Actor Brandon Jay McLaren Talks About Power Rangers S.P.D., Graceland, Turner & Hooch, and More

Greg Staffa: 0:27

My guest today is talented actor Brandon Jay McLaren. He plays Xavier on the hit Disney plus series Turner and Hooch starring Josh Peck. Brandon thanks for joining us.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 0:37

Thank you for having me, man. It's good to reconnect with you.

Greg Staffa: 0:40

Thank you and reconnect we are I covered you for Graceland. And I reviewed I believe every episode and we actually talked back in 2014 not expecting you to remember that. But in 2014, we did a brief press interviews. So it's great to talk to you again. But before we get to that, tell me a little bit about your upbringing. You were born in Vancouver, correct?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 1:01

Yeah, born in Vancouver, Canada, went to college in upstate New York and Albany. And now I live in Los Angeles. And what made you get started in acting? Oh, I mean, it is a funny story. Actually. My mom actually heard an ad on the radio when I was 12. She was coming home from work, and she heard an ad on the radio with his agency. We're looking for ethnic kids to audition and commercials. And my mom being the resourceful woman that she is came home one day and was like, hey, like, are this ad on the radio? Y'all want to start auditioning for commercials? And you know, I was told I was like yeah, I mean, I just had no idea what that meant what that entailed what that looked like and then I happen to book their very first commercial that I audition for which is a honeycomb commercial and I ended up booking five for that year so after that, I was like, Oh, you know, maybe I'm on to something and then I was heavily involved in theater in high school and then kind of stopped when I went to college because I was playing soccer and I got a Bachelor of Science in human biology and then after I graduated college I kind of was like you know, maybe I should give it a shot again you know after I got my degree so I can at least try it out and see if there's any there there and if not, I'll just go back and go to grad school or wherever and I had some success after college and you know 20 years later Here we are.

Greg Staffa: 2:12

You started off doing some minor roles but then it was the Power Rangers without you really got noticed for that. Tell us a little bit about what came of the Power Rangers? I think for a lot of us it's easy to laugh and say on Power Rangers, you know, but culturally that was a big thing.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 2:29

Well you know what like I remember like for first of all like I had I had like, waffled back and forth whether I was going to do it or not just because at that time in 2004 I think I got cast there was still this this stigma around powering he's like you know once you do that show you never work again and so we had a real like serious conversation like hey, do you want to do this because like this compute the game yeah. And ultimately we decided to do it and that job was so important for me a because it was like the job that like allowed me to like not have a second job like I didn't have to serve or wait tables anymore like as an actor when you get to put 100% of your emotional intellectual energy into just acting that makes a huge difference you know when you're not like waiting tables to one in the morning and then get to an audition and then it gets it gets difficult and secondly it was really important because you know obviously like just being able to be on camera for you know nine months straight. You just use learn a lot you know, you can help but not learn a lot. So that was probably one of the most important jobs Yeah of my life. Yeah.

Greg Staffa: 3:30

And I just recently watched the your introduction scene in that series, and it does have its campiness, but at the same time, the fan base very, strong, supportive, and I think that's the real thing that matters is appreciation of the fans that come to it. So you've done some other stuff you'll hear in their roles. A lot of your stuff has been in Vancouver, and I recently had your co star Matt Hamilton, who plays trench on the Turner and hooch on he is born and raised in the area also, and almost all of his work has been done in the Vancouver Canada area. Is there something about it that just seems like you were born in Canada and you're an actor in Canada you know, especially that area.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 4:14

I shot Graceland, Graceland we shot in Miami? Yep. We did that for three seasons And than Ransom. We actually shot that in Budapest. So it's been like I've kind of worked all over the place. You know, I work in Toronto a lot. So I don't think there's anything specific to that area. I just think this last show happened to shoot.

