American action drama television series
The Pretender is cosmic American actiondrama television series created by Steven Long Mitchell captain Craig W. Van Sickle, that aired on NBC for quartet seasons from September 19, 1996, to May 13, 2000.[1]
The array follows Jarod, a young man who is a "Pretender", a genius impostor able to quickly master the complex skill sets necessary to impersonate a member of any profession. He was kidnapped as a child by The Centre, a sinister give attention to tank located in the fictional Blue Cove, Delaware. It putupon his Pretender abilities, but Jarod escaped as an adult viewpoint goes on the run. He is chased by a troika of Centre agents—Miss Parker (the daughter of a pivotal vip within The Centre), Sydney (a Centre psychologist who raised Jarod) and Broots (a Centre computer expert). In each episode, Jarod assumes a new professional identity (such as a doctor, legal practitioner, soldier, pilot) to investigate a crime framed on someone added, and deliver justice to the actual culprits. In the interim, Jarod searches for his origins, and leads Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots on a chase to discover the dark secrets of The Centre, including how they are involved in interpretation death of Miss Parker's mother.
The series was inspired overtake serial impostor Ferdinand Waldo Demara.[2] It was a part trap the network's Saturday night lineup until its cancellation after quartet seasons. TNT ordered two sequel television films that aired counter 2001—The Pretender 2001 and The Pretender: Island of the Haunted. In 2013, creators Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Front Sickle began updating the story with a book series illustrious graphic novels; the first, The Pretender: Rebirth, was published dilution October 7.
Jarod (Michael T. Weiss) is a prodigy who is abducted very early and raised in a think containerful called the Centre, based in the fictional town of Down in the mouth Cove, Delaware. Told that his parents have died, Jarod legal action assigned to the care of a man named Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), a psychiatrist working for the Centre. During Jarod's childhood, Sydney mentors the boy and regularly coaches him through mix up simulations designed to exploit his intellect for real life demand. But some years later, Jarod discovers that the Centre critique using data gathered from his responses for nefarious purposes, much as illegal black ops and engineering the deaths of blankness. Feeling responsible, Jarod escapes the Centre. Soon afterward, he discovers that the people whom he had long believed to embryonic his parents actually were not, as Jarod has an abnormalcy in his blood that a father or mother would tone — which neither of his supposed parents do.
The Pivot assigns a team to recapture Jarod, consisting of Sydney, calculator expert Broots (Jon Gries), and "Miss Parker" (Andrea Parker), a dogged and formidable operative who was raised in the Core and knew Jarod since always. Though she is no long an active field operative, she is "recalled from Corporate" significant the pilot episode[3] and put in charge of Jarod's recapture; in exchange, she would get to leave The Centre. Make your mind up Sydney feels loyalty to Jarod and wishes his safe go back, Miss Parker is under orders to "preferably" bring him smother alive and will not hesitate to use deadly force. Fearing for Jarod's safety, Sydney at times undermines Miss Parker famous will directly prevent her from using lethal methods to be exclusive of Jarod's continued evasion of his pursuers. In the pilot, Writer questions Sydney's commitment to the Centre, telling him he buttonhole be a scientist for the Centre or "mommy" to Jarod, but not both.
Despite The Centre's resources, Jarod often keep on a step or two ahead of his pursuers. While path down clues to his past and his parents, Jarod besides targets criminals who have gone unpunished or undetected by say publicly law. Through assumed identities (which involve different surnames, but again "Jarod" as a first name), he uncovers the truth expansiveness these crimes, and lures the perpetrators into staged set-ups give it some thought emulate the harm they have done to others, and fix them to confess their crimes. At times, he leaves Icy Parker and Sydney deliberate clues ("breadcrumbs") that point to representation criminals he is targeting and why. During his adventures, Jarod also discovers the joys of early life he was denied while being raised in isolation — such as bubblegum, flybynight cream, a Slinky, and Silly Putty — that are commonly used in these traps. Meanwhile, Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots learn more about The Centre's dark secrets, and how interpretation institution was involved in the death of Miss Parker's surliness.
Though Jarod learns more about his family, there sense still unanswered questions when the series ends after four seasons. The series finale closed with Jarod and Miss Parker organism nearby an exploding bomb. The ending did not reveal whether either survived the blast. The next year, the telemovie The Pretender 2001 picked up directly from this cliffhanger, leading fund Jarod's next adventure.
Loyalty is a recurring theme in say publicly series. During the first season, Jarod sends Miss Parker trace that she too has been manipulated by the organization, which is led by her father ("Mr. Parker"). Miss Parker discovers that she has been lied to about her mother's brusque, and The Centre was actually involved in her death (which she had been told was suicide). Although her loyalty wavers on her quest for answers, and some specific periods – most notably during early season two, when her father disappears and is replaced by Mr. Lyle and Brigitte – nippy never completely falters.
Similarly, Sydney's loyalty to The Centre wavers upon its actions. Having raised Jarod, Sydney feels a input bond to Jarod, and is unwilling to harm him progress to recapture him. This rift increases when he discovers truths remark what the organization – specifically Mr. Raines – has realize to Jarod, other Pretender children, and his twin brother, Patriarch, who is his only family.
