'The Pretender' Appreciation thread (No Spoilers!)

[WyldeMan45]

I remember this show vaguely from when I used to watch it weekly with my parents, but have no clear memory of how it ended or really even the final season. But I hadn't thought about it in years until a few weeks ago, Michael T. Weiss showed up on Blue Bloods and it was a blast from the past for me. I had to start watching again. I am just about nearing the end of the first season and it's definitely a show that could have only existed at the time it did. Technology has changed so much in the past 10 years that I don't think this show could be the least bit believable now. Anyways I thought I'd see if there are any other Pretender fans out there, and please do not post spoilers. I do not remember much and don't want anything to be ruined. Check out these photos I found of Jarod then and now....

[Groo The Perverted]

I sat down to watch this recently and just could not get through it. Strange because the premise is awesome, plus it had the dude from Carnivale in it, Patrick Bachau. I think it just moved way too slowly for me. As you know I'm a big fan of serialized show, which this was, but it just took forever to get to anything interesting, and there were entire episodes with virtually NOTHING to do with the overarching story.

That was my main beef with "The Dead Zone" which made me despise it after getting into it.

Interesting though. I do remember someone saying that it didn't have a proper ending, despite the TV movies after the show was done.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Groo The Perverted

I sat down to watch this recently and just could not get through it. Strange because the premise is awesome, plus it had the dude from Carnivale in it, Patrick Bachau. I think it just moved way too slowly for me. As you know I'm a big fan of serialized show, which this was, but it just took forever to get to anything interesting, and there were entire episodes with virtually NOTHING to do with the overarching story.

That was my main beef with "The Dead Zone" which made me despise it after getting into it.

Interesting though. I do remember someone saying that it didn't have a proper ending, despite the TV movies after the show was done.

I want to say that while the first season wasn't heavily involving the overall story, the season finale of season one was all about it and it continued on through the rest of the series. My memory tells me it became a lot more serialized as it went along, but I will find out shortly as I move through again. I was familiar with Bachau from this, so while watching Carnivale I kept referring to him as Sydney since that's what I knew him from for so many years prior to Carnivale.

[edmonddantes]

Just got this and I,m going to start rewatching the whole thing. For some reason I do like series about geniuses, like limitless and this.

The DVDs I got weren't cheap so I better like it. I remember watching it when it originally aired and liking it, but for some reason I only watched a few episodes. I seriously liked the premise, I remember when I was younger thinking this would be a great way to live a life, experiencing every other month a different job, but I discovered you really have to be gifted to pull this off. I barely can do one job, let alone changing jobs every few months, and not mechanical jobs, but one week he was a doctor, and the following he was a pilot, and then a scientist.

Any other fans of this show out there?

[Michael24]

One of my all-time favorite shows. Was a favorite of mine in high school/college. Glad I bought the DVDs when they first came out.

I was excited when the creators revived it in book form several years ago and really enjoyed the first two books they put out, but I'm disappointed there's been no further word on the subsequent books and comic books they had announced.

[johnnyknoxsvill]

Loved this show, although the acting and tech doesn't really hold up, it's still a great show

[goresnet]

My wife and I really enjoyed it, and were also disappointed that the reboot/continuation didn't really go anywhere

[By_His_Strypes]

I still have all these seasons + tv movies on DVD. It's funny how when you see something mentioned that hasn't been on your mind of late, that it kinda makes you want to rewatch it. A very good show!

[SeaSponge]

I was a fan of this when it was on, and imported the French DVD set when that came out. Was excited about the relaunch plans and read the books, then… nothing. Still waiting for Shattered Doll! Guess the whole project is dead and forgotten now.

[nofear6061]

I've always enjoyed the show. It wasn't groundbreaking by any means, but it had a certain "thing" going for it that I can't explain. Also, I lowkey love that Michael T. Weiss is gay; that man is hot.

[edmonddantes]

Ive watched the first 3 episodes, its pretty entertaining, though its starting to become a little repetitive. It annoys me

[Show spoiler]that the profession or pretend he does at the end of each show isn't the one in the next show, which would be logic IMO, so you're excited to see he's going to be a jet pilot in the next episode or an orchestra conductor, but then you watch the next episode and there's no mention and instead, he's a sailor or one underwhelming thing.

At least that has been my experience in these first 3 eps, hopefully they fixed it later on.

another minor gripe is

[Show spoiler] that he's pretending a particular job to right a wrong which resulted in someone's being killed, but I feel like because of that investigation in every episode, plus the investigation he does to find out who he is, its too much investigating, if that makes sense, feels a bit forced and redundant.

but overall Im enjoying it, and the main actor is a really charismatic and likable guy, why didn't he make it big?

[Luke Dodge748]

Is this show streaming or on DVD? I remember the show fondly; I think I was a freshman in HS when it came out. I would love to give this show another watch.

**I see that complete sets of all 4 seasons of DVD are quite pricey. Where are you, Mill Creek, when I need you?!

[edmonddantes]

yeah, I spent more than I should've but Im enjoying it quite a bit so it was well spent, but the DVDs are very pricey for an almost forgotten series (and on DVD)

the first 2 seasons are on amazon, and vudu IIRC also has a couple of seasons but not sure if there are the third and fourth

[rikraq]

I watched it when it was on. I remember Michael T Weiss playing Mike Horton on Days of Our Lives and followed him from there. I also liked Andrea Parker. And the kid version of Jarod is played by Ryan Merriman.

It was like The Incredible Hulk in some ways. Jarod going places and assuming jobs to help people while running from his pursuers.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by edmonddantes

Just got this and I,m going to start rewatching the whole thing. For some reason I do like series about geniuses, like limitless and this.

The DVDs I got weren't cheap so I better like it. I remember watching it when it originally aired and liking it, but for some reason I only watched a few episodes. I seriously liked the premise, I remember when I was younger thinking this would be a great way to live a life, experiencing every other month a different job, but I discovered you really have to be gifted to pull this off. I barely can do one job, let alone changing jobs every few months, and not mechanical jobs, but one week he was a doctor, and the following he was a pilot, and then a scientist.

Any other fans of this show out there?

I remember watching the first season when it was shown here on (if I remember correctly) Sky One, but stopped watching it a few episodes into the second season. Reason? I didn't mind adult Jared at first, but as time went on I found the character a bit smug and preachy. The Season 1 version of the theme tune I much preferred to what they started using in Season 2. I'm sure if I revisited the series, my opinion might change.

I realise that now it will be very difficult to get a new copy of each of the four seasons and subsequent TV films (best bet is going to be (hopefully) reasonably priced used copies). I wanted to get all four seasons before I started watching Profiler alongside The Pretender.