The first thing you need to notice about TNT's new action-adventure Agent X is that it co-stars Sharon Stone.
Yes, that Sharon Stone. The movie star Sharon Stone of Basic Instinct and Casino fame.
Agent X premieres at 8 p.m. today on TNT. It's a special two-hour opener that promises to be a notch above similar fare. I mean it has to be -- Stone is in it.
Just as with Halle Berry on CBS' Extant, Stone has joined the growing list of movie stars who have turned to television ever since the film industry opted to spend its money on mega blockbusters to the detriment of broader offerings.
TV has responded with an ever increasing number of juicy roles on well-written, compelling series that have lured A-list (well, maybe former A-list) actors to the small screen.
Some examples from recent years:
The late Robin Williams starred in CBS' The Crazy Ones. Maggie Gyllenhaal starred in BBC's The Honourable Woman. Sean Bean currently stars in Legends on TNT.
John Malkovich headed NBC's Crossbones and Bill Murray starred alongside Frances McDormand in HBO's Olive Kitteridge.
The first season of HBO's True Detective starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. The (disappointing) second season featured Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn.
FX's American Horror Story has featured Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates.
Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman were co-stars in the first season of FX's Fargo; Kirsten Dunst is in Season 2.
Kevin Bacon starred in The Killing. James Spader heads NBC's The Blacklist. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright star in House of Cards.
And speaking of House of Cards, co-star Gerald McRaney is also staring in Agent X. If you don't know the veteran McRaney from House of Cards, you should recognize him from Major Dad, Simon & Simon, Promised Land, Jericho, Deadwood and Longmire.
Hunky Jeff Hephner (Interstellar, Chicago Fire) plays the titular hero Agent X, real name John Case. Stone portrays Natalie Maccabee, America's first female vice president, and McRaney plays Malcolm Millar, chief steward at the vice president's mansion, the keeper of secrets, and the handler of Agent X.
Think of Millar as a sort of Alfred to Case's Batman.
In a marvelous scene in the premiere, it is Millar who reveals to the vice president the true nature of her special responsibilities as he introduces her to Case.
If you need a hint as to the tone of the show, William Blake Herron (The Bourne Identity) wrote the pilot. There will be 10 episodes in Season 1.
Who or what, exactly, is Agent X? He's the vice president's secret weapon, a kind of personal Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt or (heaven forbid) Jack Bauer who is to be utilized only when a situation arises that the FBI and CIA won't touch.
Yes, in times of extreme crisis, when traditional law and government agencies aren't in a position to help, there is a secret agent who works to protect America and its citizens from all manner of threats. And he does this (dramatic pause) by any means necessary.
The 6-foot-2, 40-year-old Hephner seems perfectly cast as Case, who has a bit of the early James Bond in him. He's a smooth, athletic, tough and quick-witted operative who can be brutally effective (like the later Bond) when his mission requires it.
Agent X is not only hidden from the public, he's even hidden from President Thomas Eckhart (John Shea, The Good Wife, Gossip Girl). That keeps plausible deniability in the White House in case it all blows up.
Case is a one-man army, so expect plenty of explosions, car chases, motorcycles, gun play and suave undercover stuff. TNT publicity actually labeled the show a "high-octane drama," but that's a cliche.
Here's food for thought. Since Agent X is to be deployed only at the careful discretion of the vice president, were this real life, only Joe Biden would know about Agent X and have the authority to send him on missions. Ponder that a while.
Things get sticky quickly in the premiere, because in vowing to protect the country "against all enemies, foreign and domestic," Vice President Maccabee soon discovers that she and her secret operative must not only take on global threats but also what TNT labels "the palaces of intrigue of Washington D.C."
Also on board in Agent X are Jamey Sheridan (Arrow, Homeland) as FBI Director Stanton, and Mike Colter (Million Dollar Baby, The Good Wife) as Speaker of the House Miles Latham.
Added bonus: James Earl Jones (The Hunt for Red October, The Lion King) guest stars in a recurring role as Supreme Court Chief Justice Caleb Thorne.
Style on 11/08/2015