Spy Game (TV series)

*Spy Game*
Spy Game
Genre	Action-adventure/Drama
Created by	John McNamara; Ivan Raimi; Sam Raimi
Written by	Scott Brown; Anne Collins; John McNamara; Kathy McCormick; Eric Morris; Gene F. O'Neill; David Simkins; Noreen Tobin; Jeff Vlaming
Directed by	Lou Antonio; James Frawley; Elodie Keene; Winrich Kolbe; John T. Kretchmer; Les Landau; Doug Lefler; Alan J. Levi; Jefery Levy; Martha Mitchell; T.J. Scott; Oz Scott
Starring	Linden Ashby; Allison Smith; Bruce McCarty; Keith Szarabajka; D.D. Howard
Composer	Christophe Beck
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	13 (4 unaired)
Production
Executive producers	John McNamara; Sam Raimi; Robert G. Tapert
Producer	Edward Ledding
Cinematography	Stephen McNutt
Running time	60 minutes; (with commercials)
Production companies	McNamara Paper Products, Inc.; Renaissance Pictures; Warner Bros. Television; Universal Television
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	March 3 –; July 12, 1997

Spy Game is an American action-adventure television series that aired on ABC for 13 episodes during the spring and summer of 1997. The series was created by screenwriter and physician Ivan Raimi, director Sam Raimi, and writer John McNamara. The series was originally developed under the title Cloak and Dagger, but was renamed prior to airing.

Plot

The series starred Linden Ashby as Lorne Cash, a retired secret agent who reluctantly agrees to get back into the "spy game" and work for a secret government agency. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the downsizing of international intelligence agencies worldwide, the reduced demand for highly qualified espionage agents has flooded the civilian market with displaced former agents. With the surplus of independent agents running rogue operations, Cash is called in to work with a meager agency whose sole directive is to police these newly freelance spies.

Cash is an "old-school" agent who is more apt to rely on his wits and his fists rather than the latest high-tech gadgets, which occasionally puts him at odds with his gadget-happy (but no less capable) partner, Max London, played by Allison Smith. Despite initial friction, the two quickly establish a rapport (with the usual romantic overtures). Some of the show's humor is generated from Lorne's reluctance to use modern gadgets, as well as the occasional revelations about his past and his high connections. In the premiere episode, for example, Lorne calls the president who is a personal friend and is given a security clearance higher than his boss'.

The series was a throwback to the stylish spy series of the 1960s, with particular comparison being made to The Avengers and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., while at the same time poking fun at the genre. (The opening credits were a parody of the opening credits of The Avengers.) The show's first episode featured cameos by numerous stars of spy shows of the past (including Patrick Macnee and Robert Culp).

Spy Game was canceled after nine of the thirteen episodes produced were aired.

Cast

Linden Ashby as Lorne Cash
Allison Smith as Maxine "Max" London
Bruce McCartyas Micah Simms
Keith Szarabajka as Shank

Episodes

Episode #	Episode title	Original airdate
1-1	"Why Spy?"	March 3, 1997
1-2	"With Friends Like These"	March 10, 1997
1-3	"Nobody Ever Said Growing Up Was Easy"	March 17, 1997
1-4	"Dead and Gone Honey"	June 7, 1997
1-5	"You Just Can't Trust Anyone These Days"	June 14, 1997
1-6	"What, Micah Worry?"	June 21, 1997
1-7	"What Family Doesn't Have Its Ups and Downs"	June 28, 1997
1-8	"And That About Concludes Our Session"	July 5, 1997
1-9	"Lorne and Max Drop the Ball"	July 12, 1997
1-10	"Go, Girl"	Never aired
1-11	"Necessity is the Mother of Infection"	Never aired
1-12	"How Diplomatic of You"	Never aired
1-13	"Well, Nothing to Fear But Death Itself"	Never aired

Though the last four episodes were never aired in the USA, they were shown overseas, for instance by Channel 4 in the UK (though very late at night).

External links