I think your description of Valley is quite good. I thought he was wasted in Boston Legal, a couple of episodes of which I watched for scientific purposes and did not enjoy. However, he did a very fine job in Keen Eddie, a Fox show that lasted only about a dozen episodes but deserved a much longer run. I strongly recommend clicking on the link above for more info about Keen Eddie.

I have written before that I think Valley would be perfect for a reboot of the great 1970s NBC mystery series Banacek. It’s just the sort of hard-edged but comedic and mentally stimulating mystery series that has returned to popularity in recent years. Perhaps the occasional TV movie while Valley is on vacations from filming a long run of Human Target episodes….

But I agree completely. I have a feeling Haley is going to carve out quite the character actor career from here on out. I’d certainly be looking to him if I was a casting director. There’s just something about that “unpretty” face of his … and, of course, his talent. I think you could argue that Haley did more with Rorschach than Christian Bale did with Batman.

As a huge fan of “24,” I’m sure I’ll enjoy Human Target. Again, I have yet to see a whole episode, but Mark Valley’s turn in the lead role strikes me as a combination of Jack Bauer and Tom Selleck’s “Magnum, P.I.” It appears that the writers have created a lot of clever and funny lines for Valley’s character, and he delivers them with a great twinkle. What a confidence performance from an actor I’ve never seen before.

“24″ has a lot of humor, at least from my perspective, as well. Strange thing to say, perhaps, since I think Jack Bauer has smiled a total of 3 times in 8 seasons. But it’s the absurdity of the plot lines — that are nonetheless compelling — that always makes me smile. That, and the conventions of the show that come barreling down the road with all the subtlety of an elephant parade. You could make a drinking game out of all the times Jack shouts “Dammit!” And I laughed when the preview to next week’s show said CTU has only one weapon left … Jack Bauer!

But, back to “Human Target.” Probably the number one reason I’m willing to give the show a shot is the presence of Jackie Earle Haley. His turn as Rorschach in “Watchmen” is the best supporting-actor performances I’ve ever seen in a “superhero” movie. Bar none. And it’s one of the most memorable performances I’ve ever seen, period. The deserved renaissance of Haley’s career is a great pop culture pleasure.

Once I get my wife to agree to watch a show or two one of these days, I’ll finally catch up completely.