Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1996 TV series)

Last updated
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Genre Crime drama
Created byKerry Lenhart
John J. Sakmar
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Composer Velton Ray Bunch (all episodes)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (4 unaired)
Production
Executive producers
  • Kerry Lenhart
  • John J. Sakmar
Producers
  • Scott Bakula
  • Artie Mandelberg
CinematographyRonn Schmidt
EditorLee Haxall
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseSeptember 20 (1996-09-20) 
November 8, 1996 (1996-11-08)

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an American crime drama television series that aired on CBS. Starring Scott Bakula and Maria Bello, the series aired from September 20, 1996, to November 8, 1996. Mr. & Mrs. Smith was set and filmed in Seattle. The series was produced by Page Two Productions and Bakula Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Contents

Synopsis

A spy known only as Mr. Smith (Bakula) works for a private security organization known as "The Factory". Using covert operatives and the latest technology they gather information on technology, science, and economics in an effort to protect corporate America from espionage. They are also hired out as private security or to help with covert operations like the recovery of stolen Stinger missiles. In the pilot, a rival named Mrs. Smith (Bello) becomes entangled in a case with Mr. Smith. After losing her job when her mission fails, The Factory hires her and assigns them to work together. Though they often bicker, and know nothing about each other's personal lives, including real names, they make a good team.

The series was canceled after nine of the thirteen episodes produced were aired. [1] The remaining four episodes aired in Norway, Poland, Finland, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.[ citation needed ]

Cast

Production

Mr. & Mrs. Smith was executive produced by Kerry Lenhart and John J. Sakmar. Series star Scott Bakula served as one of the series' producers. [2]

The pilot episode marked the acting debut of Timothy Olyphant, who played Mr. Smith's original partner.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected by [3] Written byOriginal air dateProd.
code [3]
1"Pilot" David S. Jackson Kerry Lenhart & John J. SakmarSeptember 20, 1996 (1996-09-20)296641
While searching for two missing physicists who've made a breakthrough in cold fusion, a secret agent encounters an equally secret and capable blonde who is in competition with him.
2"The Suburban Episode" Oz Scott Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess September 27, 1996 (1996-09-27)465851
Now forced to work together and masquerading as a suburban couple, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" spy on their neighbor who is suspected of stealing top-secret information from his employer.
3"The Second Episode" Ralph Hemecker Kerry Lenhart & John J. SakmarOctober 4, 1996 (1996-10-04)465853
With the assistance of a nerdy bookkeeper, Mr. and Mrs. Smith go to sea to spy on a shipper who is suspected of stealing 200 Stinger missiles.
4"The Poor Pitiful Put-Upon Singer Episode" Nick Marck Douglas SteinbergOctober 11, 1996 (1996-10-11)465854
With the assistance of an annoying computer expert, Mr. and Mrs. Smith try to find out who is behind an assassination attempt on a record producer.
5"The Grape Escape" Dan Attias Susan Cridland WickOctober 18, 1996 (1996-10-18)465855

Mr. and Mrs. Smith go to Napa Valley to find out who is trying to use genetically engineered insects to destroy the grape crop, and Mr. Smith learns more about his mysterious partner's past.

