"Line of Fire" (2003) TV series 2003-2004

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

2 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Plot:

A "political drama" that juxtaposes the stories of a young female F.B.I. agent (Bibb) and a mobster (Paymer).

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Mobster | FBI Agent | Gambling | Rookie

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Leslie Bibb	...	Paige Van Doren (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Leslie Hope	...	Lisa Cohen (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Anson Mount	...	Roy Ravelle (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Julie Ann Emery	...	Jennifer Sampson (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Michael Irby	...	Amiel Macarthur (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Jeffrey D. Sams	...	Todd Stevens (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Brian Goodman	...	Donovan Stubbin (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
David Paymer	...	Jonah Malloy (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Kristen Shaw	...	Janet Malloy (10 episodes, 2003-2004)
Stan Kelly	...	Blair (8 episodes, 2003-2004)
Jazsmin Lewis	...	Jada (6 episodes, 2003-2004)
Jaycee Porter	...	Joanie Sampson (6 episodes, 2003-2004)

Also Known As:

Lines of Duty (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:60 min (13 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks Television

Trivia:

Jerry Goldsmith was asked to write the main theme for this series but because of illness (cancer) he did not do it

Quotes:

Larry: Sorry, Stubbs! Should have taken it on the black bitch!

Mishandled Series

This show has alot going for it, and could have produced some very compelling television. But, it appears political correctness, and image enhancement are more important these days.

For one, the characters are unbelievable to the point of absurdity. In the most recent episode, the female special-agent-in-charge of the Richmond field office, visits a bar (which she, apparently, does every night), drinks herself silly, picks up a guy and takes him home and lets him tie her up during sex, without ever knowing what his name is.

The next morning, she cannot remember much about the encounter, including whether he used a condom or not. It turns out, the guy she picked up could have been somebody wanted for serial rape in Florida. She confesses all this to a high ranking official of the Richmond police department, himself a former lover. He tells her he needs her to recover the man's used condom in order to identify him. It turns out he wasn't the serial rapist.

Apparently, the high ranking official of the Richmond police department doesn't seem to be concerned that her behavior disqualifies her for her position, and could very well cause serious problems for the agents working for her. I watched all this, and felt she didn't deserve to carry an FBI agent's badge, let alone be placed in charge of a major metropolitan field office. She's a freaking barfly.

The absurdity goes on and on: A female agent physically accosting a guy on the street because her and her husband are late dropping their kids off - this agent cries at the drop of a hat, yet she's telling another female agent "I'd go through a door with you anytime" (what a ridiculous cliche to be dropped in here);, the "cute & plucky" little female agent disobeying orders at the academy to overcome her fears, and the all important victim-sympathy angle - her young husband was killed on 9/11 at the pentagon. I mean, nothing wrong with stuffing in as many 9/11 references to ensure success, huh?

My god, why don't you just hit us over the head with a sledgehammer and call it a day? What is the point here? The over-the-top machismo behavior exhibited by the females in this show is just laugh-out-loud ridiculous. What is someone trying to prove here? And why are they trying this hard? Television shows are supposed to entertain us. It seems as if someone here is trying to "educate" us. The whole premise with the female agents in this show is done based on someone's political agenda, and far too many television shows are taking this route.

And as for the undercover agent - "Roy"; any half-decent crime organization is understandably overly paranoid about being infiltrated by undercover agents. Yet, here we seem to have this guy pretty much just show up, with very little suspicion or distrust evident. Criminal types would have seen and smelled this guy a mile away. He seems to look and act suspiciously when he is caught in a difficult situation.

This had real possibilities; a great look and feel to it. There was some very entertaining and gritty television possible here. Yet this is all frittered away by horrendous writing ,laughable characters and an out-of-control, over-the-top political correctness.

Unless this shows undergoes a major overhaul, I'm pretty much done with this mess.

"That's that with that"