I love Chazz, and he's great at playing to his strengths (neighborhood types). But to be painfully honest, he's pretty limited as an actor.

As far as the "Kojak" remake, I never watched it. But one of the main selling points of the original was the character's Greek roots (more than a few episodes centered around his Greek family). They took that away is casting a non-Greek.

That's nothing against Rhames. I think he's a great actor. But Theo Kojak is Greek. Period.