Peter Krause (9-1-1, Six Feet Under) is lining up his next potential primetime chapter, joining NBC drama pilot ‘Protection’ in what could extend one of the most consistent runs in modern US television.
The project marks Krause’s first role since his eight-season stint as Bobby Nash on ‘9-1-1’ came to an emotional close, and it also reunites him with NBC, the network behind his much-loved family drama ‘Parenthood’.
Created, written and executive produced by Josh Safran (Quantico, Gossip Girl), ‘Protection’ follows a high-stakes conspiracy thriller setup. When a U.S. marshal is killed in the line of duty, what appears to be a straightforward case spirals into something far more dangerous. A family of law enforcement agents becomes the target of a mysterious assassin. Forced to bridge personal differences and cross professional boundaries, the Thornhill family must use the skills from a lifetime of protecting others to now protect one another, even if it means betraying their sworn code.
Krause will play Mike Thornhill in a series regular role.
The pilot is executive-produced by Safran alongside Jenna Bush Hager and Ben Spector, with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, serving as studio under Bush Hager’s Thousand Voices banner.
Now here is where things get particularly interesting.
If ‘Protection’ goes to series, Krause will extend a remarkable 27-year run as a lead in US primetime drama. Since 1998’s ‘Sports Night’, he has moved from one major network project to another with barely a gap, headlining ‘Six Feet Under’, ‘Dirty Sexy Money’, ‘Parenthood’, ‘The Catch’, and most recently ‘9-1-1’. In an industry where even successful shows can vanish overnight, that kind of sustained presence is rare.
It is not a formal longevity record. Actors such as Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) and Ice-T (Law & Order: SVU) hold extraordinary records for continuously playing the same character in primetime for decades, with Hargitay portraying Olivia Benson since 1999 on the longest-running live-action primetime drama in US history. Looking beyond US primetime, William Roache (Coronation Street) holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous portrayal of a single character on television, having played Ken Barlow since 1960.
Krause’s achievement is different. He has not stayed in one role for decades. Instead, he has consistently secured new leading roles across multiple network dramas for nearly three decades without dropping out of the primetime spotlight. That level of durability across separate series is quietly impressive.
Should ‘Protection’ receive a series order, the streak continues. If it does not, one of the most consistent runs in modern US network drama will finally come to an end.
‘Protection’ is currently in pilot stage at NBC and has not yet been ordered to series. We will let you know when we hear more.
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