Less Than Perfect: Season 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Office sitcoms have definitely been all the rage the last couple decades. ABC might have the formula down to a T though, marking Less than Perfect as their third winner in a row. Drew Carey ran from 1995-2004, Norm from 1999-2001, and Less than Perfect from 2002-2006. Drew Carey and Norm were certainly more crude and zany (and as a result, significantly less family friendly) than Less than Perfect, but here we have a sitcom that manages to ground the characters and also supply viewers with some surprisingly *good* acting.
The adorable Sarah Rue stars as Claude Casey, a pleasantly plump temp from the fourth floor that amazingly gets the promotion she's always dreamed of but never fathomed actually getting. Whisked away to the upper floors of the building she's greeted by news anchor Will Butler, her new boss. Eric Roberts clearly has a great time, oozing all the charm and none of the angst from his experiences in every Lifetime movie imaginable.
Andrea Parker and newcomer Zachary Levi are present as Claude's (attempted) foils, gunning for her job and looking to destroy her at every turn. Andrea Parker is strikingly funny as the devious Lydia, which is a very different role given her previous part in the ultra serious Pretender. Chuck fans will no doubt recognize Zachary Levi as the smarmy metrosexual Kipp, having the pleasure of working right next to Claude as Will's assistant.
Last but not least, we see lots of Claude's friends from the fourth floor; Sherri Shepherd and Andy Dick, both in high form (especially Shepherd, who nowadays can be seen on that unfortunate yuk fest 'The View'). Andy Dick can be an acquired taste for some, exhibiting his usual eccentric but amusing behavior as the oddball Owen.
Even with a fantastically acted cast that melded wonderfully, that wasn't enough to prevent cancellation after its Friday night slot placement, which everybody knows is a television graveyard. Luckily, it was able to air a consistent 4 seasons of quality comedy without getting a chance to overstay its welcome, a problem that seems to plague many similar shows that have a very basic premise.
Unfortunately, this DVD set has absolutely no extras to speak of. None. No commentaries, no featurettes, no deleted scenes, zilch. Luckily, it has been released at a very low price point. 15-25 dollars is definitely a steal for a high quality sitcom, and Less than Perfect is very easy to recommend.

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Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent.Release Date: 09/07/2010Run time: 464 minutesRating: Nr

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The Pretender - The Complete First Season (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)Classified as a drama, "The Pretender" never took itself too seriously. Classified as a science fiction show, "The Pretender" never quite fit the mold. Classified as great television, "The Pretender" lives up to it's billing.
Michael T. Weiss plays Jarod. Taken as a young boy from his family, Jarod is trained by the shadow organization The Centre to be a Pretender. Basically, he plays out scenarios for his captors. Putting himself into the mind of the people he's forced to emulate.
The series begins with the adult Jarod having escaped the Centre. His mission is simple, help those who need help while avoiding being recaptured. All the while, Jarod flashes back to his Centre simulations by means of the extensive video archive they kept on him. At any given time, 3 to 4 actors portray Jarod as he comes of age in these archives.
He is tracked relentlessly by Miss Parker (Andrea Parker). She, along with tech whiz Broots (Jon Gries) and Jarod's Centre father-figure Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), are thwarted by Jarod week-in and week-out. But Parker is driven and focused, even if Sydney is less than enthusiastic about returning his charge to the Centre.
Missing in this first season are many of the great elements which would follow in seasons two through four. But the groundwork is laid here in excellent fashion. It starts here as more of a "Fugitive" type chase. To say much more would spoil the fun of discovering this excellent series.
There is a childlike glee in Weiss' early portrayal of Jarod. His discovery of Pez and ice cream for the first time is priceless. Parker is vicious, driven and sexy as can be right from the start. Broots could easily have been the prototype for "Alias" tech guy Marshall Flinkman. Bauchau gives Sydney a calm in the eye of the storm feel.
Available for the first time on DVD in the US. The series has been available in France for about two years now.

