Pretender, the
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Pretender, the
 | |
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| Episodes: | 86 |
| Year: | 1996-2000 |
| Country: | United States |
| Seasons: | 4 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 22, (2) 22, (3) 22, (4) 20 |
| Category: | Crime |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Mitchell/Van Sickle Productions, NBC Studios, MTM Enterprises (1) and 20th Century Fox Television (2–4) |
| Creator: | Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle |
| Run Time (mins): | 46 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | NBC |
| First Aired: | September 19, 1996 |
| Last Aired: | May 13, 2000 |
Summary
The Pretender is a one‑hour suspense drama featuring Michael T. Weiss as Jarod Russell, a prodigy whose extraordinary intellectual capacity enables him to assimilate and perform virtually any professional role. After escaping from a clandestine research organisation, he employs these abilities to act as a non‑violent vigilante, seeking justice for individuals who have been exploited or harmed, while remaining the target of an ongoing pursuit by the organisation’s operatives.
As a child in the early 1960s, Jarod is removed from his family and raised within the Centre, a secretive think‑tank that markets his analytical talents to external clients. Under the guidance of Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), a psychiatrist who oversees his development, Jarod spends decades in isolation, honing the skills that allow him to adopt complex identities with ease. Upon reaching adulthood, he escapes the Centre and begins using his abilities to assume a wide range of professions, including physician, airline pilot, and sea captain, in order to expose wrongdoing and assist victims.
Jarod’s departure prompts an intensive search led by the determined Miss Parker (Andrea Parker) and a team of Centre operatives, who are tasked with returning him to the organisation. While evading capture, Jarod not only seeks to redress injustices but also attempts to understand the world beyond the Centre’s confines. His experiences frequently lead to naïve yet earnest discoveries about everyday life, all while he continues to investigate the unresolved mystery surrounding the identities of his parents.
Cast
Jarod Russell MICHAEL T WEISS, Miss Fay Parker ANDREA PARKER, Dr. Sydney Green PATRICK BAUCHAU, Broots JOHN GRIES, Young Jarod RYAN MERRIMAN, Young Miss Fay Parker ASHLEY PELDON, Mr. Lyle JAMIE DENTON (2), Brigitte PAMELA GIDLEY (2), Mr. Raines RICHARD MARCUS, Mr. Parker HARVE PRESNELL, Young Sydney ALEX WEXO.
Tags: Crime, United States, 1996, English
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