Counterstrike (1990 TV series)

Last updated
Counterstrike
Counterstrike.png
Counterstrike title screen
Also known asForce de frappe
Genre Action-adventure
Starring
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • France
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes66 [1]
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJulian Marks
Production locations
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJuly 1, 1990 (1990-07-01) 
May 9, 1993 (1993-05-09)

Counterstrike is a Canadian-French crime-fighting, espionage, action-adventure television series. The series premiered in Canada on CTV, in France on TF1, and in the United States on the USA Network, on July 1, 1990. It ran for three seasons, airing 66 hour-long episodes in total.

Contents

Plot

After his wife is kidnapped by terrorists, international industrialist Alexander Addington assembles a clandestine team of troubleshooters to help combat terrorism around the world. He recruits Peter Sinclair from Scotland Yard to lead the team. They set up a French con artist and art/jewelry thief named Nicole Beaumont and blackmail her into joining because of her valuable criminal connections. The third team member is Luke Brenner, an American mercenary whom they rescue from a Mexican jail. The series' other recurring characters are Bennett and J.J., Alexander's valet and pilot, respectively.

In the second season's second episode Peter and Alexander encounter a French reporter named Gabrielle Germont whom they recruit into the team to prevent her from publishing a story about them. In the season's third episode Peter and Gabrielle rescue Hector Stone, an American CIA-operative and former Navy SEAL whose cover has been blown, and invite him to join the team.

The character of Alexander's daughter Suzanne Addington, who designed the team's computer systems, was also written out of the series at the beginning of the second season. Suzanne appears in one third season episode, although played by a different actress. In her stead Alexander gets a secretary/confidante named Hélène Previn.

Cast

Episodes

Season 1 (1990–91)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Dealbreaker" Mario Azzopardi Richard OleksiakJuly 1, 1990 (1990-07-01)
22"Dead in the Air"Jorge MontesiTim DunphyJuly 8, 1990 (1990-07-08)
33"Now and at the Hour of Our Death" Mario Azzopardi Tony DiFrancoJuly 15, 1990 (1990-07-15)
44"Art for Art's Sake"Jorge Montesi Jim Henshaw July 22, 1990 (1990-07-22)
55"Power Play" Mario Azzopardi Angelo Stea, Peter LautermanJuly 29, 1990 (1990-07-29)
66"A Little Purity" George Mendeluk David Rotenberg August 5, 1990 (1990-08-05)
77"Son with a Gun" Paolo Barzman Christian WattonAugust 19, 1990 (1990-08-19)
88"The Lady of the Rhine" Paolo Barzman Eric WattonAugust 26, 1990 (1990-08-26)
99"Knights of Aram"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakSeptember 9, 1990 (1990-09-09)
1010"Extreme Measures"Michael ShockMichael Zettler, Shelly Altman September 16, 1990 (1990-09-16)
1111"Thanos"Doug JacksonChristian WattonOctober 7, 1990 (1990-10-07)
1212"Siege"Bernard DumontPeter MohanOctober 14, 1990 (1990-10-14)
1313"Escape Route" Paolo Barzman Chantal Renaud October 28, 1990 (1990-10-28)
1414"The Beginning" Allan Eastman Landen ParkerNovember 10, 1990 (1990-11-10)
1515"Cry of the Children" Mario Azzopardi Tony DiFrancoNovember 17, 1990 (1990-11-17)
1616"Masks" Donald Shebib Christian WattonNovember 24, 1990 (1990-11-24)
1717"Mindbender" Allan Eastman Richard OleksiakDecember 1, 1990 (1990-12-01)
1818"Regal Connection" William Fruet Tony DiFrancoDecember 15, 1990 (1990-12-15)
1919"Cinema Verité" René Bonnière Eric WattonDecember 22, 1990 (1990-12-22)
2020"Verathion" Donald Shebib Chantal Renaud January 12, 1991 (1991-01-12)
2121"The Millerton Papers" George Mendeluk Eric WattonJanuary 19, 1991 (1991-01-19)
2222"The Dilemma"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakFebruary 2, 1991 (1991-02-02)

