Yvonne Strahovski Goes Pinkerton In Pilot For Amazon’s Western ‘Edge’

By Karen Valenzuela, @VictoriaNoir89



Variety announced on Thursday that Yvonne Strahovski has been cast in the western pilot for Amazon’s Edge, based off of a pulp western book series by George G. Gilman. She will play Beth, a newcomer to the small town of Seward, Kansas. Beth also happens to be a detective with Pinkerton’s Detective Agency. Because it bears repeating, Yvonne Strahovski will be playing a Pinkerton detective in a post-Civil War western.



For anyone unfamiliar, The Pinkerton Detective Agency in post-Civil War America was best known for being one of the largest private law enforcement agencies in the world. They were typically unaffiliated with the government, and instead were employed privately by businessmen to break up strikes and control union laborers without involving police. Pinkertons were also hired to track down legendary outlaws in the 1870s, such as Jesse James and the infamous Wild Bunch. They were historically known to break skulls before asking questions, and to this day the name “Pinkerton” is synonymous with violent strikebreaking, especially for union workers.



So it’s safe to say Beth isn’t going to be your typical Southern belle. I’m going to go out on a limb and say she’ll be looking a lot like Annie Oakley. Strahovski fans can now add another character to the long list of bad asses she’s portrayed so far: Sarah Walker, Hannah McKay, Kate Morgan, Miranda Lawson, Batwoman/Kathy Kane, Rene Carpenter, etc.



Edge will be directed by Shane Black, who is best known for directing Iron Man 3 (2013) and one of my personal favorites, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). Strahovski will costar opposite Max Martini (Pacific Rim) who plays Edge, a dangerous man seeking vengeance against old pal Meritt Harknett (Ryan Kwanten, True Blood) after the death of his brother.



Since NBC’s Chuck series finale aired in 2012, Strahovski has been on Broadway, on the big screen a few times, and starred in multiple television shows, including Showtime’s hit Dexter, Fox’s suspenseful 24: Live Another Day, and currently in ABC’s fantastic The Astronaut Wives Club.



It will be exciting to see Yvonne in another period role, this time in the 1860s instead of the 1960s. And as a gun-toting agent in a rougher, seedier setting with way fewer rules and laws, no less. This will definitely be gritty and bleak, as Amazon doesn’t have to adhere to network censorship, unlike Chuck and 24: Live Another Day. And it’s a western, which means there will be a lot of blood, a lot of dirt, a lot of blood mixed with dirt, and horses. A lot of horses. And hats. And alcohol. And cursing. And more alcohol. Westerns are great.



No word yet on when the pilot will be up on Amazon’s site, but I’m absolutely looking forward to Edge, and looking forward to Yvonne Strahovski’s next adventure! Here’s to many more to come!