (CBS) 12.27
16. Cold Case (CBS) 12.14
17. Heroes (NBC) 11.96
18. Lost (ABC) 11.86
19. CSI: NY (CBS) 11.40
20. Brothers and Sisters (ABC) 11.15

[ edited by anindoorkitty on 2007-08-15 21:40 ]

[ edited by anindoorkitty on 2007-08-15 21:46 ]

anindoorkitty | August 16, 00:34 CET

My wife have a lot of child hood friends who grew up here in Central Virginia (yes, many down here, not all BUT many flag rebel flags, are NRA members, loves NASCAR & Monster trucks and any other stereo type you can think of) and later moved to the Northern Virginia/DC area. While their southern accent has been toned down, they still speak that way…at least when they are down here. While Northern Virginia/DC area are not part of the so-called “South” anymore, many people from the other parts of Virginia moves there, hey lets face it, job opportunities are quite pathetic around here (but that is a different story). So to have James character speak with a slight southern accent AND not be of the negative stereo typical southerner is in my opinion a good thing and quite logical too. Washington DC was built on purpose between the north and the south.

BTY anindoorkitty...is JM IN Torchwood!?!??!

Jonas | August 16, 00:51 CET

Not anindoorkitty but as regards Torchwood, JM will be in the season 2 premiere episode.

helcat | August 16, 00:54 CET

BTY anindoorkitty...is JM IN Torchwood!?!??!
Jonas

I'm not anindoorkitty


But yes , He most certainly is in Torchwood . Episode One Season Two playing Rogue time agent Captain John .If you follow the link above and scroll down the news page you'll find the press release.

debw | August 16, 00:57 CET

JM in Torchwood !! WICKED!!!!!
Is something wrong or..I see no link...

Jonas | August 16, 01:00 CET

The link is the main link in the title of the thread .

but here's a better one

with a photo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6900670.stm

debw | August 16, 01:27 CET

Oh, yes. Very good news. I seem to recall his almost being a regular on this show (or one a lot like it) a while ago but it was being filmed in Vancouver and he didn't want to relocate there. I remember being disappointed that I wouldn't be seeing him in a suit and tie on a regular basis.

lycoming | August 16, 01:53 CET

I was born of parents who spoke standard radio-announcer American
English, but I lived in Arlington, a suburb of DC, from nursery school
through the fifth grade.

I recollect that one of my teachers had a strong Southern accent, but few
if any of my classmates or playmates did, and I didn't pick up even a trace
of Suthrun from spending most of my childhood near DC. And this was in
the 1950s.

However, a Virginia accent is pleasant to my ears and would add some
interest to a rather bland TV show.

janef | August 16, 02:08 CET

I was born in DC and raised in Northern VA. I've lived here all my life except for a six-year stint two hours south in Charlottesville. Northern Virginia has always been very transient. While those of us native to the area don't have discernable accents to most people (People from the north think I'm from the south. People from the south think I'm from the north.), people who live here can have any kind of accent. Whatever James uses can be authentic.

And, btw, there is no such thing as a "Virginia" accent. The accents differ among natives throughout the state, and many folks in one part of the state have a terrible time trying to understand folks from other parts.

Accents are fascinating. The linguistics department at George Mason University in Farfax, VA, has an accent archive. Check out English 158 and 198 (DC), 5 (Fairfax, VA, though he sounds nothing like me), 15 (Norton, VA), 235 (Richmond, VA), and 218 (Abingdon, VA).

[ edited by Bobbi on 2007-08-16 00:28 ]

Bobbi | August 16, 03:27 CET

A pointless post from me: a lame six degrees game with James Marsters, whedonverse and Without a Trace - because I had a silly thought, and though it would funny to share it - or me reading too much useless entertainment news.

Enrique Murciano was in Miss Congeniality 2, which also starred Elizabeth Rohm, who was Kate Lochley in the first 2 seasons of Angel. Although Spike appeared in Angel's first season, they never crossed paths.

