The Pretender: The Complete First Season

If government conspiracies and supernatural chic were all the rage on the TV airwaves during the 1990s--it seemed you couldn't go wrong aping The X-Files--then The Pretender was the show for those who wanted a kinder, gentler top-secret black-ops drama, one minus all that uncomfortable paranoia and existential unease. Jarod (the android-like Michael Weiss) is a particular kind of genius: he can take on the identity of anyone--a doctor, a U.S. marshal, whatever--a paranormal skill that attracted the attention of a mysterious think tank called the Centre, which kidnapped Jarod when he was a boy and then used his talents in all sorts of bad ways (mostly having to do with weapons research). Now, having escaped from the Centre, Jarod wanders from town to town, helping people and trying to find out the truth about his family, always on the run from the nefarious operators of the Centre. It's kinda like Quantum Leap crossed with The Incredible Hulk, without any of the charisma or charm. Jarod's "innocence"--the result of being raised in a laboratory--comes across as creepy and robot-like, and his ability to "just know" things makes for strikingly uninteresting drama. Presented on four double-sided discs containing all 21 episodes of the debut 1996-97 season (including the two-part season finale), DVD extras include commentaries on select episodes and “making-of” featurettes. Optional. (M. Johanson)