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Missing (Canadian TV series)

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Missing
Genrecrime drama
Created byGlenn Davis
William Laurin
StarringCaterina Scorsone
Gloria Reuben
Vivica A. Fox
Mark Consuelos
Justina Machado
Dean McDermott
Justin Louis
Theme music composerAndy Chase
Michèle Vice-Maslin
ComposersAndrew Lockington
Lou Pomanti
Country of originCanada
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes56
Production
Executive producersRichard J. Anobile
Glenn Davis
Debra Martin Chase
ProducerPaul Quarrington
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time45 minutes
Production companiesNDG Productions
Lionsgate Television
Missing Production Corp
Missing Productions II
Original release
NetworkA
W Network (Canada)
Lifetime (United States)
ReleaseAugust 2, 2003 (2003-08-02) –
February 5, 2006 (2006-02-05)

Missing (originally titled 1-800-Missing) is a Canadian-American crime drama television series based on the 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU book series by Meg Cabot. The series aired on the A network and W Network in Canada, and on Lifetime in the United States from August 2003 to February 2006.

Synopsis

The series is centered on Jess Mastriani, played by Caterina Scorsone, a woman in her twenties[1] who receives psychic abilities after being hit by lightning. She is employed by a special FBI Task Force because she has visions which, once interpreted, contain clues that will help her find missing people. The series initially starred Gloria Reuben as Brooke Haslett, Jess's skeptical partner. Other stars of the series during its first season included Justina Machado as Sunny Estrada, and Dean McDermott as Alan Coyle.

In the second season, significant changes, including casting, were made. The show was completely retooled. Jess's partner was changed to Nicole Scott, portrayed by Vivica A. Fox. Taking Sunny's place was Mark Consuelos, and Justin Louis assumed the role of the Assistant Director John Pollock. Jess's psychic powers remained important, but more focus was given to the other characters.

The series finale aired on February 5, 2006 alongside the show's partner Strong Medicine and, in April 2006, it was revealed that Missing had been canceled after a successful three year, fifty-six episode run. Lifetime said the show had "run its course."[2]

Cast

Characters

Jess Mastriani

Special Agent Jessica Mastriani wanted to take over her parents' restaurant in Indiana, but when she was gifted with visions (after being hit by lightning) which helped her to find a number of missing people, the FBI took her on as a "consultant". Jess spent a year helping the FBI and when it was over, she decided to join the FBI and to be trained as an agent. During the second season, Jess began learning the ropes of being an agent after John Pollock took her off probation and hired her as a full-fledged agent. As Jess was new to the job, and very by-the-book, working with her new partner Nicole Scott who often broke the rules and did what she thought was right wasn't always easy, but eventually Jess began to rely on Nicole for advice and the two became friends. Nicole even referred to Jess as her family once or twice.

Jess began having more control over her visions during season three, but the problem was that Janey Cooper, an agent who had come to train with the bureau, kept popping up in them. Jess and Janey hadn't gotten along very well, and when Janey went into a store without backup, she was shot in the head and killed, left only to taunt Jess in her visions. During season three, not only was Jess in more control of her visions but she hooked up with Colin McNeil, an agent who accepted her even when she told him about her visions. Unfortunately, Colin was sent undercover for a year which caused the two to split up. But all hope wasn't lost for Jess, especially when Jack Burgess, a former co-worker, came back into the picture. When Jess was last seen during the series finale, she and Jack were going out for a drink.

Nicole Scott

Special Agent Nicole Scott could be one of the FBI's top agents, except for one catch, she has a problem with authority. Nicole is introduced as a smart, take charge agent who can think on her feet, which doesn't coincide well with her new partner, straight-by-the-book Jess Mastriani. As the season progresses, Nicole provides some helpful insight to her partner and the two become friends. Also in season two we learn that she was raised in a number of foster homes after her mother beat her father, who had abused her mom, right in front of her. The next season will lead her to looking for her mom, and with Antonio's help, she ends up finding her, and the two form some semblance of a relationship.

Nicole's biggest storyline in the series had to be her relationship with co-worker Antonio Cortez, a previous lover from her past who she at first can't stand but then falls back in love with. The two keep their relationship a secret from everyone except Jess because it's forbidden by their boss but eventually it can't be hidden anymore and Polluck finds out. Antonio is about to switch bureaus for them to be together, but Nicole stops him, saying that she wouldn't do that for him. As the season winds down, Nicole buys a house for her future family and just as she and Antonio agree to start things over at the end of the season, Antonio's car blows up, leaving her grief-stricken. Nicole's astonished face is the last glimpse of her that viewers get.

Antonio Cortez

Special Agent Antonio Carlos Cortez is revealed as a forensic at the first episode of the second season. Antonio and Nicole worked together previously and were even romantically entangled. The first few episodes cause some bickering between the two but eventually Nicole and Antonio reconcile. He also became fast friends with Jess, Nicole's new partner. From there sparked a friendship with the three of them. Season two didn't have much of a big storyline for Antonio, mostly he worked as the Forensics specialist but audiences did get a sneak peek at his past life with Antonio's ex-wife's sister went missing and he took the field to try and find her. During the end of season two and beginning of season three viewers began to see the relationship between Nicole and Antonio set aflame again and during a two-week vacation, they hooked up again, which unfortunately was forbidden by their boss and when Antonio was shot at and Nicole fearfully came to his aid, Pollock found out about them and they were forced to break up so one wouldn't have to transfer to another district.

Antonio was seen more in the field during season three, although he did remain a big part of forensics. His biggest storyline, sadly, was his supposed death at the end of the series. After being stalked by the brother of a person he convicted, Antonio and Nicole agreed to start over on their relationship and when he turned the key in the ignition of his car, it exploded, ending the entire series. Audiences can only guess that the blast killed him, but no one really knows for sure.

John Pollock

Assistant Director John Pollock is one of the most powerful men in the Bureau. He considers that a pretty good start. A shrewd, ruthless political player, John can turn any situation to his advantage. He brought Jess to Washington, D.C. because her solve rate in Indiana was nothing short of spectacular. But her gifts make him uneasy because they can't be quantified or controlled. He appreciates Nicole's stellar solve rate, but he's cautious of her independence and nonstandard methods. John may be a tough man, but he still cares about his agents and even partially blamed himself when Janey was killed in season three. It tore him apart enough that he was released from duty for an episode, judged as unfit to continue working. During that time he spent time with his kids, a son and a daughter named Chloe, and also tried to work things out with his wife Janice. Eventually he returned to power and at the end of the season we learned that John and Janice were expecting their third child.

Syndication

In Canada, the series currently airs on W Network. It currently airs in Quebec in French on Séries+, titled Porté disparu

DVD release

The only DVD release to date has been the show's second season (titled as Missing: Season 2) as a four disc set from Lions Gate Home Entertainment on January 24, 2006.

Lionsgate announced 1-800 Missing Seasons 1 and 3 on DVD.[citation needed]

All three seasons are currently available to watch instantly on Netflix.[3]

References

  1. ^ Season 2, Episode 6. Jess gives her age as 24 and her date of birth as October 12 in response to a question from FBI Assistant Director Pollock
  2. ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford (2006-04-28). "Lifetime Dismisses 'Missing' Drama After Three". The Futon Critic. Los Angeles: TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  3. ^ http://movies.netflix.com/WiSearch?oq=&ac_posn=&v1=1800+missing
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