Greg Staffa: 4:31

Yeah, just seems like there's a lot of things.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 4:35

There's a lot of production there all the time. And I think also coming out of this pandemic candidate was doing really well initially. And so you know, everybody was itching to get production starting again after however months of everything being shut down. So everything at that time I think a lot of the productions were like, Oh, we can shoot in Canada. Let's just move it up there and start shooting because we need content. So I think that's a big reason to why like a huge production boom coming out of this pandemic

Greg Staffa: 5:06

This might be above your paygrade but we see so many American shows being filmed in Canada Why don't we see as many Canada shows coming to America I mean you had Flashpoint.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 5:19

It's just the figures is just like a numbers thing like the dollar goes for the period you know what I mean? So yes, you can if the cews have the same quality which they are, if you can, you know, if one $1 that you spend here it's $1.48 or whatever 36 up there your data just goes further and there was also like tax incentives so it's really really at the end of the end of the day, it's just enough it's just it's just numbers.

Greg Staffa: 5:45

But as far as shows I mean, Flashpoint was a Canadian based show that was.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 5:51

Yeah.

Greg Staffa: 5:51

Produced and based in Canada, we don't see too many more of those though so we? Why aren't we seeing more Canada based you know, themed shows.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 6:01

There are there I just don't know American carriers pick them up you know so like if you're in Canada like if you're like you know the Canadian Broadcasting CBC bc which is like our our Canadian version of BBC there's like a lot of like Canadian content shows that are like about Canada that shoot in Canada but just I just don't know if there's an appetite for the the American artist has an appetite for those maybe that's what it is. Although I think like a show like Schitt's Creek does that take place in Canada? That was very popular, right?

Greg Staffa: 6:32

I'm not sure where it takes place. But yeah, that is popular.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 6:35

Yeah, and it's a Canadian show with a kidney in front of the Canadian cast and I think it's about in Canada that was like wildly popular so like there are some outliers here and there but yeah, you're right typically that's not the way it works.

Greg Staffa: 6:46

You did Power Rangers you done some other stuff I think Graceland was your next big introduction audiences just a little bit about what you got started in that.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 6:55

I mean, that was I mean that's probably one of my favorite shows that I've done to date. You know, the cast just got we just got along so well we were all sort of which is so rare, especially when you have like an ensemble show for everybody to just kind of be on the same wavelength and vibe and like genuinely get along and genuinely like like and respect one another. It was like going to work with like your best friends every day and even you know from from Jeff Easton, the creator to Dan shadek and Larry Tang and Jason and all these guys that we just like we all became really close and it was like it was like just creating a show with your friend like the fact that you're able to do it and like have it on national television was a miracle. And we're all still really close. You know, I just hung out with Aaron a couple weeks ago he was at my house hanging out and also what I like about the show is I know like Jeff Easton and I always like give him props for this like he really wrote well for me on that show you know like I wasn't just an accessory like like Jake was like a really interesting character and and he was he was trying his best and he had a lot of demons and he had some some successes and it just it's just a character that I that I loved playing and I do miss playing i think i think it ended far too soon.

Greg Staffa: 8:09

Three seasons right?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 8:10

Yeah and we ended on that big cliffhanger where I where I shaved my hair at the end of the end of the episode Yes.

Greg Staffa: 8:16

Oh, I can't believe you did that still. So going forward, Graceland gets canceled and you've done some other stuff Girlfriends Guide to Divorce what what goes into choosing a role for yourself?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 8:29

I mean you know in a number of things you know like I know for me, I like to sort of try like if I if I'm coming off like something comedic I'd like to roll over and something dramatic like in a perfect world that just keeps my interest level high it keeps my muscles sharp and then sometimes you know and I'll be honest with you Like sometimes you need a job and like the first one that comes up he's like I take it cuz I haven't worked in six months. But like I do try to like try to like focus more on on you know more interesting like cable type shows, you know rants I did ransom that. And that was like a procedural drama and that was the first kind of procedural that I've done. And that's just a completely different animal. So yeah, like girlfriends galaxy shows like unreal. I just like cool, different types of characters. Just to keep it just to keep it interesting for myself. I really like ransom and that was cut short.

Greg Staffa: 9:22

Your shows keep on getting cut short sooner than I would like to.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 9:26

Well, we did three we did three seasons of Ransom.

