| The Agency | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Michael Frost Beckner |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 44(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Running time | 44 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 27, 2001 (2001-09-27) – May 17, 2003 (2003-05-17) |
The Agency is an Americanaction-spy television series that followed the inner workings of theCIA.[1] The series was aired onCBS from September 27, 2001, until May 17, 2003, lasting two seasons.
The series, which premiered soon after the9/11 attacks, was created by Michael Frost Beckner and was executive produced by Beckner,Shaun Cassidy Productions, andRadiant Productions in association withUniversal Network Television andCBS Productions. The program was allowed unprecedented access to the actualCIA headquarters, thanks to a partnership that began in 1996 when the CIA hired one of its veteran clandestine officers, Chase Brandon, to work directly with Hollywood studios and production companies toinfluence its public image.[2]
The series was controversial in its exploration of contemporary international affairs and its treatment of the ethical conflicts inherent in intelligence work. Beckner's pilot script, written in March 2001, posited a re-invented CIA tasked with a"War on Terror" afterOsama bin Laden'sAl Qaeda terrorist organization plots a lethal attack on the West. The pilot was to premiere atCIA headquarters on September 18, 2001, and set to air on CBS September 21, 2001.[3] The actual 9/11 attacks convinced the network to hold the pilot and instead air a later episode.[4] That first episode was broadcast later as the fifth episode of the first season.
In advance of the September 11 attacks, executive producerWolfgang Petersen said that after World War II, the ideas of good and evil were no longer as clear: "Everywhere in the world, the C.I.A. is still involved in missions. It is sometimes difficult to tell who is on the right side and who is on the wrong side.''[2]
It was one of three new series, includingAlias, and24, to highlight theCIA. All three premiered following the September 11 attacks.Alias and24 were considered hits, but CBS cancelledThe Agency after two seasons.[2][4]
In its review of the series, theLos Angeles Times noted: "It's hard to remember a time in U.S. history when public attention was more sharply focused on issues of domestic security, civil liberties and the role of U.S. intelligence agencies. A prime-time dramatic series on the CIA could contribute mightily to public understanding--if rigorously independent and unencumbered. Unfortunately, that's not the approach CBS is taking withThe Agency..."[5]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 22 | September 27, 2001 (2001-09-27) | May 9, 2002 (2002-05-09) | |
| 2 | 22 | September 28, 2002 (2002-09-28) | May 17, 2003 (2003-05-17) | |
| DVD name | Region 1 | Region 2 |
|---|---|---|
| The Agency (2 Episodes from Season 1) | N/A | October 4, 2004 |