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THREAT MATRIX

threat_matrix_tv_tm
 
Full Name: John Kilmer
Nationality: American
Organization: Homeland Security
Occupation Agent

Creator: Daniel Voll
Time Span: 2003 - 2004

ABOUT THE SERIES

Threat Matrix is a daily report.

The team detailed here is dedicated to taking the facts from that report and do whatever it takes to handle the items deemed most likely to endanger the citizenry of the U.S.

We are told at the beginning of the first recorded adventure, "Every morning the President receives a report that updates the most active terrorist threats against the United States. This report is called the Threat Matrix." A briefing to the press concerning this unnamed operation add, "The Department of Homeland Security handpicked teams of agents from the CIA, the FBI and the NSA to analyze and respond to the Threat Matrix report. Now their job is to keep up safe. ... We are making progress."

From that last statement it is possible to infer that there are more than one team active doing the same sort of work that the team we follow is doing. By the same token, of course, it is more than possible that this was a bit of disinformation and the team in question here is in fact the only one.

Taking orders directly from the President, or at least through Colonel Roger Atkins, the liaison between the Chief Executive and the team, the members of this really unnamed group enjoys an exceptional level of privilege. Transportation is immediately provided to wherever they need to go. Supplies of just about anything are readily available. Even extra manpower is at the whim of the team leader though the people he already has on a regular basis is pretty impressive.

The membership of the team comes from several different sources, likely the leader being handpicked by Atkins and the others chosen by the leader. FBI, CIA, NSA, DEA, the list of alphabet agents from which the team has been pulled in impressive. The members of the team are:

- John Kilmer - The leader of the team. This former FBI agent is in his late 30's. He has an almost but not quite sardonic attitude, likely stemming from an assurance in his team's abilities and the level of authority behind his actions. He is reasonably respectful of others but is in no way intimated by anyone challenging him.

- Frankie Ellroy-Kilmer - Another operative pulled from the ranks of the FBI (?). She and John Kilmer had been married for a time and still possess considerable feeling for each other. She is an excellent field agent and no qualms about heading into any trouble spot.

- Mohammad 'Mo' Hassain - An Egyptian-American formerly with the CIA

- Lia 'Lark" Larkin - A former FBI expert in forensics, extremely useful in finding out answers to questions of who did what and how.

- Tim Vargas - Previously with the DEA, he is an expert in the movement and methods of drug smuggling.

- Holly Brodeen - Resident computer expert, she is deaf but excels at sign language and apparently lip reading. She is a whiz behind the keyboard.

- Jelani Harper - Technical genius with exceptional skills at telecommunications.

TELEVISION


Number of Episodes:16
First Appearance:2003
Last Appearance:2004
Network:ABC

REGULAR CAST
James DentonJohn Kilmer [ 1 ]
Kelly RutherfordFrankie Ellroy Kilmer [ 1 ]
Will LymanCol. Atkins [ 1 ]
Mahershalahashbaz AliJelani [ 1 ]

1 Pilot
Episode S1-1, first aired 09/18/2003
Director: Charles Haid
Writer: Daniel Voll

Heading in country to interrogate a prisoner, Frankie Kilmer learns the man wants asylum and pays for it by revealing a shipping container with a terrorist cell in it is heading to the States but where it is headed and on what ship is not know. Then things to south.

2 Veteran's Day
Episode S1-2, first aired 09/25/2003
Director: Fred Gerber
Writer: James D. Parriott

The team takes on a case of a rogue DEA agent joining with a Vietnam Vet to sell crystal meth.

3 Doctor Germ
Episode S1-3, first aired 10/02/2003
Director: Guy Norman Bee
Writer: Daniel Voll

To take down a biological weapons facility threatening the world, the team must face exposure to the gas being manufactored.

4 Natural Borne Killers
Episode S1-4, first aired 10/09/2003
Director: Perry Lang
Writer: Nancy Miller

The team goes after three people heading to Las Vegas in possession of a deadly virus.