Greg Staffa: 9:29

So then you're doing Turner and Hooch, which what struck you to Turner and Hooch?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 9:33

I mean a it's such an iconic like it's just like an iconic title. You know? Funny, Robert Duncan McNeil who's one of our executive producers and like producing directors. I've worked with him. I've done two other shows with him before to do Girlfriend's Guide with him. And I did a show called The days with him way back up. Before Power Rangers, what I loved about her, which i mean it's it's funny. It's like an action comedy. It's an hour long action. comedy and I don't know if there's anything else, like, you know, on TV. So it was it was an opportunity to sort of like, break new ground in terms of like, you know, the way the episodes are structured, you know, it's like a procedural action comedy that's an hour long that like kids and adults could like, you know what I mean? Like, it's just a real, real real cool concept. And there's some real high level people involved in it Matt Nix, Mike Horiwitz, Mac G direct to the pilot, you know, so it was, it was a great opportunity. I'm like, I'm really lucky that I managed this far.

Greg Staffa: 10:30

So the reason I reached out was because back referring to our interview in 2014, I'll read you the question that I asked you. And it was as a fan of the show, I felt that much of the middle of the season one you're the odd man out and didn't know if it was because of the writing or your character. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your character in a much bigger storyline. Yeah, and that applies to Turner and Hooch. I remember seeing an episode and I saw you and I'm like I even know he was in this I think the first episode they wave at you and you wave back and that was pretty much it I'm like okay,

Brandon Jay McLaren: 11:03

I said the one scene pretty much

Greg Staffa: 11:05

okay next and the next one was you had a couple Mike Come on. You know I've been covering you since Graceland. I was excited to see you and then it wasn't until Episode Four which is In the Line of Fur where we really got to see I mean it was acting you're like the Zen guy the whole the hot sauce was a little bit predictable But hey, it worked for me.But it showed me the acting that I knew you could do and it was a nice kind of you'd become like the mentor to Josh Peck character and I'm like closest great I want to and again it's a show about a guy in a dog and you're not the guy you're the but my frustration as a fan of yours was like What is he gonna get does that and I'm not asking you to complain or bitch or moan or anything like that. Is it part of schedulin g is it you know you're doing other stuff this is what you signed up for?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 11:57

No actually so this in this specific instance this was a little bit different because as you know, Kara Patterson, Jessica, his partner is pregnant in the show

Greg Staffa: 12:03

Because of the pregnancy or was... and she's actually pregnant. Okay, so she had to actually go off and have the baby like midseason and so that's kind of how we sort of like parlayed Xavier to be his new partner because she goes off and has and she but she actually did have a baby and she's an incredible woman like she had a baby and then she's back to work within like a month was wild I was like you're Superwoman so that's kind of how they finish that whole thing with was with having me sort of like come in as like you know his new partner Episode Four and like it's so the rest of the season like what you saw in Episode Four it's very much like that.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 12:47

The pregnancy always was I think they just wanted to kind of like a handoff and like, I kind of like what they did because you know, like the show I think the show changes a little bit like winning Xavier starts to be more featured, it kind of becomes a different show and I think that's interesting for audiences, you know what I mean? Like, you kind of get you know, like the first third of the show or whatever is like one thing and then kind of evolved into another thing and that I think that just is if anything is more interesting for you as an audience member too.

Greg Staffa: 13:19

As a viewer it worked. I mean, I love the episode four and everything like that. I was just thinking as someone that's enjoyed your work going you know back for Season One of Graceland going why isn't he getting more and I get you know,

Brandon Jay McLaren: 13:33

Graceland was the same you know what and I didn't even like make that that connection until you get to them they know you're right. I think Graceland I was only on nine out of the 12 episodes in the first season I wasn't even in every episode. And then and then you know, as as, as the seasons went on, yeah, Jake's definitely took a more prominent role. So yeah, that's like, totally coincidental, but also was like a great a great catch on your part.

