UC: Undercover
| UC: Undercover | |
|---|---|
|
UC: Undercover cast | |
| Created by | |
| Starring |
|
| Composer(s) | David Arnold |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | |
| Producer(s) |
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| Editor(s) | Les Butler |
| Location(s) | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Cinematography | Tony Westman |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Distributor | |
| Broadcast | |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original run | September 30, 2001 – March 23, 2002 |
UC: Undercover was an action-drama television series that focused on the secret lives and private demons of an elite Justice Department crime-fighting unit that confronted the country's deadliest, most untouchable lawbreakers by going undercover to bust them. The series premiered on the NBC network on September 30, 2001. The series ran for one season of 13 episodes, finishing its run on March 23, 2002.
The screenplays were written by Shane Salerno. James Bond composer David Arnold wrote the main title theme and scored the pilot episode.[1] Salerno said the show would be a "very music driven series."[2] UC: Undercover was a production of NBC Studios in association with Jersey Films, Chasing Time Pictures, Regency Television, and 20th Century Fox Television. Its short but popular run ended when it was canceled by the network. The show developed a passionate following overseas and continues to run on FX International.[3]
Cast
- Oded Fehr as Frank Donovan (12 episodes)
- Vera Farmiga as Alex Cross (11 episodes)
- Jon Seda as Jake Shaw (11 episodes)
- Bruklin Harris as Monica Davis (11 episodes)
- Jarrad Paul as Cody (11 episodes)
- William Forsythe as Sonny Walker (5 episodes)
Synopsis
The unit is headed by authoritative Frank Donovan (Oded Fehr), with undercover agents Jake Shaw (Jon Seda) and Alex Cross (Vera Farmiga), psychological profiler Monica Davis (Bruklin Harris), and young techno-wizard Cody (Jarrad Paul), who runs all of the high-tech surveillance operations.
As a federal team, the group responds to emergencies all over the country: taking down elite bank robbers, drug kingpins, domestic terrorists, spies, jewel thieves, and corrupt cops. The drama's character-driven storylines emphasize the taut, cat-and-mouse game played by the undercover agents as they attempt to infiltrate the lives of a gallery of criminals, including murderous master thief Jack "Sonny" Walker (William Forsythe) and imprisoned drug lord Carlos Cortez (Steven Bauer, in a recurring role).
The series also explores the psychological toll undercover work takes on the agents who play this deadly game of false identities and who commit treachery as a daily profession for the greater good. The team often butts heads with Paul Bloom (Brian Markinson), their obstructive and fiercely ambitious Justice Department boss.
Reception
The New York Times called it a "fast paced, good-looking series"[4] and Variety wrote that series lead Oded Fehr is a "commanding and interesting addition to television."[5] Variety added that "technical credits are comparable to theatrical quality" which led the series winning awards for cinematography and sound. The show received a high 7.3 out of 10 from viewers on TV.com.[6] USA Today 's Robert Bianco gave it one star and said it was "pretentious, incoherent and so visually hyper it borders on nauseating."[7]
Episode list
| Episode no. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Date aired | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Life on the Wire" | Thomas Carter | Shane Salerno & Don Winslow | September 30, 2001 | 1AEZ79 |
| 2 | "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" | Tony Bill | Shane Salerno | October 7, 2001 | 1AEZ01 |
| 3 | "Of Fathers and Sons" | Lou Antonio | Shane Salerno | October 14, 2001 | 1AEZ02 |
| 4 | "Amerikaz Most Wanted" | Terrence O'Hara | Shane Salerno | October 21, 2001 | 1AEZ03 |
| 5 | "Honor Among Thieves" | Richard Dobbs | Story by: Nick Kendrick & Shane Salerno Teleplay by: Stephen Adly Guirgis |
October 28, 2001 | 1AEZ04 |
| 6 | "Nobody Rides for Free" | Jefery Levy | Story by: Erik Bork Teleplay by: Shane Salerno |
November 11, 2001 | 1AEZ05 |
| 7 | "City on Fire" | Jean de Segonzac | Story by: Erik Bork & Naren Shankar Teleplay by: Erik Bork, Naren Shankar & Stephen Adly Guirgis |
November 18, 2001 | 1AEZ07 |
| 8 | "The Siege" | Kenneth Fink | Story by: Nick Kendrick, Erik Bork & Naren Shankar Teleplay by: Shane Salerno & Stephen Adly Guirgis |
December 2, 2001 | 1AEZ06 |
| 9 | "Zero Option" | Michael W. Watkins | Story by: Stephen Adly Guirgis & Nick Kendrick Teleplay by: Shane Salerno |
December 9, 2001 | 1AEZ09 |
| 10 | "Hunting Armando" | Tony Bill | Stephen Adly Guirgis, Naren Shankar & Erik Bork | January 6, 2002 | 1AEZ10 |
| 11 | "Teddy C" | Jeff Woolnough | Shane Salerno & Don Winslow | January 13, 2002 | 1AEZ11 |
| 12 | "Manhunt" | Joseph Patrick Finn | Story by: Andrew Lenchewski & Jerry Nachman Teleplay by: Stephen Adly Guirgis & Naren Shankar |
March 23, 2002 | 1AEZ12 |
| 13 | "The Sins of Sonny Walker" | Allan Kroeker | Teleplay by: Shane Salerno, Naren Shankar & Nick Kendrick | March 23, 2002 | 1AEZ08 |
References
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ Ving Rhames Cast in ' Undercover' abcnews.go.com
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ "New Television Season in Review; UC -- Undercover". The New York Times. September 28, 2001.
- ↑ "Review: 'UC: Undercover'". Variety. September 27, 2001.
- ↑ "UC - Undercover Reviews". TV.com.
- ↑ "'UC: Undercover' underwhelms Bianco". USA Today.