Note: This episode begins with a flashback to "The Publishing Episode".
6"The Publishing Episode" James Quinn Douglas SteinbergOctober 25, 1996 (1996-10-25)465852
Mr. and Mrs. Smith pose as author and literary agent, respectively, to track down a former agent's book which could compromise the identity of American spies all over the world.
7"The Coma Episode" Michael Zinberg Douglas SteinbergOctober 28, 1996 (1996-10-28)465857
Mr. and Mrs. Smith enter a hospital, posing as a doctor and his comatose patient, to protect an unconscious woman who can identify a saboteur when she wakes up.
8"The Kidnapping Episode" Lou Antonio Robin Green & Mitchell BurgessNovember 1, 1996 (1996-11-01)465858
Mr. and Mrs. Smith go after a kidnapper, who always seems to be one step ahead of them.
9"The Space Flight Episode" Sharron Miller Michael CassuttNovember 8, 1996 (1996-11-08)465856
Mr. and Mrs. Smith go after the scientist son of a former astronaut, who has sold his novel flying platform to crooked military contractor who wants to turn it into a weapon.
10"The Big Easy Episode" James Whitmore, Jr. Del ShoreUNAIRED465859
The Smiths pose as "spin doctors" for a New Orleans senator who's involved in a scandal where his girlfriend is accused of selling defense secrets to Iraq. Together with Rox they are trying to expose the real culprit.
11"The Impossible Mission"Artie MandelbergStory by: Douglas Steinberg
Teleplay by: Kerry Lenhart & John J. Sakmar
UNAIRED465860
Mr. & Mrs. Jones are sent in to retrieve stolen currency plates from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. When Mrs. Jones gets shot Mr. & Mrs. Smith get called in to finish the job.
12"The Bob Episode" Jonathan Sanger Sanford GoldenUNAIRED465861
The Smiths and a CIA-agent lose a ball of plutonium-239 due to the interference of Bob Myers, an old friend of Jerry Rawlins (Mr. Smith). Now they must retrieve the plutonium and protect Bob from the terrorist.
13"The Sins of the Father Episode" Rob Thompson Michael GleasonUNAIRED465862
Mr. Smith disappears during a mission and leaves Mrs. Smith hanging. She escapes and begins to search for the missing Mr. Smith. Meanwhile, he finds out that his son has been kidnapped and to get him back he must kill a man.

Related Research Articles

<i>Quantum Leap</i> (1989 TV series) American science fiction television series

Quantum Leap is an American science fiction television series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, that premiered on NBC and aired for five seasons, from March 26, 1989, to May 5, 1993. The series stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a physicist who involuntarily leaps through spacetime during experiments in time travel, by temporarily inhabiting the bodies of other people and behaving to change events in their lives which he is told were "mistakes".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Bakula</span> American actor (born 1954)

Scott Stewart Bakula is an American actor. He is known for his roles in two science-fiction television series: as Sam Beckett on Quantum Leap – for which he was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards – and as Captain Jonathan Archer on Star Trek: Enterprise. From 2014 to 2021, he portrayed Special Agent Dwayne Cassius "King" Pride on NCIS: New Orleans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Quentin</span> English actress and presenter (born 1960)

Caroline Quentin is an English actress, broadcaster and television presenter. Quentin became known for her television appearances: portraying Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998), Maddie Magellan in Jonathan Creek (1997–2000), Kate Salinger in Kiss Me Kate and DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Murder (2003–2009).

<i>Dennis the Menace</i> (1959 TV series) American sitcom

Dennis the Menace is an American sitcom based on the Hank Ketcham comic strip of the same name. It preceded The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evenings on CBS from October 4, 1959, to July 7, 1963. The series stars Jay North as Dennis Mitchell; Herbert Anderson as his father, Henry; Gloria Henry as his mother, Alice; Joseph Kearns as George Wilson; Gale Gordon as George's brother, John Wilson; Sylvia Field as George's wife, Martha Wilson; and Sara Seegar as John's wife, Eloise Wilson.

The Others is an American science fiction television series created by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, and produced by Delusional Films, NBC Studios, and DreamWorks Television. It ran for thirteen 40-minute episodes from February 5, 2000, to June 10, 2000, airing on NBC. It concerned a group of people with various psychic talents as they encountered different, and often evil, paranormal forces. It was an ensemble series. It featured in the third attempt by NBC to air a Saturday night supernatural/paranormal programming block, joining The Pretender and Profiler as the Thrillogy, but all three shows were canceled by season's end.

<i>Miss Match</i> American comedy-drama television series

Miss Match is an American comedy-drama television series created by Jeff Rake and Darren Star and produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Darren Star Productions, and Imagine Television. It aired in the United States on NBC from September 26 to December 15, 2003, including international networks aired in Australia on Seven Network, Arena, and Fox8, and in the United Kingdom on Living, Channel 4, and is on E4. Seventeen episodes of the series were filmed, with eleven aired in the United States. The entire series aired in both the UK and Canada.

<i>The Fantastic Journey</i> American television series

The Fantastic Journey is an American science fiction television series that was originally aired on NBC from February 3 through June 16, 1977. It was originally intended to run 13 episodes, as a mid-season replacement, but NBC cancelled the series in April, after the ninth episode aired. A tenth episode, already produced, was burned off two months later.

