'Covert Affairs' spy drama on USA with Piper Perabo

[jefferiestubes8]

July 13 Tuesday premiere with 90 minute pilot.
10PM E.S.T./9C.
(All times E.S.T.)
The pilot repeats at 115AM Wed 7/14, 10AM Sat. 7/17, 1130AM Sat 7/17, 11PM Sat. 7/17, 10AM Sun 7/18

all the info from the ABC to bring back the early 2000's thread.

"Covert Affairs" (2010) (TV series)

‘Covert Affairs,’ which received an 11-episode order

Tim Matheson directed the 90 minute pilot
http://www.fancast.com/blogs/2010/tv-news/covert-spy-drama-is-headed-to-usa-network/
There is a 1 minute trailer here:
Covert Affairs Trailer
30 second 2nd trailer
Covert Affairs Trailer 2

It looks like Alias-lite. And I mean that as a compliment. The trailer doesn’t look quite as serious and complicated as Alias, but it’s not as comedic and silly as Chuck can sometimes be either. Take Alias before it got lost in the impenetrable Rambaldi mythology, add some characters approved, breezy humor and you’ve got what appears to be a happy medium. Perabo even bares a slight resemblance to Jennifer Garner in her early Sydney Bristow years with her square jaw, pouty lips and all-American girl looks.

USA Network's 'Covert Affairs' trailer: I'm in

Doug Liman has promised a “heightened reality” for the series, and there is an attempt to mimic the real world. For example, on the DCS set, there are no trash cans or recycling boxes–they use “burn bags.” The writing style of the series is intended to be “A” plot and “B” plot, with at least one self-contained story.

Defending her character’s lack of the use of firearms, “Jason Bourne doesn’t use a gun, but it makes him a smarter character.” Martial arts styles used in the series include Krav Maga (employed by Israeli Defence Force) and Wing Chun. During the interview, she informed people that the writers were “working on the season finale this morning.” Her character speaks six languages and she uses seveal in the series, including Portuguese (the actress is of Portuguese heritage).

USA Network Enlists ‘Covert Affairs’ This July

The show's website:
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/covertaffairs/

Other new spy series that are the competition this year:
Undercovers = NBC (Autumn premiere)
Nikita = CW (Autumn premiere)
Chaos = CBS mid-season?

 

[23skidoo]

Defending her character’s lack of the use of firearms, “Jason Bourne doesn’t use a gun, but it makes him a smarter character.”

I like this. Maybe I'm getting old but I've rather stopped enjoying spy shows that seem to be nothing more than excuses for showing people killing each other. The best spy show ever made for TV was Danger Man (aka Secret Agent). Except for a couple of rare occasions, John Drake never carried a gun and killed people only when given no choice. What I liked about Alias' first season was that Sydney was the same way -- you saw her beating the crap out of people but she never resorted to using the gun until the second season and the character lost much of her appeal. I fully expect we'll still see a high body count on this show but I like the fact they're at least starting things off on a "different" footing with Piper's character.

Alex

 

[jefferiestubes8]

I've rather stopped enjoying spy shows that seem to be nothing more than excuses for showing people killing each other.

Yes while action is good, and character development is important in a TV series, the suspense, gadgets, and non-violence is important for spies.

I wonder how ABC Family will deal with violence in the Harvard program training new spies show in development 'Shadows' since that channel generally offers programming for older teens, and young adults.?

I fully expect we'll still see a high body count on this show

Yes TV14 ratings surely...
It's on USA Network home of the covert-operations spy series Burn Notice (just renewed for 5th and 6th season). Since it is a first-person narrative (including frequent voice-overs providing exposition) from the viewpoint of covert-operations agent perhaps USA Network wanted a 3rd person viewpoint on a spy series without retooling Burn Notice and alienating fans?

 

[Othello]

Soon as i saw Piper Perabo was involved it was guaranteed I'd be watching every week. I've thought that woman was pure beauty ever since Coyote Ugly!!

 

[CorporalClegg]

Could be fun. I'll give it a look.

And yes Piper is uber hot.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Defending her character’s lack of the use of firearms, “Jason Bourne doesn’t use a gun, but it makes him a smarter character.”

I like this. Maybe I'm getting old but I've rather stopped enjoying spy shows that seem to be nothing more than excuses for showing people killing each other. The best spy show ever made for TV was Danger Man (aka Secret Agent). Except for a couple of rare occasions, John Drake never carried a gun and killed people only when given no choice. What I liked about Alias' first season was that Sydney was the same way -- you saw her beating the crap out of people but she never resorted to using the gun until the second season and the character lost much of her appeal. I fully expect we'll still see a high body count on this show but I like the fact they're at least starting things off on a "different" footing with Piper's character.

Alex

Jason Bourne knows 101 ways to kill a guy with his bare hands. Does Piper's character have that option?

I have all the "fantasy-based CIA" story I want from Chuck. I'd like to see Covert Affairs take a more real-world approach. I have a hard time believing that the CIA lets their junior agents decide whether to carry firearms. That sounds like a tremendous waste of my tax dollars when a well trained, valuable agent gets offed because they weren't packing, and I want to know where to lodge a complaint.

 

[USANetwork]

Hey, I'm here on behalf of USA Network. Glad to see you guys are excited about Covert Affairs!

I have all the "fantasy-based CIA" story I want from Chuck. I'd like to see Covert Affairs take a more real-world approach. I have a hard time believing that the CIA lets their junior agents decide whether to carry firearms. That sounds like a tremendous waste of my tax dollars when a well trained, valuable agent gets offed because they weren't packing, and I want to know where to lodge a complaint.

