Intelligence

[misskitty]

Did anyone watch the 2 hour pilot for this series tonight? The series runs Tuesdays at 9 starting October 10th and is by the same people who did DaVinci's Inquest. I liked it. It's "intelligent".

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Let the conspiracy, betrayal and reprisals begin.

In the critically acclaimed pilot for Intelligence, crime boss Jimmy Reardon (Ian Tracey) has stolen files that could destroy CSIS and Vancouver's Organized Crime Unit. They'll do whatever it takes to get them back.

The two-hour pilot garnered five Gemini nominations for Best Television Movie, Best Writing (Chris Haddock), Best Direction (Stephen Surjik) and Best Performance by Lead Actor and Actress for Tracey and Klea Scott.

http://www.cbc.ca/intelligence/
http://www.cbc.ca/television/
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Intelligence - an article written by Stephen Cole

.../ Intelligence stars longtime Da Vinci regular, Ian Tracey as Jimmy Reardon, a fussily overcautious dad who is devoted to raising his daughter right and making sure that the family business is run properly — a tricky proposition when you consider that Reardon industries include cocaine and heroin distribution, a chain of 15 marijuana grow-ops, international smuggling, a thriving strip club and murder.

Jimmy’s rival is Mary Spalding, a highly ambitious and secretive boss loathed by all subordinates and rightly feared by her husband, who she has tailed by private detectives. Mary (Klea Scott) is head of the OCU, the Vancouver Organized Crime Unit. But if she plays the cards up her sleeve right and recruits Jimmy Reardon as a superstar B.C. crime informant, she’ll hit it big. In order to keep up with the Americans in the post 9/11 information race, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, CSIS, is looking to establish a West Coast division. If Mary can turn Reardon, the job is hers.

Haddock’s work usually comes with a potent theme. ....In Intelligence, Haddock posits that drugs are the crucial modern industry and that information, the buying and selling of “intel” on everything from heroin trafficking to international terrorism, is the most addictive and profitable drug of all.

Jimmy Reardon (Ian Tracey) cuts to the quick, in Intelligence. Haddock gets this message across with a carefully layered plot that is rendered with acrobatic finesse. Every character here is spying and double-dealing. Mary’s second-in-command has a bug in Reardon’s strip club. A foreign operative is also tailing Jimmy. And Reardon himself gives his employees lie-detector tests. In one seemingly incidental scene, we learn that a police informant is marrying the man she’s snitching on. But there are no small scenes in Chris Haddock’s meticulously crafted film world. The casually introduced story only underlines the writer’s overwhelming theme: in true crime as in true love, everyone is in bed together.

Intelligence also benefits from an expertly sequenced soundtrack that at times captures the cat-like grace of Miles Davis’s mid-’80s aural landscapes. The film also boasts a number of well-realized performances. Ian Tracey easily Steve McQueens his way through the role of Jimmy Reardon, while Klea Scott, an Ottawa actress who has appeared in Collateral and Minority Report, is icily effective yet always evidently human as Inspector Spalding.

Still, the character that viewers will walk away from Intelligence talking about is Matt Frewer, once upon a time, Max Headroom. All masters of crime drama enjoy imagining villains. John Huston (The Maltese Falcon) certainly did. Ditto, David Chase (The Rockford Files, The Sopranos). The same is true of Chris Haddock. And his most inspired creation here is detective Teddy Atlas (Frewer), a squinting, clench-jawed loony who stops just short of the demented Clint Eastwood parody that Jim Carrey occasionally offers up.

Of course, the most intriguing character in Haddock’s work is his native city. With Intelligence the filmmaker has produced another chilling vision of Vancouver. There is little sunshine here and no work for beachcombers. We don’t even see a crack of daylight until after the second commercial break. And even when the sun is out, Chris Haddock’s city is a maze of dark streets wet with the sweat of fear and greed.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/intelligence.html

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[misskitty]

This is a great show. It's really fast-paced, kinda complicated, lots of storylines going on at the same time.

I'm liking it a lot. Very smart show.

Isn't anyone else watching this?

[misskitty]

Well, the season finale wrapped up tonight and it wasn't disappointing. Lots of tension, collisions of careers and motives, intrigue and a cliff hanger!

I can't believe that this show hasn't garnered more attention. It's smart, dramatic and, well, intelligent!

Of course, the time slot recently against American Idol certainly hasn't helped them.

[felis_concolor]

DARN! I missed this post!!

I sooo love Intelligence!! I have been searching for someone else to talk about this show with - and I completely didn't think of checking this site.

What do you think of the characters? I love Ian Tracy (Jimmy) and even though his character is really a "bad guy", I can't help but root for him!!

Do you know when the next season will start?? I'm on the edge of my seat....


I'm so happy to have at least one person (other than my husband) to talk about this show with!

[misskitty]

Season 2 has started and it's better than ever!

Spy agencies, drug smuggling, backstabbing, double agents, ....it's just so, well, Intelligent.

If you haven't seen Season 1, that will help you with what's happening on Season 2, but not necessary.

Anyone else watching this show? Is it on only in Canada? Pity.

[misskitty]

For fellow lovers of Intelligence, are there any?, the 2-hour finale is on TONIGHT!! WOO HOO!

This is a great series. Apparently, FOX has picked it up for next season as they think it's amazing!

Unfortunately, I don't get cable, so I won't be able to watch!