ShareThisOccasionally, sweet-looking Amber Tamblyn is packing heat and blowing away targets.
"I just like to remind myself of the power I can have," she says, "and how dangerous it can be."
The star known for her innocent teen characters on "Joan of Arcadia" and "General Hospital" is now showing another side of herself professionally -- as a tough detective in the comedy-drama "The Unusuals" (10 p.m. EDT Wednesdays, ABC).
As Detective Casey Shraeger, Tamblyn plays a newcomer to her kooky precinct. She's gone from working in the vice squad to the grittier homicide division, seeing a whole other side of law enforcement than what she knew.
"The Unusuals" has elements of fantasy, told from the law enforcement's point of view mainly. But it circles back to reality and the gruesomeness of the work. Casey's co-workers include an officer (Adam Goldberg) who is trying to get himself killed in the line of duty, and another (Harold Perrineau) who refuses to remove his bulletproof vest.
Casey is harboring her own secrets. She's from a wealthy family, but doesn't want her privilege to work against her.
"She's a total (smart aleck). She's funny, fun, and a little tomboyish. She's a bit of a flirt," she says. "This (show) has everything I love about television. The show goes from this wild fantastical world of New York City to this real, tough world. It's amazing how it goes back and forth."
She sees "The Unusuals" as a way to stretch, too. Playing a detective is so far removed from her other high-profile roles.
"For me, it's all about enjoying the character, young or old. It doesn't matter to me," she says. "This character (Casey) comes closest to me than any other character I have played.
"She's a bit of a (tough cookie), and I don't get to play those much."
In real life, though, Tamblyn makes the effort not to be pigeonholed.
She likes visiting the gun range to get in some practice. At the time of the interview, she didn't own a gun, but she practiced from time to time.
"As an actress, I like to try new things," she says. "That why I did skydiving. I always believe I need to stretch myself whenever I can."
(E-mail Terry Morrow of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at morrow2(at)knews.com.)