5 Patriot Acts
Episode S1-5, first aired 10/16/2003
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: John Shiban

A domestic terrorist is on the prowl on several large colleges. Mo's long time friend is the prime suspect which means Mo must make a very personal decision.

6 In Plane Sight
Episode S1-6, first aired 10/23/2003
Director: Larry Shaw
Writer: Timothy J. Lea

The team is tasked with stopping an airliner on which is a shipment of deadly nuclear waste. The plane is heading to an airport on the East Coast.

7 Alpha-126
Episode S1-7, first aired 10/30/2003
Director: Fred Gerber
Writers: Richard Vetere, John Shiban

While interrogating a man in the know about a planned assassination of a major politician, the informant is murdered and Frankie Kilmer the prime suspect.

8 Under the Gun
Episode S1-8, first aired 11/06/2003
Director: Guy Norman Bee
Writer: Kimberly Costello

Brought in to help stop a sniper on a spree in San Diego, the team learns that the suspect is a very troubled, and very young, man.

9 Cold Cash
Episode S1-9, first aired 11/13/2003
Director: Fred Gerber
Writer: Ray Hartung

The team must find a way to stop a shipment of money from being released when it is learned the money has been tainted with a poison.

10 Flipping
Episode S1-10, first aired 12/04/2003
Director: David Grossman
Writer: Daniel Voll

To stop an arms dealer bringing missile into the US, Mo goes undercover. He is put in danger when a Senator uses his knowledge for publicity gains.

11 Mexico
Episode S1-11, first aired 01/08/2004
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Writers: Timothy J. Lea, James D. Parriott

A bank robbery in Mexico draws the team to that area where they must work with the ambassadpr to resolve the matter. Unfortunately, he or someone on his staff may have other goals.

12 PPX
Episode S1-12, first aired 01/15/2004
Director: Deran Sarafian
Writers: Cheryl Cain, Timothy J. Lea

Trying to prevent the kidnapping of the Prime Minister of North Korea costs the life of one of the team's members.

13 Stochastic Variable
Episode S1-13, first aired 01/22/2004
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: Trent Jones

The team has two goals in the new mission - to stop a terrorist and his daughter from fleeing the country and to find and disarm a deadly bomb.

14 Extremist Makeover
Episode S1-14, first aired 01/29/2004
Director: Fred Gerber
Writers: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater

The goal of the team is to stop a dangerous radioactive explosion. To accomplish this they must work with a suspect they are not sure about. Complicating things even more, the terrorists have all recently undergone plastic surgery.

15 19 Seconds
Episode S1-15, first aired 10/18/2004
Director: Tim Matheson
Writers: John Shiban, Timothy J. Lea

Things go wrong when while trying to stop a terror attack on a chemical plant, the team becomes the chief suspects and find themselves on trial.
Note: unaired in the U.S. but later shown in Australia for one.

16 Cambodia
Episode S1-16, first aired 10/25/2004
Director: Fred Gerber
Writer: James Parriott

To learn more of what happened to his father, listed as MIA from the Vietnam War, Kilmer heads to Cambodia.
Note: unaired in the U.S. but later shown in Australia for one.

MY COMMENTS

     This is one of those television series that I felt personally responsible for seeing taking off the air - I swear that if I watch a pilot episode and then say aloud that I really liked it, I just cursed it.

     The action was solid and constant. The characters showed a wonderful diversity in origin but a commonality in their skills and devotion. The bad guys are unambiguously bad guys - no gray areas here.

     The lead actor, James Denton, is always fun to watch as he can come across as earnest without being bombastic and he offers a solid amount of gravitas. Also always a joy to watch is Kelly Rutherford as his second-in-command. The rest of the team are also enjoyable.

     Unfortunately, the show not only did not get picked up for a second season, a couple of planned episodes did not get made and not all of the episodes actually filmed did not get aired in the States.

     I liked it from the beginning so I take the blame it did not last.

GRADE

My Grade: B+

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