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Jarod is a Pretender-a genius whose exceptional intelligenceallows him to assume various identities at will, be it doctor, testpilot or lawyer. Taken from his parents at an early age, Jarod wasbrought up in the Centre, a think-tank facility where he believedhis computer-like mind was being used to benefit mankind. But when helearned the simulations he solved were being sold to the highest-bidderno matter what their intent, Jarod escaped. Now on the run, Jarod embarks on a search for his true identity while also attempting to balance out any wrong his simulations have caused by helping people who are as powerless as he once was.

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The Pretender 2001 / The Pretender - Island of the Haunted (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was ecstatic when I found out that these two films would finally be released on DVD, not only because I am a big fan of 'The Pretender' and this would be my first opportunity to see them but also because I was hoping to see this wonderful series' multiple plot threads neatly woven together into a finished tapestry.
Unfortunately there was no such luck. 'The Pretender 2001' answers a few questions of where season 4 left off but leads to even more unanswered questions. It was a very entertaining film, much in the same vein as its episodic predecessors, so it is definitely worth watching for any 'Pretender' fan.
'The Pretender - The Island of the Haunted' is even more puzzling and complex than the preceding film, which is frustrating to no end since there is no real resolve. What began as an enigmatic series headed by the altruistic protagonist and the ambiguous hunters, namely Ms. Parker, Broots and Sidney, ends up in much the same way, with simply a few more pieces of the puzzles but far from having a complete picture of Jarod and Ms. Parker's legacies. The movie itself is well directed with an eerie yet appealing ambience on the island that's riddled with mysteries, and the story is clever, as usual. Nothing is left desired acting wise, the cast delivers great performances, especially by Jarod and Ms. Parker, who hint at something beyond mere mutual respect and an unspoken comradery.
All in all, this is well worth getting as it is a slightly better conclusion to the series than the season 4 finale cliffhanger, but nevertheless, I along with all the other fans of 'The Pretender' want answers to the questions that remain from the numerous arching storylines, such as who exactly is Jarod's mother, will he ever get to spend time with her and settle down, what became of Jarod's dad, who murdered Ms. Parker's mother and why, what is the fate of Ms. Parker's newly found half brother, besides Mr. Lyle, what will happen with Mr. Parker and Brigitte's newborn son from season 4, what will happen to the Triumvirate, The Centre, as well as the new questions from both these new, final films.
I implore the producers of this excellent series to please make an ultimate film that will once and for all answer the burning questions that have haunted not just Jarod and Ms. Parker but the fans as well for so many years. I sincerely plead to both the TNT and NBC channels that they produce a fitting end to 'The Pretender' saga. Not only would this be a sound business investment given the large fan base the world over who would buy the film, but also it would please everyone who's dying to know how this amazing journey ends. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Disc 1 Side A: PRETENDER 2001 (Full Screen) Picking up where the television series left off, Jarod reunites with two old friends and unleashes some powerful Centre revelations. This film opens with a sequence that will allow it to be enjoyed by individuals who have not yet seen the TV series.Disc 1 Side B:PRETENDER: ISLAND OF THE HAUNTED (Widescreen) Through a series of bizarre circumstances, Jarod and Miss Parker find themselves trapped together on a strange island in a life and death situation, out of which come some of the most important revelations about their pasts.

