Tom Ryan (The Unit)
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Colonel Thomas R. Ryan (United States Army, callsign: Blue Iguana) is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Unit. He is portrayed by Robert Patrick.
Colonel Ryan is a long-time Unit operator, serving as a team and a troop commander within the 303rd Logistical Studies Unit before assuming the position of commanding officer. He has a long-time standing friendship with both retired Sergeant Major Ron Cheals and current Alpha Team leader Sergeant Major Jonas Blane.
In the pilot episode, it is revealed that Ryan is having an affair with Tiffany Gerhardt, wife of senior Unit NCO MacDonald Gerhardt. This is a focal point of much of the first season, with the affair almost exposed at several points. While it seems that Tiffany is truly falling for Ryan while her husband is steadily growing more distant from her, the feeling is not returned. As Unit wife Kim Brown put it, Ryan's in it for the thrill.
At the end of Season 1, Ryan breaks off his ties with Tiffy, and marries a woman named Charlotte Canning, a Washington insider. The newly wed Charlotte was shot twice in the back when a Serbian war criminal discovered the 303rd's headquarters and attacked Alpha Team at Ryan's post-wedding celebration.
In Season 2, Ryan is concerned with checking base security in the wake of the attack. In addition, his wife was on the brink of legal trouble when she ran another driver off the road while under the influence of drugs, a crime that Tiffy Gerhardt took the heat for.
The other major concern on Ryan's plate in Season 2 comes after the 303rd is ordered to assassinate the oil minister of Venezuela, and Ryan calls off the mission due to the fact that it's a purely political mission for oil. This comes back to haunt Ryan when White House offical Neil Krinsman refuses to help Ryan rescue Jonas Blane from Georgian rebels. Ryan not only arranges Blane's rescue, but also saves Krinsman from assassination by Georgian rebels.
[edit] See also
| The Unit | |
|---|---|
| Production: | Episode list • DVD releases |
| Main characters: | Jonas Blane • Bob Brown • Mack Gerhardt • Charles Grey • Hector Williams • Tom Ryan Molly Blane • Kim Brown • Tiffy Gerhardt |
| Supporting characters: | Charlotte Ryan • Crystal Burns • Jeremy Erhart |
