The Pretender (TV series)

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For other uses, see Pretender (disambiguation).
The Pretender

The Pretender Title Card
Format Drama
Created by Steven Long Mitchell
Craig W. Van Sickle
Starring Michael T. Weiss
Andrea Parker
Patrick Bauchau
Jon Gries
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 86 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time 60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run September 19, 1996 – May 13, 2000
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The Pretender is an American television series that aired on NBC for four seasons between 1996 and 2000. Following the show's cancellation, two television movies were aired that picked up where the series left off. According to show creators Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle, the character of Jarod was inspired by serial impostor Ferdinand Waldo Demara.

Contents

[edit] Opening narration

The first two seasons' opening narration reads as follows:

There are pretenders among us. Geniuses with the ability to become anyone they want to be. In 1963, a corporation known as the Centre isolated a young pretender named Jarod and exploited his genius for their research. Then, one day, their pretender ran away...

The pilot episode introduction reads as follows:

There are extraordinary individuals among us known as PRETENDERS. Geniuses with the ability to insinuate themselves into any walk of life, to literally become anyone. In 1963, a corporation called the Centre isolated one such PRETENDER, a young boy named Jarod. Locked in a controlled environment, they exploited his genius for their "unofficial" research. Then, one day, their PRETENDER ran away.

Subsequent seasons featuring the following narration:

    • On screen: there are Pretenders among us
    • Narrator: There are Pretenders among us.
    • Jarod: I was taken from my family
    • On screen: a child genius
    • Young Sydney: Thirty-six hours and he's already demonstrating more talent than any of our others.
    • On screen: exploited by the Centre
    • Jarod: How many people died because of what I thought up?
    • Jarod: Since I broke out...
    • On screen: escaped
    • Jarod: ...I've spent every moment searching for my past.
    • On screen: the pretender (title logo)
    • Miss Parker: He's a Pretender, a genius who can become anyone that he wants to be.
    • Sydney: The Centre wants him alive.
    • Miss Parker: Preferably.
    • Miss Parker: He defends the weak and abused.
    • Jarod: Life's a gift.
    • Hospital patient: Are you a doctor?
    • Jarod: I am today.

[edit] Shooting location

The building seen in nearly every episode and identified as "The Centre" is actually the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, located in Toronto, Canada. The same building also appears as a prison in an episode of Forever Knight, as Genomex headquarters in the series Mutant X, the clinic in In the Mouth of Madness, and in various films.

[edit] First names

Most regular characters are almost always addressed by one name, either their first or their surname, but never by their full name. Most of the characters' full names are never actually revealed (exceptions include Dr. William Raines and Catherine Elaine Parker (whose maiden name was Catherine Jamison). Catherine's middle name is revealed on a DSA by Dr. Raines, preceding her autopsy in Season 4 Episode 19. Miss Parker's first name is seen spoken in Season One, Episode Fourteen, in which Young Miss Parker can be seen whispering Jarod her real name, but the audience is not permitted to hear it.

[edit] Profiler crossover

Michael T. Weiss portrayed his Jarod character on the TV series Profiler during an NBC crossover event. The first half of the plot unfolds on an episode of The Pretender, in which two lead characters from Profiler, Dr. Samantha 'Sam' Waters (Ally Walker) and Bailey Malone (Robert Davi) guest-starred. The conclusion takes place in an episode of Profiler (in which Michael T. Weiss guest-starred). Jarod's alias at the time is Jarod Doyle, a police officer. He vanishes at the end of the episode, presumably on to another "pretend."

After the Profiler's main character, Sam Waters, was replaced with a new Profiler, Rachel Burke (Jamie Luner), there was another Pretender/Profiler crossover in which Jarod had a short lived romance with the new Profiler.

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] Awards won

FAITA Award (also known as First Americans in the Arts Awards):

  • Outstanding Guest Performance by an Actor in a TV Drama Series - Tyler Christopher (2001)

Young Artist Awards:

  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actor - Seth Adkins (1999)
  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Supporting Young Actor - Ryan Merriman (1998-1999)

[edit] Awards nominated

Emmy Awards:

Golden Satellite Award:

  • Best TV Series-Drama (1998-1999)
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series - Michael T. Weiss (1998-1999)
  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series - Andrea Parker (1999)

Saturn Award:

Young Artist Award:

  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series for Guest Starring Young Actor - Zachary Browne (1998)
  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series for Guest Starring Young Actress - Caitlin Wachs (2000)
  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series for Guest Starring Young Actress - Ashley Peldon (1999)
  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series for Young Actor - Ryan Merriman (1997)
  • Best Performance in a TV Drama Series for Young Actress - Ashley Peldon (1997)

YoungStar Award:

  • Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series - Ryan Merriman (1997,1999-2000)

[edit] Cast

[edit] Main cast

This table represents the appearance of the main cast throughout The Pretender series. What is represented in this chart is the number of episodes appeared in, and appearances in The Pretender 2001 and The Pretender: Island of the Haunted movies.