Greg Staffa: 13:59

And I wasn't looking for you to know that you're complaining but you know, I'm not getting this many storylines or not. It just oh, no, no here to me, then. It's like, Okay, if you're watching I mean, your chances are you're probably not watching just for you. I mean, you're watching because it's Turner and Hooch, who's like you said, it's a just the name itself brings back so many memories.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 14:16

But I will, I will say that, like, what kind of made that gift because Xavier is such a, like a weird character. And because I wasn't really featured very much in the first three, it did take me a while to sort of like figure him out as a human, you know, because like when you're just kind of punching these one lines here or there. It's hard to kind of get a hold of them. And I think I think in the next episode, I really started to like, I really hadn't like figured out in terms of like, because the writing is so bizarre for him. He's sort of like on another planet half the time you didn't I mean,

Greg Staffa: 14:46

There's a certain Zen element.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 14:48

Yeah, yeah. And so it did take me a while to sort of like, get in the pocket. And so that was that was challenging, meaning like not being there as much because like anything else, right? Like, the more you do something, the better you get. Yeah I'm excited for you to see to see the rest of it.

Greg Staffa: 15:03

I'm looking forward now that I know that you're in the morn Like I said, I know it's not a show about you necessarily it focuses on but at the same time it's nice to see you know, an actor that you respect and recognize and going okay, I'm glad to see he's getting his do.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 15:17

Thank you, man. Appreciate it.

Greg Staffa: 15:18

You're also doing firefight lane. And you were doing that during the same time. Hubble was shooting we should have bought the same time to COVID kind of screwy thing

Brandon Jay McLaren: 15:27

No, I shot Firefly lane like almost like a calendar year before it just took forever out Yeah, yeah, I shot that the year before I wrapped Firefly lane in like literally two weeks before that like everything got shut down so March of last was it or like to march how long we've been locked down. but yeah, like literally like two weeks before everything shut down. We wrapped Firefly and it just yeah it took a year to come out I don't know why I think like I don't know if it's like a net is like Netflix because they release all the episodes at once right? So you have to get everything everything finished you know i mean it's not like network TV where you can like you can be airing while you're shooting you don't I mean?

Greg Staffa: 16:06

Now do you as an actor Do you notice or care who you're on? Whether it be Netflix Disney plus Fox? USA

Brandon Jay McLaren: 16:15

No, I mean you know that Firefly was the first Netflix show that I've done and it and like that was that was interesting for me because like I said you know Netflix drops the whole season at once so like when the drops they're just like intense energy around the show because people can watch the whole thing in two days if they want you didn't I mean

Greg Staffa: 16:36

And there's feedback too.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 16:37

Yeah, it get's two weeks like concentrated sort of response and buzz and then it all goes away so I've never experienced that before but it was like wildly popular I think it was like number one in the world for like a couple weeks on Netflix. Yeah, that was that was so much fun that was that was a lot of fun.

Greg Staffa: 16:58

And now with Turner and Hooch being on Disney Plus he said you don't really notice any kind of difference or any kind of you know the mentality.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 17:07

I mean it's different to like this is streaming now right but Disney plus like they do it more traditionally where they dropped one episode a week. But it's Yeah, I mean, is there a difference? like yeah, I guess there's like a difference like when you're on like just regular cable or if you're on streaming but I mean, I think everything is sort of moving towards the streaming platform anyway, that's that's just the way things seem to be trending. But for me as an actor, no, I don't really like that other than like having that net that Netflix show like drop all at once. That's that was pretty, like pretty wild. Just that immediate feedback. But other than that, no, there's really no, there's really not much difference.

Greg Staffa: 17:43

Now talking about streaming and binge watching, do you binge watch anything? What's kind of on your radar?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 17:51

I haven't been lately, I've really been watching like a lot like I like cooking shows, to be honest with you. I like cooking shows, and I like travel shows. But I don't really watch a ton of scripted TV every once in a while the show come along like I've really loved Ozark that kind of hit hit me and I watched all of that. That's probably the last show that I really really got into.

Greg Staffa: 18:16

Did you watch the Olympics in soccer? Because you're a big soccer fan right?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 18:18

Yeah, I am a big soccer fan. No, I watched the euros the Olympic you know, I guess I was working a lot during the Olympics. And it just felt different this year. I don't know why. Maybe it was like because like the time difference and stuff, but I didn't watch a lot of Olympic soccer, but I watched the entire Euro Cup. Yeah, that was great.