Season 2 (1991–92)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
231"Tie a Yellow Ribbon" Allan Eastman Richard OleksiakSeptember 21, 1991 (1991-09-21)
242"Hidden Assets" René Bonnière Tony DiFrancoSeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28)
253"Fall From Grace"Allan EastmanRichard OleksiakOctober 5, 1991 (1991-10-05)
264"It's All in the Game"Gilbert M. ShiltonMichael Leo DonovanOctober 12, 1991 (1991-10-12)
275"Hide and Seek" George Mendeluk Richard OleksiakOctober 19, 1991 (1991-10-19)
286"Native Warriors"Alan SimmondsAnn MacNaughtonOctober 26, 1991 (1991-10-26)
297"Breaking Point" George Mendeluk Stephen AlixNovember 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)
308"Going Home"Jorge MontesiRichard OleksiakNovember 9, 1991 (1991-11-09)
319"Survival Instinct" Mario Azzopardi Karen JaniganNovember 16, 1991 (1991-11-16)
3210"Night of the Black Moon" Miklós Lente Tony DiFrancoNovember 23, 1991 (1991-11-23)
3311"Fire in the Streets" Allan Eastman Tony DiFrancoNovember 30, 1991 (1991-11-30)
3412"In the Blood" René Bonnière Michael Leo DonovanDecember 7, 1991 (1991-12-07)
3513"Village of the Damned" Allan Eastman Ian SutherlandDecember 14, 1991 (1991-12-14)
3614"Prize Package"Jorge MontesiRichard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoJanuary 4, 1992 (1992-01-04)
3715"The Three Tramps" William Fruet Richard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoJanuary 11, 1992 (1992-01-11)
3816"Behind Bars" Bruno Gantillon Elizabeth BaxterMarch 14, 1992 (1992-03-14)
3917"Cherchez la Femme"Jean-Pierre PrévostJean-Vincent FournierMarch 21, 1992 (1992-03-21)
4018"Dead Heat"Jean-Pierre PrévostMarc EisenchteterApril 4, 1992 (1992-04-04)
4119"La Belle Dame Monique" Dennis Berry Martin BrossolletApril 11, 1992 (1992-04-11)
4220"Ripped from the Grave" Bruno Gantillon Elizabeth BaxterApril 18, 1992 (1992-04-18)
4321"Trigger Finger"Daniel MoosmannTony DiFranco, Richard OleksiakMay 2, 1992 (1992-05-02)
4422"The Circus Ring" Robin Davis Fabrice Ziolkowski May 9, 1992 (1992-05-09)

Season 3 (1992–93)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
451"I Remember It Well" Robin Davis Jean-Vincent FournierSeptember 26, 1992 (1992-09-26)
462"The Sting" René Bonnière Richard OleksiakOctober 3, 1992 (1992-10-03)
473"Till Death Do Us Part" Bruno Gantillon Michael Leo DonovanOctober 10, 1992 (1992-10-10)
484"Bastille Day Terror" Bruno Gantillon Tony DiFrancoOctober 17, 1992 (1992-10-17)
495"No Honour Among Thieves"Jean-Pierre PrévostMartin LagerOctober 24, 1992 (1992-10-24)
506"Skin Deep" Robin Davis Vincent LambertOctober 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)
517"The Curse of the Amber Chamber"Jorge MontesiJean-Vincent FournierNovember 7, 1992 (1992-11-07)
528"Death S.E.A.L." Allan Eastman Fabrice Ziolkowski November 14, 1992 (1992-11-14)
539"Cyborg" William Fruet Richard OleksiakNovember 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)
5410"D.O.A." Allan Eastman John SheppardDecember 5, 1992 (1992-12-05)
5511"Cat in the Cradle"Alan SimmondsStephen AlixDecember 11, 1992 (1992-12-11)
5612"Bosnian Connection"Alan SimmondsElizabeth BaxterDecember 20, 1992 (1992-12-20)
5713"Betrayed"René BonnièreTony DiFrancoJanuary 9, 1993 (1993-01-09)
5814"Clear Cut" Donald Shebib Jean-Vincent FournierFebruary 7, 1993 (1993-02-07)
5915"Free to Kill"Jean-Pierre PrévostTony DiFrancoFebruary 14, 1993 (1993-02-14)
6016"The Hit" William Fruet Jean-Vincent FournierFebruary 28, 1993 (1993-02-28)
6117"French Twist"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakMarch 21, 1993 (1993-03-21)
6218"The Contender" Allan Eastman Jean-Vincent FournierMarch 28, 1993 (1993-03-28)
6319"The Raw Truth" William Fruet Richard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoApril 11, 1993 (1993-04-11)
6420"Peacemaker" George Mendeluk Richard OleksiakApril 18, 1993 (1993-04-18)
6521"Muerta" Allan Eastman R.B. CarneyMay 2, 1993 (1993-05-02)
6622"Bad Guys" George Mendeluk Richard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoMay 9, 1993 (1993-05-09)

Awards and nominations

Broadcast

Counterstrike premiered in Canada on CTV and in France (as Force de frappe) on TF1 on July 1, 1990. [1] It premiered in the United States on the USA Network on July 1, 1990.

Reruns aired in Canada on Showcase and TVtropolis.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Force de frappe" [Counterstrike]. Seriebox (in French). Retrieved 24 December 2022.