<i>LAX</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

LAX is an American drama television series set at the Los Angeles International Airport, drawing its name from the airport's IATA airport code, "LAX". The series premiered on September 13, 2004 on NBC, and aired through April 16, 2005.

<i>Wolf Lake</i> 2001-2002 American television series

Wolf Lake is an American supernatural drama television series that originally aired on CBS from September 19 to October 24, 2001. Nine episodes were produced, but only five aired before the series was canceled by CBS. The full series, including the four unaired episodes, was later picked up and broadcast on UPN in April–May 2002. Wolf Lake depicts a pack of werewolves living in a Seattle suburb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Bello</span> American actress (born 1967)

Maria Elena Bello is an American actress, writer, and producer. Her first major film role was in 1998's Permanent Midnight. She followed this with a range of supporting and leading parts in films such as Payback (1999), Coyote Ugly (2000), The Cooler (2003), Secret Window (2004), Assault on Precinct 13, A History of Violence, Thank You for Smoking, World Trade Center (2006), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Grown Ups (2010), Prisoners (2013), and Lights Out (2016).

Philly is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Alison Cross, which starred Kim Delaney as defense attorney Kathleen Maguire. The series aired on ABC from September 25, 2001 to May 28, 2002, broadcasting 22 episodes before it was canceled due to low ratings.

<i>South of Sunset</i> Television series

South of Sunset is an American crime drama television series that aired on CBS in 1993. The program starred Glenn Frey, Aries Spears, and Maria Pitillo and premiered on October 27, 1993. The premiere episode performed poorly in the ratings, causing the network to cancel the series shortly thereafter. Four additional episodes were produced but never aired on CBS; these would later be shown on VH1 years later.

<i>Invasion of the Bane</i> 2007 Sarah Jane Adventures pilot

"Invasion of the Bane" is the first episode of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was written by series creator Russell T Davies with Gareth Roberts and was directed by Colin Teague. It was originally broadcast on BBC One on 1 January 2007 as a New Year special. Since a full series of the show was commissioned before the script for the episode was written it is not a pilot, despite serving the introductory functions of one.

<i>Mr. Merlin</i> American TV series or program

Mr. Merlin is an American sitcom that ran for one season, from 1981 to 1982, about Merlin the wizard, who is immortal, living in modern-day San Francisco, and disguised as Max Merlin, a mechanic. Mr. Merlin was produced by Larry Rosen and Larry Tucker, working as the Larry Larry Company, in association with Columbia Pictures Television.

<i>The Ann Sothern Show</i> American TV series or program

The Ann Sothern Show is an American sitcom starring Ann Sothern that aired on CBS for three seasons from October 6, 1958, to March 30, 1961. Created by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf, the series was the second starring vehicle for Sothern, who had previously starred in Private Secretary, which also aired on CBS from 1953 to 1957.

It Had to Be You is an American sitcom starring Faye Dunaway and Robert Urich. It premiered on CBS on September 19, 1993, and last aired on October 15, 1993, before being pulled from the air and put on hiatus. The series centered on Dunaway's character, Laura, a Network-like businesswoman, who hires blue-collar Mitch, a single father of three boys played by Urich, to do some carpentry work at her Boston office, and their ensuing romance.

Bagdad Cafe is an American television sitcom starring Whoopi Goldberg and Jean Stapleton that aired on CBS. The series premiered March 30, 1990, and ran two seasons before being cancelled in winter 1990. The last two episodes aired in July 1991. The show is based on the 1987 Percy Adlon film Bagdad Cafe.

<i>Ann Jillian</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Ann Jillian is an American sitcom television series created by Deidre Fay and Stuart Wolpert, starring Ann Jillian that aired on NBC from November 30, 1989, to August 19, 1990.

Family Affair is a television comedy that aired on The WB from September 12, 2002 to March 13, 2003. It was a remake of the original 1966 television series. This version was from Sid and Marty Krofft, and was produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, Pariah Films, and Turner Television. The WB canceled the series after airing thirteen of the fifteen episodes produced.

References

  1. Dominguez, Robert (February 4, 1999). "It's 'Payback' Time..." New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
  2. "Scott Bakula Biography (1954?-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
  3. 1 2 From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"]". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2017-08-20.