Counterstrike (1990 TV series)

Counterstrike is a Canadian-French crime-fighting, espionage, action-adventure television series. The series premiered in Canada on CTV, in France on TF1, and in the United States on the USA Network, on July 1, 1990. It ran for three seasons, airing 66 hour-long episodes in total.

Counterstrike
Counterstrike title screen
Also known asForce de frappe
GenreAction-adventure
Starring
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • France
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes66[1]
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJulian Marks
Production locations
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJuly 1, 1990 (1990-07-01) –
May 9, 1993 (1993-05-09)

Plot

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After his wife is kidnapped by terrorists, international industrialist Alexander Addington assembles a clandestine team of troubleshooters to help combat terrorism around the world. He recruits Peter Sinclair from Scotland Yard to lead the team. They set up a French con artist and art/jewelry thief named Nicole Beaumont and blackmail her into joining because of her valuable criminal connections. The third team member is Luke Brenner, an American mercenary whom they rescue from a Mexican jail. The series' other recurring characters are Bennett and J.J., Alexander's valet and pilot, respectively.

In the second season's second episode Peter and Alexander encounter a French reporter named Gabrielle Germont whom they recruit into the team to prevent her from publishing a story about them. In the season's third episode Peter and Gabrielle rescue Hector Stone, an American CIA-operative and former Navy SEAL whose cover has been blown, and invite him to join the team.

The character of Alexander's daughter Suzanne Addington, who designed the team's computer systems, was also written out of the series at the beginning of the second season. Suzanne appears in one third season episode, although played by a different actress. In her stead Alexander gets a secretary/confidante named Hélène Previn.

Cast

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  • Christopher Plummer as Alexander Addington (1990–1993)
  • Simon MacCorkindale as Peter Sinclair (1990–1993)
  • Cyrielle Clair as Nicole Beaumont (1990–1991)
  • Stephen Shellen as Luke Brenner (1990–1991)
  • Laurence Ashley-Taboulet as Suzanne Addington (1990–1991)
  • Sophie Michaud as Gabrielle Germont (1991–1993)
  • James Purcell as Hector Stone (1991–1993)
  • Patricia Cartier as Hélène Previn (1991–1993)
  • Andre Mayers as J.J. (1990–1993)
  • Tom Kneebone as Bennett (1990–1993)

Episodes

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Season 1 (1990–91)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Dealbreaker"Mario AzzopardiRichard OleksiakJuly 1, 1990 (1990-07-01)
22"Dead in the Air"Jorge MontesiTim DunphyJuly 8, 1990 (1990-07-08)
33"Now and at the Hour of Our Death"Mario AzzopardiTony DiFrancoJuly 15, 1990 (1990-07-15)
44"Art for Art's Sake"Jorge MontesiJim HenshawJuly 22, 1990 (1990-07-22)
55"Power Play"Mario AzzopardiAngelo Stea, Peter LautermanJuly 29, 1990 (1990-07-29)
66"A Little Purity"George MendelukDavid RotenbergAugust 5, 1990 (1990-08-05)
77"Son with a Gun"Paolo BarzmanChristian WattonAugust 19, 1990 (1990-08-19)
88"The Lady of the Rhine"Paolo BarzmanEric WattonAugust 26, 1990 (1990-08-26)
99"Knights of Aram"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakSeptember 9, 1990 (1990-09-09)
1010"Extreme Measures"Michael ShockMichael Zettler, Shelly AltmanSeptember 16, 1990 (1990-09-16)
1111"Thanos"Doug JacksonChristian WattonOctober 7, 1990 (1990-10-07)
1212"Siege"Bernard DumontPeter MohanOctober 14, 1990 (1990-10-14)
1313"Escape Route"Paolo BarzmanChantal RenaudOctober 28, 1990 (1990-10-28)
1414"The Beginning"Allan EastmanLanden ParkerNovember 10, 1990 (1990-11-10)
1515"Cry of the Children"Mario AzzopardiTony DiFrancoNovember 17, 1990 (1990-11-17)
1616"Masks"Donald ShebibChristian WattonNovember 24, 1990 (1990-11-24)
1717"Mindbender"Allan EastmanRichard OleksiakDecember 1, 1990 (1990-12-01)
1818"Regal Connection"William FruetTony DiFrancoDecember 15, 1990 (1990-12-15)
1919"Cinema Verité"René BonnièreEric WattonDecember 22, 1990 (1990-12-22)
2020"Verathion"Donald ShebibChantal RenaudJanuary 12, 1991 (1991-01-12)
2121"The Millerton Papers"George MendelukEric WattonJanuary 19, 1991 (1991-01-19)
2222"The Dilemma"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakFebruary 2, 1991 (1991-02-02)