Greg Staffa: 18:34

And who's your team?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 18:36

I mean, I've always loved Brazil since I was a child just because they played the most attractive football I think I just like their like their there's their footballing style. So yeah, I cheer for I cheer for Brazil, typically internationally. Gotcha.

Greg Staffa: 18:49

So you've done a lot of work, you've done film, TV, stuff like that. Is there something when we live in a world now where everything's being revisited everyone? We're bringing back shows from 10 years ago, 20 years ago? Is there something that you've done in the past and maybe didn't get the reception that you thought should have gone that you wish you could revisit even if it's just for like a made for TV?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 19:10

Yeah, I mean, listen, like I always say like, I think Graceland deserved a fourth season because like I said, it ended on that cliffhanger where like, I shaved my head, I take off with the FBI money. Like there's so much more story there. You didn't I mean, yeah. And ended so abruptly. And it was actually a shock to all of us. And we all just assumed we were going back. So I mean, I wish there was a world where we could revisit that even maybe do like, like a two hour movie to finish it off. Just to sort of tie up all the loose ends. You know, I'll never forget that last shot where like, they're all in the house and like, everything's broken. And me and Manny, have that fight and his face is all busted up. And it's just like, like the stories from there are endless. So yeah, I would love a world where we could do some more of that.

Greg Staffa: 19:55

So and that was on USA Network, right?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 19:57

That was on USA Network. Yep, yeah.

Greg Staffa: 19:59

And they have been known to bring them in they bring back shows for movies so who knows. I know Jeff Easton has been wanting to revive his other show White Collar right? So um, yeah, there is a,..

Brandon Jay McLaren: 20:10

I've heard that the rumors around White Collar swirling around for a while now. Yeah, who knows, you know, you know Aaron and I always talk about you know, maybe doing something together or trying to do something to talk to the higher ups to see if there's any interest there so who knows, I know that we did have like a very sort of loyal, loyal fan base. And people asking me about this show all the time, even to this day.

Greg Staffa: 20:34

Really is that do you get recognized more for that than then? Power Rangers or what do you get most recognized for?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 20:40

You know, it depends on like, because like, I feel like I've done enough things where like, depending on your demographic like you'll know me from like, you know, like a lot of like big girls in their mid 20s recognize me from She's a Man because like that was like their that was like their teen movie that they drew upon you don't I mean? Yeah, I mean, like a lot of a lot of people in Graceland. Firefly Lane Now, obviously, because that was so huge. So a lot of different things.

Greg Staffa: 21:05

That's great. Anything else that you wish that fans? Like? What's the one like Graceland had a positive response? For the most part? What was something that didn't do as well as you thought and you thought, Man, if they only give this a chance, this is something that could have been done.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 21:19

I mean, you know, what I have? Like, there was actually I'll tell you, there was a pilot that I did that never got picked up called The Jury was for ABC, Neil Burger directed it. And it was, it was the first job that I got after Graceland canceled. And I thought for sure this thing would go and be a hit. In fact, I think asked me that, you know, because every pilot season like they do, like, went got picked up and what did it and that show was like, What like, I remember The Hollywood Reporter had an article about those top five shows that didn't get picked up that everybody thought they would. And the jury was one of those and like, I remember that was like a real, like, teachable moment for me because, you know, you make all these sort of educated decisions about what projects you do. And you know, like, Neil Burger was like a huge film director and, and the executive producers were like to create a CSI so like, you're like, Oh, this is a no brainer. And then, you know, you take that over, and maybe other opportunities, and it doesn't go, and then you realize nobody knows anything. And then you know, so like, you got to, like, just take the job that's in front of you a lot of the times because you don't know. And then like, you know, conversely, like a show, like the killing, which was huge in the first season. I remember when I joined that having no idea that it would be the sort of like the hit that it was. And now obviously, you know, Patty Jenkins who directed our pilot, she's like, directs all the huge Joel kinnaman. And he was essentially like an unknown at the time. And I remember like, going into that show, like having no idea like, how huge it would be so like, you don't know, like the show that you think are going to be huge, sometimes missing. Sometimes you walk into a show being like, yeah, and then they go on to like, you know, get nominated for multiple Emmys.