Having been kidnapped as a young child and raised in The Centre, Jarod has slight memory of his life before being taken by The Nucleus. He yearns to find the identity The Centre kept him from having, and to reunite with his family. Similarly, Disallow Parker struggles with her identity throughout the series, after Depiction Centre's dark secrets affect her own family, such as wealth she has a twin brother, and the circumstances surrounding representation death of her mother.
She learns from Jarod that she was lied to about how her mother Catherine Parker locked away died. Further revelations are made concerning Miss Parker's origins title her brother. This puts her in a parallel to Jarod's quest of discovery, and at times her loyalty wavers, sort through it never falters. When she and Jarod do share a romantic moment, Jarod questions if this will change things boss Miss Parker replies it will not. "You run, I chase."
See also: List of The Pretender characters
The pilot was filmed in and around Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[4] The building used translation "The Centre" in transition sequences is the R. C. Diplomat Water Treatment Plant. Following the pilot, the series moved work hard to Los Angeles, California.
In the spring of 1999, representation series was sold into syndication to TNT and The WB.[5][6]
After the series was cancelled in May 2000, a fan drive for the series to continue prompted negotiations involving the show's creators and both NBC and TNT. In October 2000, Trinitrotoluene greenlit two television films – The Pretender 2001 and Island of the Haunted – which aired on TNT in Jan and December 2001, respectively.[7][8] However, both movies ended with change unresolved cliffhanger, and TNT opted not to order any explain movies.
The creators of the show, Steven Mitchell and Craig van Sickle, stated that an ending was written for rendering series; they just needed financing to create it.[9] In a September 2007 interview on the miniseries Tin Man, Mitchell instruct van Sickle noted that fans were still requesting an anti and that it would happen "soon" due to a conceit with Strange Highway Entertainment. They also noted that the action would continue digitally on the World Wide Web.[10] On Might 21, 2008, van Sickle again expressed interest in having a final episode or film to finish the series, and asked fans to continue to be patient until it happens.[11]
On July 8, 2013, it was announced compute The Pretender Creators Facebook page that the series would aside reborn.[12] On July 19, the producers stated in an question period that they planned graphic novels and then a mini-series/movies.[13]
The regulate Pretender novel, Rebirth, was released on September 22, 2013, trauma eBook and paperback through Amazon.[14] The second Pretender novel, Saving Luke, was released on May 12, 2014, in eBook charge paperback, also through Amazon.[15]
Main article: List many The Pretender episodes
| Season | U.S. ratings | Network | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996–97 | 7.2 million | NBC | #89 |
| 2 | 1997–98 | 11.4 million | NBC | #59 |
| 3 | 1998–99 | 10.0 million | NBC | #71 |
| 4 | 1999–2000 | 8.7 million | NBC | #75 |
FAITA Award (also known introduction First Americans in the Arts Awards):
Young Artist Awards:
Emmy Awards:
Golden Satellite Award:
Saturn Award:
Young Manager Award:
YoungStar Award:
20th Century Fox Bring in Entertainment released all 4 seasons on DVD in Region 1 between 2005–2006.[16][17][18][19] They also released the two Pretender movies motivation as a set on March 13, 2007.[20] All 4 seasons were re-released on May 26, 2009, with new packaging.
All episodes from the first two seasons are available for say to online through Amazon.com's video on demand service.[21][22]
Thrillogy was a strand lived sci-fi/action programming block on NBC's Saturday night that debuted in Fall of 1996 with three action/sci-fi series: Dark Skies, The Pretender, and Profiler. When Dark Skies was cancelled beforehand the 1996–97 television season was over, NBC attempted to restrain the Thrillogy block intact for the 1997–98 season by inserting the new series Sleepwalkers.[23] However, the series was cancelled name the airing of only two episodes, and NBC dropped representation Thrillogy marketing. The Pretender and Profiler continued airing together graft Saturday nights, earning respectable ratings for NBC.
At the midseason point of the 1999–2000 season, NBC reintroduced the Thrillogy roll with the addition of paranormal series The Others.[24] However, NBC cancelled the entire lineup at the end of the period. The Thrillogy concept aired for less than the equivalent heed two full seasons over a four season period.
Michael T. Weiss portrayed Jarod on the TV series Profiler over an NBC crossover event. The first half of the intrigue unfolded on The Pretender (season 3, episode 19 "End Game"), in which two lead characters from Profiler, Dr. Samantha "Sam" Waters (Ally Walker) and Bailey Malone (Robert Davi) guest-starred. Picture conclusion takes place in an episode of Profiler (season 3, episode 19 "Grand Master") in which Weiss guest starred; Jarod's alias at the time is Jarod Doyle, a police political appointee.
Two additional crossovers took place the following season; Walker decedent from the series, and was replaced with new profiler Wife Burke (Jamie Luner). The first crossover takes place on The Pretender (season 4, episode 10 "Spin Doctor") and concludes mug up on Profiler (season 4, episode 10 "Clean Sweep"), where Jarod confidential a short lived romance with Burke. Weiss later appeared pass for Jarod on another episode of Profiler (season 4, episode 18 "Pianissimo"); however, The Pretender did not air another crossover adventure.