Season 2 (1991–92)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
231"Tie a Yellow Ribbon"Allan EastmanRichard OleksiakSeptember 21, 1991 (1991-09-21)
242"Hidden Assets"René BonnièreTony DiFrancoSeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28)
253"Fall From Grace"Allan EastmanRichard OleksiakOctober 5, 1991 (1991-10-05)
264"It's All in the Game"Gilbert M. ShiltonMichael Leo DonovanOctober 12, 1991 (1991-10-12)
275"Hide and Seek"George MendelukRichard OleksiakOctober 19, 1991 (1991-10-19)
286"Native Warriors"Alan SimmondsAnn MacNaughtonOctober 26, 1991 (1991-10-26)
297"Breaking Point"George MendelukStephen AlixNovember 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)
308"Going Home"Jorge MontesiRichard OleksiakNovember 9, 1991 (1991-11-09)
319"Survival Instinct"Mario AzzopardiKaren JaniganNovember 16, 1991 (1991-11-16)
3210"Night of the Black Moon"Miklós LenteTony DiFrancoNovember 23, 1991 (1991-11-23)
3311"Fire in the Streets"Allan EastmanTony DiFrancoNovember 30, 1991 (1991-11-30)
3412"In the Blood"René BonnièreMichael Leo DonovanDecember 7, 1991 (1991-12-07)
3513"Village of the Damned"Allan EastmanIan SutherlandDecember 14, 1991 (1991-12-14)
3614"Prize Package"Jorge MontesiRichard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoJanuary 4, 1992 (1992-01-04)
3715"The Three Tramps"William FruetRichard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoJanuary 11, 1992 (1992-01-11)
3816"Behind Bars"Bruno GantillonElizabeth BaxterMarch 14, 1992 (1992-03-14)
3917"Cherchez la Femme"Jean-Pierre PrévostJean-Vincent FournierMarch 21, 1992 (1992-03-21)
4018"Dead Heat"Jean-Pierre PrévostMarc EisenchteterApril 4, 1992 (1992-04-04)
4119"La Belle Dame Monique"Dennis BerryMartin BrossolletApril 11, 1992 (1992-04-11)
4220"Ripped from the Grave"Bruno GantillonElizabeth BaxterApril 18, 1992 (1992-04-18)
4321"Trigger Finger"Daniel MoosmannTony DiFranco, Richard OleksiakMay 2, 1992 (1992-05-02)
4422"The Circus Ring"Robin DavisFabrice ZiolkowskiMay 9, 1992 (1992-05-09)

Season 3 (1992–93)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
451"I Remember It Well"Robin DavisJean-Vincent FournierSeptember 26, 1992 (1992-09-26)
462"The Sting"René BonnièreRichard OleksiakOctober 3, 1992 (1992-10-03)
473"Till Death Do Us Part"Bruno GantillonMichael Leo DonovanOctober 10, 1992 (1992-10-10)
484"Bastille Day Terror"Bruno GantillonTony DiFrancoOctober 17, 1992 (1992-10-17)
495"No Honour Among Thieves"Jean-Pierre PrévostMartin LagerOctober 24, 1992 (1992-10-24)
506"Skin Deep"Robin DavisVincent LambertOctober 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)
517"The Curse of the Amber Chamber"Jorge MontesiJean-Vincent FournierNovember 7, 1992 (1992-11-07)
528"Death S.E.A.L."Allan EastmanFabrice ZiolkowskiNovember 14, 1992 (1992-11-14)
539"Cyborg"William FruetRichard OleksiakNovember 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)
5410"D.O.A."Allan EastmanJohn SheppardDecember 5, 1992 (1992-12-05)
5511"Cat in the Cradle"Alan SimmondsStephen AlixDecember 11, 1992 (1992-12-11)
5612"Bosnian Connection"Alan SimmondsElizabeth BaxterDecember 20, 1992 (1992-12-20)
5713"Betrayed"René BonnièreTony DiFrancoJanuary 9, 1993 (1993-01-09)
5814"Clear Cut"Donald ShebibJean-Vincent FournierFebruary 7, 1993 (1993-02-07)
5915"Free to Kill"Jean-Pierre PrévostTony DiFrancoFebruary 14, 1993 (1993-02-14)
6016"The Hit"William FruetJean-Vincent FournierFebruary 28, 1993 (1993-02-28)
6117"French Twist"Jean-Pierre PrévostRichard OleksiakMarch 21, 1993 (1993-03-21)
6218"The Contender"Allan EastmanJean-Vincent FournierMarch 28, 1993 (1993-03-28)
6319"The Raw Truth"William FruetRichard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoApril 11, 1993 (1993-04-11)
6420"Peacemaker"George MendelukRichard OleksiakApril 18, 1993 (1993-04-18)
6521"Muerta"Allan EastmanR.B. CarneyMay 2, 1993 (1993-05-02)
6622"Bad Guys"George MendelukRichard Oleksiak, Tony DiFrancoMay 9, 1993 (1993-05-09)

Awards and nominations

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  • 1992 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (Simon MacCorkindale) – Nominated
  • 1992 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (Christopher Plummer) – Nominated
  • 1994 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (Sophie Michaud) – Nominated
  • 1994 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (James Purcell) – WON

Broadcast

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Counterstrike premiered in Canada on CTV and in France (as Force de frappe) on TF1 on July 1, 1990.[1] It premiered in the United States on the USA Network on July 1, 1990.

Reruns aired in Canada on Showcase and TVtropolis.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Force de frappe" [Counterstrike]. Seriebox (in French). Retrieved 24 December 2022.
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