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The Pretender - Season 4 (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)Seaon 4 of The Pretender is one of the best seasons on NBC since the show moved to Saturday Nights with 2 other shows during the 1999-2000 season. Here is the episode guide for the final season.
1.) The World's Changing
Once again a prisoner of the Centre, Jarod discovers a plot to murder a team of nuclear researchers, giving him even more motivation to escape. Meanwhile, Sydney and Broots try to find Miss Parker and Miss Parker tries to find her father -- and figure out who to trust.
2.) Survival
Jarod joins the Army CID to investigate the suicide of a soldier in POW survival training. Meanwhile, he gives Mr. Lyle and Miss Parker a taste of that training by trapping them together in a shipping container.
3.) Angel's Filght
Jarod infiltrates a Goth con game to locate a missing girl. Meanwhile, a faceless wax head sent by Jarod leaves Miss Parker and company trying to fill in the pieces.
4.) Risque Business
Jarod pretends to be a sex therapist to investigate a brutal assault on a doctor. Meanwhile, Broots tries to summon up the courage to reveal his feelings to Miss Parker.
5.) Road Trip
Jarod finds himself on a road trip to help a mysterious young woman, whom he falls for. Meanwhile, he tells Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots to 'follow the yellow brick road'.
6.) Extreme
Jarod Pretends to be an extreme sports enthusiast in order to learn what happened to a comatose young man. Meanwhile, Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots follow Jarod's "game show" clues, and find themselves investigating Mr. Lyle.
7.) Wild Child
Jarod Pretends to be a psychologist to help a young girl found living alone in the wilderness. Meanwhile. Miss Parker finds out a Centre contract has been taken out on her father's life, leading her to look more closely at Mr. Cox.
8.) Rules of Engagement
Jarod tries to stop a hostage situation in a hospital. Miss Parker is confused by an encounter with her father.
9.) 'Til Death Do Us Part
On the anniversary of Thomas' death, Jarod challenges a haunted Miss Parker to resume her hunt for his killer. But the search leads back to her father and Brigitte, who is close to giving birth.
10.) Spin Doctor
Jarod tries to track down the killer of a man who helped him escape from The Centre. Meanwhile, Miss Parker tries to help Sydney deal with his past. (Profiler Crossover)
11.) Cold Dick
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - After being contacted by Argyle, Jarod becomes a Las Vegas private investigator to save a showgirl in trouble with with the mob. Meanwhile, Broots and Miss Parker try to outwit Jarod by posing as a newlywed couple and checking into the honeymoon suite. But come sunrise, they find they've gotten more involved with each other then they ever have chasing Jarod...
12.) LifeLine
Jarod becomes a bodyguard to reunite an undercover ATF agent and her daughter. Meanwhile. Miss Parker sets out to prove Raines' religious 'conversion' is nothing of the kind.
13.) Ghosts from the Past
Jarod infiltrates a white supremacist group to stop the bombing of a Unity event. Meanwhile, Angelo fights his way through Jarod's past to find the old enemy currently threatening Jarod's life.
14.) The Agent of Year Zero
Jarod tries to help a Cambodian woman avenge the death of her family at the hands of a war criminal -- who is also an ally of Mr. Lyle. Meanwhile, Miss Parker tracks that connection from the Centre.
15.) Junk
Jarod goes undercover as a junkie in a rehab clinic to help a woman regain custody of her son. Meanwhile, Miss Parker and company find Jarod's connection to the woman through her father and the Centre.
16.) School Daze
Jarod poses as an elementary school teacher to protect a young witness in a murder trial. Meanwhile, Miss Parker encounters a ghost from the past.
17.) Meltdown
Jarod infiltrates a gang of burglars to discover which of them killed a little girl. Meanwhile, an email that isn't there leads Miss Parker to someone who might have answers about her mother's death.
18.) Corn Man
Jarod follows the trail of a kidnapping, documented by a camcorder he finds in a pawn shop. Meanwhile, Miss Parker continues her search for Edna Raines, with Jarod's help.
19 and 20.) The Inner Sense (2 part Series Finale)
Jarod finally locates his sister Emily, just in time to see her nearly assassinated by The Centre. Meanwhile, Miss Parker's search of the secrets behind her mother's death lead her and Jarod to the same place -- and a mysterious young man named Ethan.
And That is the Pretender. Well, sort of, the 2 movies that are going to be released after NBC canceled the Pretender will be out soon but at least they did something similar to what they did with MacGyver. But anyway, The Pretender is still a great show and is delighted for people to enjoy!

