Denis Leary has been ‘preparing my whole life’ for new show filmed on active military base

Denis Leary took inspiration from a famous general for his new comedy "Going Dutch," where he plays a colonel sent to a quiet military outpost in The Netherlands.

"I've read every book on George Patton, seen every documentary you could see on him. I guess I had pretty much been preparing my whole life to play this guy."  "It's the same sacrificial approach to their job, which is they're putting their lives in place to protect others or to save others."

In the new comedy on FOX, Leary stars as U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn, who is reassigned to a base in The Netherlands. He goes from combat command to a base staffed with misfits who he is tasked with bringing up to snuff, aided by his estranged daughter, played by Taylor Misiak, and right-hand officer, Executive Officer Major Abraham Shah, played by "Community" star Danny Pudi.

"I said, 'Listen, If I'm thinking about playing this guy, I'm going to lean on George Patton and his characteristics because they match the colonel, and I know a lot about him.’ So being able to play the comedy version of that guy, that sort of vanity and that ego and that sort of self-importance was basically what I used as my reference point," Leary recalled telling series creator Joel Church-Cooper.