Character Played by # of episodes 2001 Island of the Haunted
Jarod Michael T. Weiss 86 Yes Yes
Miss Parker Andrea Parker 86 Yes Yes
Sydney Patrick Bauchau 86 Yes Yes
Broots Jon Gries 85 Yes Yes
Young Jarod/Gemini Ryan Merriman 48 No No
Dr. William Raines Richard Marcus 45 Yes Yes
Mr. Lyle James Denton 36 Yes Yes
Mr. Parker Harve Presnell 31 Yes Yes
Sam the Sweeper Sam Ayers 31 No No
Angelo Paul Dillon 23 Yes Yes
Brigitte Parker Pamela Gidley 17 No No
Willie the Sweeper Willie Gault 14 No No
Young Miss Parker Ashley Peldon 12 No No
Magaret, Jarod's mom Kim Myers 10 No Yes
Thomas Gates Jason Brooks 8 No No
Mr. Cox Lenny Von Dohlen 5 No No
Young Angelo/Timmy Jake Lloyd 5 No No
Major Charles George Lazenby 4 No No
Ethan Clausen/Mirage Tyler Christopher 2 Yes No
Main article: List of The Pretender (TV series) characters

[edit] Plot

Jarod (Michael T. Weiss) is a child prodigy who was abducted at a young age and raised by a think tank called the The Centre, based in the fictional town of Blue Cove, Delaware. Jarod's handlers at The Centre trained him be a "Pretender", someone who can integrate himself into any walk of life. Jarod's father figure is Sydney, a Centre psychologist who coached him through simulations. When Jarod discovered that the Centre was data mining his simulations for nefarious purposes, he escaped. Since that time, Jarod is trying to clear his conscience, but The Centre is never far behind.

Miss Parker (Andrea Parker), Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), and Broots (Jon Gries), make up The Centre team charged with recapturing Jarod. Although Parker, Bauchau, and Gries were constant presences throughout the series, other actors, including James Denton, Richard Marcus and Harve Presnell have recurring roles as executives of the Centre. Andrea Parker also plays Miss Parker's mother, Catherine Parker, in flashback scenes, and Patrick Bauchau plays Sydney's twin brother Jacob.

[edit] Series

After the series was cancelled, it was picked up in syndication by Turner Network Television. Two telemovies -- The Pretender 2001 and Island of the Haunted -- were aired on TNT in 2001; in response to an outpouring of emails from fans, which prompted negotiations involving the show's creators and both NBC and TNT. [1], [2] Both movies ended with an unresolved cliffhanger. The creators of the show, Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle stated in an interview on the French DVD of the telemovies that they have already written an ending and all they need is financing to produce the final Pretender telemovie.[citation needed] On February 27th, 2007 a representative from the Turner Network Television announced they have no intention of financing any more Pretender movies.[citation needed]

Reruns of The Pretender have aired and still air in many countries worldwide.

[edit] Possible closure for the Pretender story

On September 7th 2007 in an interview for their new miniseries Tin Man, creators Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle stated "Our fans still clabber for the answers because we never closed The Pretender out. We will just say to them please be patient, it’s going to happen, hopefully soon." They also referred to it happening in relationship to "Strange Highway" Entertainment and that the story line would continue digitally on the web.[3]

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of The Pretender episodes

[edit] DVD releases

20th Century Fox has released the entire series as well as the 2 TV-Movies on DVD in Region 1.

DVD Name Release Date
The Pretender - TV Starter Set March 22, 2005
The Pretender - The Complete First Season March 22, 2005
The Pretender - The Complete Second Season September 20, 2005
The Pretender - The Complete Third Season February 14, 2006
The Pretender - The Complete Fourth Season July 18, 2006
The Pretender: Movie Edition - The Pretender 2001
The Pretender: Island of the Haunted		 March 13, 2007

[edit] References

  1. ^ ''Pretender'' fans get a second chance - Arts
  2. ^ TNT brings 'Pretender' back to life
  3. ^ SoSF Interview With the “Tin Man” Creators Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle - Slice of SciFi

[edit] External links

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The Pretender
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Cast
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