Temis, Covert Affairs actually is talking a real world approach, highlighted by the inclusion of Bourne's producer Doug Liman. The series is going to touch on all kinds of things - real policies at the CIA (employees are encouraged to date, for instance), real places around CIA HQ and more!

 

[Aragorn]

Welcome, USANetwork. Characters are welcome here too!

 

[clint g]

So I take it spies is the in thing this year?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Hey, I'm here on behalf of USA Network. Glad to see you guys are excited about Covert Affairs!

I have all the "fantasy-based CIA" story I want from Chuck. I'd like to see Covert Affairs take a more real-world approach. I have a hard time believing that the CIA lets their junior agents decide whether to carry firearms. That sounds like a tremendous waste of my tax dollars when a well trained, valuable agent gets offed because they weren't packing, and I want to know where to lodge a complaint.

Temis, Covert Affairs actually is talking a real world approach, highlighted by the inclusion of Bourne's producer Doug Liman. The series is going to touch on all kinds of things - real policies at the CIA (employees are encouraged to date, for instance), real places around CIA HQ and more!

Welcome! It's refreshing to see a PR person not trying to disguise themselves as a brand new cadet who is just REALLY SUPER ENTHUSED about some particular show.

I'm glad to hear this is the real world approach. A lot of us around here are Chuck fans, which is great for the fantasy/lightweight approach, but we really don't need two shows like that (or more - Undercovers sounds like glamorous wish-fulfillment fantasy).

The show has a really interesting cast - Christopher Gorham, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Peter Galagher, Eion Bailey, Kari Matchett and Gregory Itzin (who I hope has a TON of screen time).

Characters are welcome here too!

TrekBBS: Characters are mandatory here.

 

[Aragorn]

So I take it spies is the in thing this year?

Well the upcoming movie where James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne, Chuck Bartowski, Sydney Bristow, Simon Templar, Harry Tasker, Michael Westen and Evelyn Salt team up to hunt down Jack Bauer may sink or swim the entire spy genre.

 

[CorporalClegg]

^
I would so go and see that.

 

[Aragorn]

I'm surprised Piper Perabo never became a bigger star. Maybe because she was never offered better roles (Cheaper by the Dozen? Beverly Hills Chihuahua?).

 

[Othello]

Hey, I'm here on behalf of USA Network. Glad to see you guys are excited about Covert Affairs!

I have all the "fantasy-based CIA" story I want from Chuck. I'd like to see Covert Affairs take a more real-world approach. I have a hard time believing that the CIA lets their junior agents decide whether to carry firearms. That sounds like a tremendous waste of my tax dollars when a well trained, valuable agent gets offed because they weren't packing, and I want to know where to lodge a complaint.

Temis, Covert Affairs actually is talking a real world approach, highlighted by the inclusion of Bourne's producer Doug Liman. The series is going to touch on all kinds of things - real policies at the CIA (employees are encouraged to date, for instance), real places around CIA HQ and more!

Welcome! It's refreshing to see a PR person not trying to disguise themselves as a brand new cadet who is just REALLY SUPER ENTHUSED about some particular show.

I'm glad to hear this is the real world approach. A lot of us around here are Chuck fans, which is great for the fantasy/lightweight approach, but we really don't need two shows like that (or more - Undercovers sounds like glamorous wish-fulfillment fantasy).

The show has a really interesting cast - Christopher Gorham, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Peter Galagher, Eion Bailey, Kari Matchett and Gregory Itzin (who I hope has a TON of screen time).

Characters are welcome here too!

TrekBBS: Characters are mandatory here.

Love that Opeter Galagher is going to be in the cast. olid cast all around there with soem great actors. I was also rather excited to see Oded Fehr in the previews but from that list above it appears he's not going to be on the show very long or is only a semi-regular which is a shame as I've loved his work since The Mummy.

 

[Othello]

I'm surprised Piper Perabo never became a bigger star. Maybe because she was never offered better roles (Cheaper by the Dozen? Beverly Hills Chihuahua?).

Me too. She's a very good actress. Add in to that her flawless beauty and she screamed movie superstar. That said, I actually have more respect for tv actors than I do for movie actors. It is MUCH harder to make the equivalent of 10-12 movies a year (2 episodes equals one movie) and keep up people's interest and give consistently good performances than doing a movie or two a year in my opinion.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The show has a really interesting cast - Christopher Gorham, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Peter Galagher, Eion Bailey, Kari Matchett and Gregory Itzin (who I hope has a TON of screen time).

Also, Anne Dudek. (Amber from House.)

 

[clint g]

So I take it spies is the in thing this year?

Well the upcoming movie where James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne, Chuck Bartowski, Sydney Bristow, Simon Templar, Harry Tasker, Michael Westen and Evelyn Salt team up to hunt down Jack Bauer may sink or swim the entire spy genre.

^
I would so go and see that.

Indeed. Such a movie would be so full of win that I don't think a film could contain such awesomeness.

 

[DarKush]

^
That movie would be spectacular. I'm calling it for Jack Bauer though. He can't be stopped. Ever.

 

[USANetwork]

It's great that you're also excited about the realism angle. With Liman producing and the CIA as the backdrop for the series, there's really a blank slate with regards to stories.

And, yes, we're really proud of the cast - Gallagher, Gorham and Perabo are all strong assets and the guest roles from Oded Fehr and Gregory Itzin will add some awesome flair - great guest stars are something USA shows always deliver on.

There's a new promo up as well, that you can check out: http://video.usanetwork.com/series/covert_affairs/previews_6/covert-affairs-sneak-peek/v1225989

 

[DarthPipes]

This show has potential I think. I read that both Eriq LaSalle and Gregory Itzen are doing multi-episode guest shots.