Poppy Montgomery is expecting a baby from her other half Adam Kauffman, who appeared in BtVS as Parker Adams around the time that Spike was returning to the show, right before James became a regular. I just can't rememebr if Parker and Spike ever crossed paths.

James is playing a Detective Mars, the last famous Detective Mars on tv were the father and daughter duo, Keith and Veronica Mars, from "Veronica Mars", which featured significant parts from Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter and of course Joss Whedon.

Numfar PTB | August 16, 04:09 CET

Two hours south in Charlottesville.....that would be Appomattox (were I live!!!)..or...
Accents are fascinating. My father-in-law grew up in Amelia and Farmville. My Swedish guests allways have a hard time understanding him. he never thought much about it untill he realised this Scottish couple had a hard time understanding him as well. I do travel a bit around central and western Virginia. The more urban an area is the more "standard radio-announcer American English" things sounds and the more rural a community is, the more "southern" things sounds. I went to school in Radford, western Virginia. The local guys there had I guess some kind of appalachian Virginia accent as it was TOTALY impossible to understand them.
As Northern Virginia keeps expanding the southern accented Virginian english will probably phase out.

Jonas | August 16, 04:14 CET

Glad James is getting a regular gig and more exposure. When it is "on", Without a Trace has proved to be one of the best shows on television, not only in exploring the cases but blending the characters' personal lives with the office, and office politics. I'm really happy for him.

Tonya J | August 16, 04:59 CET

Seeing this news absolutely made my day. I'm SO thrilled for James--he totally deserves it :) And can I just say it's about freakin' time a major network prime time series scooped him up? The man is gold and now so many more people can appreciate him--possibly rake in more Buffy fans... lol.

Proud of ya, James.

spikes_nibblet | August 16, 06:41 CET

squeee!! this is the only tv show i watch so this is massively wonderful news, wheeeee!!

t r a c y | August 16, 09:12 CET

This is great news! I watched the first 2 seasons avidly when they aired here in Australia but then lost touch for a while. I have the dvds of the first 3 seasons even though karosurly's amazon link above shows only the first two available there.

I still try to watch it but have become less engaged - I'm finding it a little tired. I mostly watch because I want to know what becomes of the characters but have become a bit bored with the missing person formula. Recurring appearances from JM will definitely put it back on my 'really' must see list.

purplehazel | August 16, 14:26 CET

At last!! James on a quality show with other excellent actors.
*does happy dance*
I was a faithful follower of this show up until last season, when I got bored with the foray into Anthony LaPalagia's character's personal life, which just got too soapy for me.
But that is a minor quibble about a show that has remained consistently excellent for the most part for what, .... six seasons now? Now I intend to start catching up on what I missed last season.
James is always a breath of fresh air, and hopefully he wont be as shabbily underutilized as he was on Smallville. Plus this is a show actually worthy of his talent. Yay James!!

Shey | August 16, 15:09 CET

They should have cast Kristen Bell.

Zoic_Fan | August 16, 15:34 CET

I don't think they would consider James Marsters and Kristen Bell the same type. It would be nontraditional casting, though. ;-)

"I just can't rememebr if Parker and Spike ever crossed paths."

Harsh Light of Day. They met at the frat party. Spike liked him because he had an air of vulnerability.

newcj | August 16, 18:35 CET

Yes, he was underutilized on Smallville, but evenmore so on Saving Grace. I was so disappointed that they didn't show him for more than a minute, I'll never forgive them. Hopefully he will have much more screen time here so that everyone can see how talented he is.

luvspike | August 16, 20:04 CET

Now that he has connections at BBC, he should star in some 90 min TV-production or series a la Inspector Lynely or Wire in the blood.

Jonas | August 16, 21:22 CET

Came to read the comments on the good news about James, but must add, Bobbi, that website on accents is great! Thanks for the link!

Kirochka | August 17, 03:24 CET

bobbi, I just got a chance to go to that archive. It is really interesting. Thanks.

newcj | August 18, 01:38 CET