Greg Staffa: 23:03

Does it make you a little bit jaded how Hollywood works? Or is it just part, you get thick skin? And this is, this is what it is? And this is what I deal with? And, you know,...

Brandon Jay McLaren: 23:13

No, I mean, listen, like, I feel like I've I've been so fortunate like me being jaded, would everybody be like, shut up? Like, I have no reason to be jaded. I'm, I've had a very, very good, good ride of this. So no it's not jaded. You got to understand it. Like, like I said, like, nobody knows anything, you know, like, you just don't, you just don't know, you can try to like, you know, framing certain things in one way or the other. But at the end of the end of the day, you just, you just don't know. And I'm fine. And I'm fine with that. You know, I mean, I just like showing up to work every day, and acting.

Greg Staffa: 23:48

But I mean, it's a great attitude. I don't know if I could do it. I mean, you think of it, looking at it as a resume. Well, I had a job from 2011 to 2012. And then I got laid off and I had a job for a week. And I had no job for you know, a season and so after a while, you're like, Okay, I'm on my, and none of it would show last, you know, forever or has me Graceland. Yeah, frustrating that ended after three seasons, but you still got three seasons, which is a lot more than, you know, a lot of shows.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 24:17

Especially in like today's climate. And also, you know, like, sometimes you don't want to show to go for eight seasons. Like I don't know, if I want to play the same guy for eight years. You know, I mean, like, I like to, you know, bop around and explore it. And so like, you know, yeah, sometimes you're on someone you really, really like and like you like you'd like it to last forever. Sometimes you're like, you know what, like, after three, you're like, I'm good, like I'm ready to move on and do something else.

Greg Staffa: 24:39

And that's not diminishing any of the shows or anything that you've done. Sometimes the story runs its course and then you go on to something else. And I think it's easy for us for fans. You know, for me to say I'm a fan of yours. I like your work, so I want to see you more. Whereas you're looking at this Hey, I only signed up to do three episodes. odds of this as a guest star, don't fall in love with this guy cuz that's not my intention, whereas the fans have a different perspective of it. And yeah, sometimes those don't always match. Tell us about some upcoming projects that you have anything that we should see you want a guest star spot about.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 25:17

Yeah, so I'm actually, I'm actually started to recur on the on The Rookie on ABC. I think it premieres September 26 I think on Sunday nights, so yeah, doing six episodes so far. It's really cool. I play like this crime boss who compromises Shawn Ashmore his character I kind of have them in my pocket because the I get him out of a I get them out of some trouble and he owes me so so yeah it's a it's a it's a really cool role is different for me but I'm really having a great time the bad guy

Greg Staffa: 25:46

You're gonna make it tough for me to to like you.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 25:48

Yeah, I know I play I play an awful I play an awful human being

Greg Staffa: 25:51

That shows seems to have a lot of you know, from Brendan Brendan Routh who played an awful human being on that show yeah super nice guy goes to play I mean sure racist and so yeah, it's fun I mean it has to be fun for you to take on that kind of role and be...

Brandon Jay McLaren: 26:10

Great man it's great and like also like I said, like you know after coming off Turner and Hooch was like a which was like a comedy to rollover into something like super different super dramatic that's like for me that's like the sweet spot.

Greg Staffa: 26:24

And now Turner and Hooch has 12 episodes is that right for this? Yeah. Yeah. confirmed for season two yet.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 26:32

Not yet and you know what's so funny about it is you know, like to sort of circle back to a question that you had before about working on different networks and stuff when you're on the streaming network there are no like traditional ratings you know, like when you're on ABC or CBS, you can go on TV line every week and see like how your show did and sort of have to have an idea about where you stand whereas when you're on a Disney plus show, like nobody really knows like, what they don't really release the streaming numbers in that way. So if you really never know like, how well or poorly The show was doing,

Greg Staffa: 27:03

So it comes down to money or because...

Brandon Jay McLaren: 27:06

You know what man, I don't know.

Greg Staffa: 27:08

Yeah, cuz no one asks you you know, why did you sign up for Disney plus, was it Star Wars was a Marvel? Or was it Turner and Hooch?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 27:14

Yeah, how do you know, like, why somebody gets a new subscription right? Like you don't really know.

