The Pretender (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = The Pretender


caption = The Pretender Title Card
format = Drama
runtime = 60 minutes
creator = Steven Long Mitchell
Craig W. Van Sickle
starring = Michael T. Weiss
Andrea Parker
Patrick Bauchau
Jon Gries
country = United States
network = NBC
first_aired = September 19, 1996
last_aired = May 13, 2000
num_seasons = 4
num_episodes = 86
list_episodes = List of The Pretender episodes
imdb_id = 0115320
tv_com_id = 109
amg_id = 1:329186

"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.

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.

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.

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. It is a common misconception that in Season Four, Episode Ten, Miss Parker’s first name is revealed when she meets an old high school date who is now a priest. When the priest first sees Miss Parker he addresses her as 'Parker,' but due to the character's accent and muffled audio, many believe he addresses her as ‘Monica’. In Season One, Episode Eight, at about 16:15, her initials can be seen written on an old Christmas ornament as 'M.P.', suggesting that her first name begins with an M (presuming that Catherine Parker would have called her daughter by her given name rather than Miss Parker, as the ornament is inscribed as a gift to 'Mom').

"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.

Awards and nominations

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)

Awards nominated

Emmy Awards:
* Outstanding Main Title Theme Music by Mark Leggett & Velton Ray Bunch (2000)

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:
* Best Genre TV Actor - Michael T. Weiss (1998)

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)

Cast

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 "" movies.

main|List of The Pretender (TV series) characters

Plot

Jarod (Michael T. Weiss) is a child prodigy who was abducted at a young age and raised by a think tank called The Centre, based in the fictional town of Blue Cove, Delaware. Jarod's handlers at The Centre trained him to 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 which challenged his intellect. 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.

Series

After the series was cancelled, it was picked up in syndication by Turner Network Television. Two telemovies – "The Pretender 2001" and "" – 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. [ [http://www.michigandaily.com/news/2001/01/22/Arts/pretender.Fans.Get.A.Second.Chance-1410927.shtml 'Pretender' fans get a second chance - Arts ] ] , [ [http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/09/04/loc_kiesewetter_tnt.html TNT brings 'Pretender' back to life ] ] 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.Fact|date=June 2007 On February 27, 2007 a representative from the Turner Network Television announced they have no intention of financing any more Pretender movies.Fact|date=June 2007

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

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. [ [http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/09/07/sosf-interview-with-the-tin-man-creators-steven-long-mitchell-and-craig-van-sickle SoSF Interview With the “Tin Man” Creators Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle - Slice of SciFi ] ]

Episodes

DVD releases

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

References

External links

*
* [http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/pretender/100511 "The Pretender"] at TVGuide.com
*
* [http://www.foxhome.com/pretender The Pretender DVDs website]
* [http://forums.prospero.com/foxpretender Official Fox Pretender Forum]
* [http://www.pretendercentre.com/ PretenderCentre]