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Taken from his home and raised with other genius children at a mysterious place called the Centre, Jarod who with the uncanny ability to pretend and easily assume the identity of any person, escapes as an adult in order to use his abilities to help the puGenre: TelevisionRating: NRRelease Date: 18-JUL-2006Media Type: DVD

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The Pretender - The Complete Third Season (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the season where we see Jarod and his secrets at the centre and his relations with Sydney. Here are the episodes.
1. Crazy: PLEASENT WOOD INSTITUTE, MARYLAND - Jarod becomes a mental patient to undercover the truth behind the mysterious murder of another patient. Miss Parker researches the identity of her twin.
2. Hope and Prey: Jarod experiences the world of the bounty hunter as he seeks an American Indian activist who has a price on his head. In the meanwhile, Miss Parker learns more about her mother's death.
3. Once in a Blue Moon: To save a teen-age victim, Jarod learns the skills of criminal behaviorists and comes face-to-face with the Blue Moon Killer.
4. Someone to Trust: Jarod poses as an arsonist to expose a corrupt attorney, but faces unexpected accusations when the attorney is found dead.
5. Betrayal: Jarod teams up with Broots to find the culprit in a shootout at the Centre's Data Annex, a former operative named Damon.
6. Parole: Jarod portrays a paroled convict to aid a widow; Sydney learns startling news while consoling an old lover whose husband is dying.
7. Homefront: Jarod steals millions from the Centre, then poses as an arms dealer selling missile launchers to a weapons merchant in Venezuela.
8. Flesh and Blood: Jarod takes on the role of a tracking expert to help find four teachers, including Sydney's son, Nicholas, who are taken hostage in the Appalachian hills.
9. Murder 101: Jarod takes over a criminal psychology class and teaches a lesson in committing a flawless murder before tracking down three suspected killers.
10. Mr. Lee: A blind man and his assistant piece together Jarod's personality so they can kidnap him.
11. The Assassin: Jarod helps a former CIA computer analyst who must assassinate a U.S. senator to free her children from a kidnapper; Miss Parker meets her new neighbor.
12. Unsinkable: Jarod once again encounters Argyle, who is in need of help. Caught in the middle of a turf war, they work together to pay off Argyle's debt to some loan sharks.
13. Pool: Jarod challenges a pool hustler to get evidence linking the man to the murder of a young woman's father; Miss Parker tries to prevent Brigitte's marriage.
14. At the Hour of Our Death: Jarod and Miss Parker recall a childhood incident where they and Angelo met a dying girl at the Centre.
15. Countdown: Jarod races against time to locate the father of an injured boy with a rare blood disorder.
16. P.T.B. Jarod fills in for a radio talk show host who disappeared after a violent confrontation with a threatening caller; Thomas asks Miss Parker to relocate.
17. Ties That Bind: Jarod goes under cover to investigate a law firm that has a suspicious history of silencing witnesses; Miss Parker declares she is leaving the Centre.
18. Wake Up: Thomas is brutally murdered in Miss Parker's home by an unknown assailant; Jarod finds clues leading to a drug addict who later dies of an overdose.
19. End Game: The kidnapping of a young chess prodigy brings Jarod a little too close to his own demons -- and to the attention of an FBI criminal profiler ('Profiler' crossover). Meanwhile, Miss Parker gets unsettling news from Brigitte, and about Brigitte.
20. Qallupilluit: Jarod heads for Alaska to find his father, only to find himself trapped with a research team whose numbers are dropping rapidly -- and bloodily.
21. Donoterase (Part 1): Jarod's reunion with his father is marred by news of the Centre's latest project -- a teenaged clone of Jarod himself. However, assassins from the Centre are hot on their trail.
22. Donoterase (Part 2): Conclusion from part 1. Jarod and his father plan a rescue the clone created by the Centre's, while Miss Parker must face new truths from inside the Centre and more about her mother's murder.
There will be 1 more season of the Pretender and that IMO is the best season of the show!!!!


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The next installment of this cult-fan favorite! Jarod's suspenseful journey continues as he uses his powers of reason and logic to right wrongs, while searching for his past and the family he lost.

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