Greg Staffa: 27:19

And so does that make things more nerve wracking? Because you can't say man the ratings have been going up and up each week numbers of viewers demographics are up this is going great

Brandon Jay McLaren: 27:29

You know it's not nerve racking it's just you're just a little bit in the dark you just kind of like well I guess like yeah, there's just no you don't have any like sort of above any of the traditional indicators that you would have on a network show. So yeah, like so like I literally have no idea whether this show we're going like I couldn't tell you I'm not leaning one way or the other I'm just sort of completely just in the unknown.

Greg Staffa: 27:53

I'm trying to think of what shows already have been given

Brandon Jay McLaren: 27:57

I know Mighty Ducks have been picked up.

Greg Staffa: 27:58

Yep. And then the Bad Batch for Star Wars. They have been renewing season two's but it is a hard measure to to gauge.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 28:09

there's no real yardstick or at least like I'm sure they know like they have like metrics that they use but but in terms of like releasing that to the public or the actress No, no, no none at all.

Greg Staffa: 28:21

And I'm sure they can figure out how many people watched an episode or not and Oh, yes, you know, Josh Peck you guys is not a huge I mean, it's not a big name cast it's filming in Canada so I can't imagine it's money that would influence it. Yeah, I think it goes families to young adults. I've enjoyed it. enjoy talking to me,

Brandon Jay McLaren: 28:43

I really think that that's what makes our show special. Like I think like, like just stuffing it in for everybody you know, like, if you have like a it's like a younger kid you know, you want to watch TV or whatever and you're not like you know, the adults wouldn't be like rolling their eyes. Like please let this be over. Like I think it's still entertaining for them. It's like the quintessential family shows like, literally like everybody like you know, so I think I think that's what makes me special.

Greg Staffa: 29:05

My only gripe has been I get the Tom Hanks character is dead. And spoiler if you haven't seen this, but there's a moment where Josh reads a letter from his dad. And Tom has done so many things for Disney and you'd figure if he's just on their you know, call you know, they call him up and he does something for Disney. And I started to cry because I thought in that moment, you're gonna hear the Tom Hanks voiceover reading writer you know, dear son, I just to make that connection. Because I get the references Debbie never really see or hear. You know, Tom Hanks. I started to tear up thinking oh my god. Tom Hanks is about to read this letter to the audience that Josh was reading and I'm like, Oh, they couldn't do that. And it's not a big deal or nothing like that. But that would have been a great way.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 29:53

I mean, trust me you would love if Tom Hanks came back and you know, hung out with us for season two, I don't know how easy that is

Greg Staffa: 30:03

Voiceover or just...

Brandon Jay McLaren: 30:06

It would be nice to have them involved in some capacity because it is such an iconic movie, you know, and I just thought that was the perfect moment just to have, you know, three sentences of dialogue panel, whatever. I mean, I'm sure our producers I'm sure I'm sure our producers tried. But But yeah, who knows man Season Two like if it's you know, maybe he's seen it and he likes it. Maybe he'll, he'll, he'll jump on board.

Greg Staffa: 30:30

So you have the upcoming show on The Rookie. Anything else you got going on?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 30:35

That's about it for now, man. Yeah. So like I said, we're I'm filming that as we speak. So that'll probably take me to the end of the year, but hopefully by then we'll know about Turner and Hooch.

Greg Staffa: 30:44

Okay, and now you do some charity work to tell us a little bit about that.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 30:48

Yeah, so um, there's a charity called reach within that's based out of the island of Grenada in the Caribbean where my dad is from, I've run two marathons for them to raise money, their mission is essentially to help kids who grew up in like government care, or essentially orphans, to transition into, you know, into, you know, productive contributing members of society that would do that through like social programs that sort of shore up their emotional and mental well being and you know, and also give them sort of job training, resume, writing skills. I cannot run the marathon this year, the New York City Marathon because I have knee problems, but if anybody visiting wants to run, they have open spots in the New York City Marathon, it is for a great cause. So at reach within.org reach within that org all the information on signing up for the marathon is on the website. And yeah, I read the New York City Marathon last year as my first time running. Such a huge marathon was an incredible experience. I would love to do it again. But unfortunately, my knees have another idea.

