Tag Archives: Undercovers

NBC cancels ‘Undercovers’

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Tear.  Shortly after granting all other freshman series full season orders, NBC decided to axe the spy series with potential Undercovers.  And just when the creative team was about to retool the show’s structure by injecting some exciting mythos into it.  Too little too late, as they say?  I happened to highly enjoy this series; the writing is smart, the action is cutting edge, and the small, vibrant cast is worth investing in.  And to think that a J.J. Abrams show could ever be cancelled!  Never thought I’d see the day come.  You can blame it on the lack of a gripping subplot (but that was coming!) and poor ratings; the show hit a series low last night drawing only 5.8 million viewers.

But enough grieving for now.  Bet you’re wondering about the remainder of Undercovers episodes.  NBC will air three more episodes in the short term (11/10, 11/17, 12/1) and may run three additional episodes at a later time.  The information regarding those lingering episodes remains unclear right now.  RIP Blooms.  I just hope that we find out what Shaw, Alan Dale, and the CIA had in store for the sexy duo.

[Via Deadline]

Get ready for some ‘Undercovers’ mythos starting this week

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It’s no secret that NBC has renewed all of its new fall programming except for Undercovers.  Instead of being handed the back nine safety net, this procedural drama received additional scripts, not episodes.  TV Guide has uncovered exciting news surrounding the program with potential.  Undercovers, the spy series from partners J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) and Josh Reims (Felicity), premiered with a rocky start.  The most recent episode netted 5.4 million viewers; the show is no runaway success (surprising news for Abrams fans all over).  With unexceptional ratings and no full season order happening just yet, Reims and company need to prove that this show is worth keeping on the airwaves.  And they’re going to do that by injecting some compelling mythos into the storyline.

Before Undercovers premiered, Reims and Abrams discussed their ultimate plan for the show.  We know Abrams is all about mythology (re: Fringe, Lost, Alias), but Reims did not want to make the show difficult or confusing for casual viewers to tune into every week.  So they decided to structure the show with a procedural backbone.  But with the recent rating slump, Reims suddenly had a change of heart.  Mythology is coming, and it involves digging to the Blooms’ past.

Spills star Boris Kodjoe: “The mythology is represented by Shaw and his boss, and the plan they have for the Blooms.  Every episode we find out new elements and new aspects about this master plan that was in place even before they came back to the CIA.”  Reims adds: “They’re kind of upset that they were sent into this dangerous field without knowing the exact reason why they were there.  So that lights a fire underneath them to find out what those real reasons are.”

Kodjoe and Reims are hopeful the next round of episodes will captivate and invest viewers.  “Audiences are not to be underestimated”, says Kodjoe. We want to be entertained and there has to be some sense of escapism.  On the other hand, people want to be challenged.  I think that’s part of the reason they made that adjustment.  Obviously we want to challenge our audience and make sure they stay with us.”  Reims: “Obviously, we would have liked for [the network] to say, ‘Go ahead and shoot your back nine episodes,’ but I understand our ratings aren’t exactly going through the roof.  I’m hoping that when they see the episodes that are airing in the next few weeks, plus the scripts they are going to get, they’ll realize, ‘Oh, wow there’s a lot going on in this show and we don’t want to give up on it yet.'”  Me too.

The new storyline promises to take one step back away from the Blooms’ domestic life and dive more into their spy missions.  And guess who’s playing Shaw’s boss?  That’s right–Alan Dale (Lost‘s Charles Widmore).

If you’re not watching Undercovers you should be.  It’s an exhilarating, smart, and sexy thrill ride that features exotic locales and fun spy missions, and not to mention witty, hilarious dialogue.  With the introduction of some mythos, things will only get better from here.  It airs Wednesday nights at 8PM on NBC.  Tell your friends.

Update: You clearly did not tell your friends.  NBC cancelled the show.

[Via TVGuide; IGN]

NBC picks up J.J. Abrams’ Undercovers

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And the first new scripted TV program of the fall is… J.J. Abrams’ spy drama Undercovers.  NBC pounced on this back in December, and now it has been made official.  NBC ordered an inital 13 episode run set to start in September.  Undercovers is about a married couple (Boris Kodjoe & Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who play ex-CIA agents that are pulled back into the “into the world of espionage.”  That’s right people; Abrams is going back to his roots (Alias, MI:3).  Here’s the synopsis:

Outwardly, Steven Bloom (Kodjoe) and his wife, Samantha (Mbatha-Raw), are a typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles and are helped by Samantha’s easily frazzled younger sister, Lizzy (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Secretly, the duo were two of the CIA’s best spies until they fell in love on the job five years ago and retired. When fellow spy and friend Nash (Carter MacIntyre) goes missing while on the trail of a Russian arms dealer, the Blooms are reinstated by boss Carlton Shaw (Gerald McRaney) to locate and rescue Nash. The pair is thrust back into the world of espionage as they follow leads that span the globe — and Steven and Samantha realize that this supercharged, undercover lifestyle provides the excitement and romance that their marriage has been missing.

Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment: “We have tremendous confidence in this promising series and feel this is a great way to kick off our upcoming Upfront development announcements. J.J. has delivered another signature series along with our partners at Warner Bros and we couldn’t be happier.”  NBC President Angela Bromstad: “Having J.J. on our creative team is a great reason for celebration. In Undercovers, he’s found a breakout couple that is rich in character and brimming with romance and action. We feel he’s found the perfect cast.”

Abrams will servce as co-writer, executive producer, and co-creator (with Josh Reims).  He also directed the pilot; this is the first time he’s directing a TV show episode since the Lost pilot.  This should be good.  Keep it on your radar.

[Via EW-Ausiello Files; IGN]

J.J. Abrams sits back in the director’s chair for NBC’s Undercovers

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It’s been too long since we’ve had the pleasure of watching a J.J. Abrams-directed series premiere on television (the Lost premiere, to be exact).  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Abrams will direct the premiere episode of NBC’s upcoming spy show Undercovers.  The episode is co-written between Abrams and Felicity pal Josh Reims.  According to numerous sources the show is being described as has been described as Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets The Bourne Identity.

Abrams adds Undercovers to a growing list of other new shows he plans on unveiling in the near future.  There’s the HBO medical drama called Anatomy of Hope and a not-yet-titled FOX comedy.  With Lost beginning its heavily anticipated final season this February, Abrams better have a deep arsenal of amazing TV dramas in his pockets.  As hard as it is for me to imagine a future without Lost, news that Abrams is hard at work with new offerings gives me a glimpse of a hopeful future post-one of the best shows ever made.

[Via IGN; NYMag]