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The Pretender

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The Pretender
The Pretender-Logo.jpg
Premiere September 19, 1996
Finale May 13, 2000
Creator Steven Long Mitchell &
Craig W Van Sickle
Network/Provider NBC
TNT (TV movies)
Style 60-minute drama
Company Mitchell/Van Sickle Productions,
NBC Studios,
MTM Enterprises (seasons 1-2),
20th Century Fox Television (seasons 3-4)
Seasons 4
Episodes 86
Origin USA

The Pretender is a series that aired for four years on NBC before moving over to TNT for reruns and two follow-up television movies.

The show focuses on a man named Jarod. In the 1960s, when he was a child, he was abducted by a Delaware-based think tank known as The Center. Jarod is a genius and The Center used this to help them reason out and develop solutions to problems, although many of these were used to hurt people. In the late 1990s, Jarod finally breaks out of The Center and goes on the run, trying to find his family of which he only has a few memories. The Center wants him back under their control without coming to the general public's attention. As Jarod goes on his quest, with agents of The Centre in pursuit, Jarod uses his genius abilities and skills to "pretend", to become, any occupation he needs on any given day. One day he can be a doctor, the next a male prostitute, the next a forest ranger, and then on to television stunt man.

The show heavily focuses on Jarod's childlike innocence as he learns about life outside the Center, often in humorous situations, although with its fair share of drama.

Mitchell/Van Sickle Productions and NBC Studios produced the series in association with MTM Enterprises in the first two seasons, then with 20th Century Fox Television (now the current 20th Television, after that company absorbed MTM) in the final two seasons. Disney-ABC Domestic Television is the show's distributor (taking over from former distributor 20th Television after the latter company's distribution duties were absorbed in 2020).

Contents

Cast

Actor Character Duration
Billed Cast 1 2 3 4
Michael T. Weiss Jarod * * * *
Andrea Parker Miss Parker * * * *
Patrick Bauchau Sydney Green * * * *
Jon Gries Broots o o o *
Orange/Red/o indicates a recurring or guest role during that season.
Dark Green indicates top billing during that season.
Supporting/Recurring Cast 1 2 3 4
Sam Ayers Sam the Sweeper * * * *
James Denton Mister Lyle * * * *
Pamela Gidley Brigitte Parker * * * *
Richard Marcus William Raines * * * *
Ryan Merriman Young Jarod / Gemini * * * *
Harve Presnell Mister Parker * * *
Ashley Peldon Young Miss Parker * * *

Seasons

Season  Premiere Finale #
NBC
Season One September 19, 1996 May 17, 1997 22
Season Two November 1, 1997 May 16, 1998 22
Season Three October 17, 1998 May 22, 1999 22
Season Four September 25, 1999 May 13, 2000 20

TV Movies

Title Network Airdate
The Pretender 2001 TNT January 22, 2001
The Island of the Haunted TNT December 10, 2001

In-Depth

DVD Releases

Title Release Discs
Season Sets  (Region 1)
The Complete First Season March 22, 2005 purchase 4
The Complete Second Season September 20, 2005 purchase 4
The Complete Third Season February 14, 2006 purchase 4
The Complete Fourth Season July 18, 2006 purchase 4
Movie Edition March 13, 2007 purchase 1
Episode Collections  (Region 1)
Season One: Episodes 1-2 March 22, 2005 1

External Links