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The Assets

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The Assets
GenrePeriod drama
Based onCircle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed
by Sandra Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille
Starring
Paul Rhys
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Morgan Hertzan
  • Rudy Bednar
  • Andrew Chapman
Running time42 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseJanuary 2 (2014-01-02) –
August 3, 2014 (2014-08-03)

The Assets is an eight-part American drama television miniseries that aired on ABC in 2014.[1] It is based on the book Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed by retired CIA officers Sandra Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille, and is produced by Morgan Hertzan, Rudy Bednar and Andrew Chapman.[2] The pilot episode earned a 0.7 rating in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, making The Assets the lowest rated drama premiere ever on one of the big three networks.[3]

On January 10, 2014, ABC cancelled The Assets due to low ratings.[4] ABC Entertainment Group President Paul Lee disclosed at the Television Critics Association press tour that the unaired episodes would be made available at some point in the future.[5] On June 21, 2014, the remaining episodes began airing on Saturdays,[6] but after just two additional airings ABC again pulled the miniseries from new Saturday night timeslot in favor of Sunday afternoons in late July and early August.[7] All eight episodes of The Assets were made available on Netflix on September 1, 2014. [8]

Cast and characters

Reception

The Assets received mixed reviews. Review aggregator site, Metacritic, has given the series a "mixed or average" score of 58 out of 100, based on 15 critics.[9] On another review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 56% rating with an average rating of 5.6 out of 10, based on 16 reviews.[10]

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"My Name is Aldrich Ames"Jeff T. ThomasDrew ChapmanJanuary 2, 2014 (2014-01-02)3.77[11]
In 1985, CIA agent Aldrich Ames hands over top-secret files to the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. At a counter-intelligence meeting, agent Sandra Grimes discusses a high-ranking KGB officer, who gave the CIA valuable intel in the 1970s. A money drop is scheduled, but the asset and his handler are both captured by the KGB. The handler is released but the asset is shot dead. The whole situation bothers Sandra and she investigates. She learns the asset at the money drop was a plant, as the real asset was a spy and had likely been captured long before the drop. She fears a mole in the CIA. Meanwhile, in Italy, a man claiming to be a senior counter-intelligence colonel in the KGB calls the U.S. embassy to say he wishes to defect.
2"Jewel in the Crown"Jeff T. ThomasDrew ChapmanJanuary 9, 2014 (2014-01-09)2.92[12]
Vitaly Yurchenko defects to the U.S. Ames is assigned to be his initial debriefing agent. Ames is fearful Yurchenko will expose him as a spy, but the man doesn't recognize him. However, he does confirm a mole in the CIA. Sandra is concerned about their asset, General Dmitri Polyakov, known as "Top Hat", but he is later warned by his son of traitors. Yurchenko knows the traitor's code name, Mr. Robert, whom he has heard has problems with money, relationships, and drinking, and is now ex-CIA. The CIA is now focused on Edward Lee Howard, who was fired two years ago.
3"Trip to Vienna"[13]Adam Lucas FeinsteinAlex BergerJune 21, 2014 (2014-06-21)1.25[14]
4"What's Done is Done"[15]Rudy BednarBruce TerrisJune 28, 2014 (2014-06-28)1.46[14]
5"Check Mate"[13]Trygve Allister DiesenKaren StillmanJuly 27, 2014 (2014-07-27)N/A
6"A Small Useless Truth"[13]Trygve Allister DiesenSarah ByrdJuly 27, 2014 (2014-07-27)N/A
7"The Straw Poll"[13]Peter MedakBruce TerrisAugust 3, 2014 (2014-08-03)N/A
8"Avenger"[13]Peter MedakDrew ChapmanAugust 3, 2014 (2014-08-03)N/A

References

  1. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 19, 2013). "ABC Releases Midseason Schedule: 'Betrayal' in Limbo, 'Revenge' Moves to 10PM, + 'Suburgatory' Premieres January 15". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  2. ^ Rose, Lacey (July 23, 2013). "ABC Orders Limited Series About The Cold War". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  3. ^ O'Connell, Michael (January 3, 2014). "TV Ratings: ABC's 'Assets' Bombs, Dipping 'Community' Tops NBC Comedies in Return". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  4. ^ Bibel, Sara (January 10, 2014). "'The Assets' Canceled by ABC After 2 Episodes". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "The Assets: Canceled Episodes Coming — Someday". TV Series Finale. January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  6. ^ ABC to Burn-Off Unaired Episodes of 'The Assets' on Saturdays Starting June 21
  7. ^ "ABC to Now Wrap "The Assets" on Sunday Afternoons". Futon Critic. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  8. ^ "The Assets (2014)". All Flicks. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  9. ^ "The Assets : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Assets: Season 1 (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  11. ^ Bibel, Sara (January 6, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Two and a Half Men' & 'The Taste' Adjusted Up; 'The Millers' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  12. ^ Bibel, Sara (January 10, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'Parks and Recreation' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Shows A-Z - assets, the on abc". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "The Assets on ABC: latest ratings | canceled + renewed TV shows". TV Series Finale. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
  15. ^ "(#104) What's Done is Done". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
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