Greg Staffa: 31:53

Would you really like to run it again?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 31:57

You know what, it was awful. But it was such a great cause. And honestly, it was one of the coolest things that I've ever done.

Greg Staffa: 32:05

Now do people recognize you or you're running with everyone and it just kind of blends in?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 32:09

Yeah, I mean, I'm running Yeah, I'm running with everybody. You know, I'm running with everybody. We have like our team that we run that like that's running for that specific charity but I think 50,000 people run that marathon It was incredible. And you run through all the five boroughs of the city it was really really cool.

Greg Staffa: 32:25

Wow, that's great. So you got that going on? You got Turner and Hooch, you got The Rookie. What do you do for fun?

Brandon Jay McLaren: 32:33

Oh man, what do I do for fun. for me during COVID Yeah, I cooked a lot you know. I think everybody was like trying to make bread during COVID I baked a little bit I also like I like running in my spare time. I also have some other things like in development I'm starting to sort of lean into the development side of things so I have a couple shows ideas that are in development I mean that's all I'm gonna say now because until like things are like official talking about so yeah, I just you know, I like to sort of you know, exercise all parts of the business in front end and behind the camera.

Greg Staffa: 33:11

Now one of the things I like asking celebrities is so often we associate you by characters that you've played yeah that's that's that's Brendan he from you know Power Rangers that's Brendan from from Graceland. It's always kind of shows that you've done regardless is you know if you've done it 10 years ago or last year when you get up in the morning and you look in the mirror you know you're splashing water in your face who is it that you see when you look at yourself.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 33:39

I mean man who do I mean I just I just I mean I see somebody who I like I said man I just feel so incredibly lucky you know you know I know like their their time still we're like driving off like the Warner Brothers lot on my way back like you know on the way home from work I just mean like I just I don't I don't really know how I got here. If you don't mean 20 years I'd be here now I'd be like yeah right also like how this has been such a sort of like a sort of like a surprising journey but it's also nice to be able to like kind of like take like get outside yourself for a moment and be like hey man, like this is really really cool and and take a second to just look at your surroundings and be grateful for everything that you got so and you've done so much work.

Greg Staffa: 34:27

Is there a genre that you haven't worked in yet that you always kind of want to the kid in you is always wanting to do a Western or you know? That what's what's something of

Brandon Jay McLaren: 34:37

You're right that I kind of like I kind yours. of feel lucky to not be like pigeon holed into sort of one style. You know, I've never done a sitcom like a half hour sitcom, but I'm not sure that I would want to be honest, I like comedy, but I definitely prefer doing drama and dramatic stuff. You know, Turner and Hooch is like kind of like the most comedy type of show that I've done and I really really enjoyed it and like the gifted like Josh Peck is so talented and so funny him and I are famous for like having these like lessons on set, probably to the annoyance of the rest of the crew because they're like, get your shit together.But yeah, I've never done a sitcom.

Greg Staffa: 35:20

That's too bad I think. I think you could do I mean, just even looking at the Power Ranger stuff that I reviewed before you coming on? You don't Yeah, we have some comedic Thank you.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 35:33

For bounce TV. That was a comedy I was elite of and that aired that air. Yeah, like maybe six months ago. And like that was right before Turner which actually and that was a comedy. If anybody wants to check out Marry Me this Christmas. I play a pastor. Yeah, bounce TV. And that was that was like the first like comedy comedy that I did. And it was fun. Like I did enjoy it. So yeah. And then yeah, and then tournaments was like, right next. And that was also a comedy. I was like, oh, like, all these companies that are coming my way all of a sudden, so it's cool.

Greg Staffa: 36:01

Well, I appreciate you coming on. Again. Check out Brendon in the Turner and Hooch series on Disney plus, and then look for him this fall on the Rookie on ABC. Brendan, thank you so much for coming on.

Brandon Jay McLaren: 36:14

Hey, man, it's good to reconnect. Thank you again, and we'll talk soon.

Greg Staffa: 36:18

Thank you. That does it for this episode. Thank you for listening to the Stafford corner.