At the center of the critically acclaimed HBO mini-series The Corner is a tough lesson exemplified by the life of addict and father Gary McCullough, played with heart-breaking honesty by T.K. Carter: Nice guys sometimes finish last. Carter's career exemplifies a more optimistic lesson: If you've got the stamina to finish the race, nice guys can also finish on top.
At age 44, after more that 20 years in the business, T.K. Carter has finally landed his first great role. A long time to wait, for sure, but it was well worth it. The six-part series which recently ended its run is the latest of HBO's hour-long achievements. In fact, many, including myself, feel The Corner is actually a more original and impressive narrative than the justifiably lauded Sopranos. Directed by Charles Dutton and written by Edward Burns (author of the book which inspired a series, Homicide) and David Mills (producer/writer for NYPD Blue), The Corner is the first TV show to put a human face on addiction in the inner city.
Focusing on one Baltimore family-the parents both addicts, their son a dealer-and its struggle to overcome the grip of drugs and the lifestyle of the inner-city stoop, The Corner will probably lead to Emmy noms for all three McCulloughs: Khandi Alexander, as the voracious and bitter mother Fran, a 360-degree turn from her elegant and champagne-light role on NewsRadio; Sean Nelson, bigger and badder but still as sympathetic as the confused and crumbling young DeAndre, and of course Carter as the once-proud working father, whose palpable shame and disgust with himself combined with his inability to change his path is at the heart of the show. Carter's special quality, which is shared by a few performers such as Harrison Ford, is that he exudes "goodness."
While Alexander and Nelson might be more familiar to audiences, considering their past exposure, for many, T.K. Carter may seem an unknown. This is not the case. Since the 1970s, Carter has been a yeoman actor who has done everything: TV sitcoms, feature films, animated series, even dialogue coaching. He was Nauls, the sarcastic, roller-skating cook in John Carpenter's The Thing; he was the best friend of superhero Turbo Teen (a boy who could turn into a car) on the short-lived '80s cartoon; he even appeared for two seasons on Punky Brewster. And before landing the role on The Corner, Carter's last gig was as dialogue coach for Chris Tucker on the film Rush Hour.
It seems that Carter has been a victim, in fact, of one questionable project after another since his early days as a local standup comedian who honed his set at L.A.'s the Comedy Store. Consider this string of jewels: Doctor Detroit (1983), He's My Girl (1987), Saved by the Bell: The Junior High Years (1987), Ski Patrol (1990), The Sinbad Show (1993). It's harder to imagine a harder row to hoe for such an obviously talented performer. Yet somehow Carter managed to land the lead on The Corner, and things must be looking rosy.
Particularly powerful is Carter at the end of the The Corner's second episode. Gary is shooting baskets with his son, with whom his contact is typically limited to running into him on the street. It's a tender moment between the two, all the more powerful because of the discomfort both exhibit at this unique experience. The moment is shattered when Gary's girlfriend shows up with a score. The pain on his face as he chooses between leaving for his fix and getting to know his son is wrenching-and unfortunately, the drugs win the struggle. It's raw, real, and beautiful, and the first of hopefully many moments when we'll get to see T.K. Carter finally strut his stuff.