This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2024) |
She Spies is an action-adventure television show that ran from July 20, 2002 until May 17, 2004 in two seasons. The show was sold into syndication but the first four episodes premiered on NBC, whose syndication arm was one of the producers. Disappointing ratings during the show's second season led to its cancellation after season two ended. She Spies bore noticeable production and direction similarities with Charlie's Angels and Totally Spies.
| She Spies | |
|---|---|
 The main cast (left to right): Miller, Henstridge and Williams | |
| Created by | Vince Manze & Joe Livecchi and Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W Van Sickle |
| Starring | Natasha Henstridge Kristen Miller Natashia Williams Carlos Jacott Jamie Iglehart Cameron Daddo |
| Theme music composer | Jerry Brunskill |
| Composer | Jerry Brunskill |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 40 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers | Dennis C. Duckwall David Dwiggins |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | Reno and Osborn Productions (episodes 1–2) Tower 18 Productions (season 2) NBC Enterprises MGM Television Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC (syndicated) |
| Release | July 20, 2002 – May 17, 2004 |
Plot
editThree female convicted felons who were incarcerated for electronic crimes ("DD"), confidence tricks ("Cassie") and battery ("Shane") are paroled from prison in exchange for work as secret operatives for the US government under 'ComCent', a branch of the ISD. In addition, they have to answer to a special agent in charge of the success of their operations and of making sure that the terms of their conditional release are consistently followed.
Cast
edit- Natasha Henstridge as Cassie McBain
- Kristen Miller as Deedra "D.D." Cummings
- Natashia Williams as Shane Phillips
- Carlos Jacott as Jack Wilde (season 1)
- Jamie Iglehart as Duncan Baleu (season 2)
- Cameron Daddo as Quentin Cross (season 2)
Production
editThe show was created by a couple of NBC advertising executives,[1] Vince Manze and Joe Livecchi, for MGM Television.[2]
The show was produced by NBC Enterprises and MGM Worldwide Television Group, and during development was under the title of B.A.I.T.[3]
The women used martial arts and hand-to-hand combat as fighting skills. No guns were used as weapons.
Writing
edit"I was looking to do Lethal Weapon or Rush Hour with women."[4] - Vince Manze
She Spies had very strong comic and chick flick elements which in many instances proved even more relevant to the storytelling than the spy-related situations and gadgets themselves. The type of humor changed markedly from season one to season two, with the former containing much self-referential humor and breaking of the "fourth wall", while both these elements were removed in season two.
Casting
editNatasha Henstridge who played Cassie wasn't keen to sign up for the show as she was not interested in the same old "three spies" story, but the makers convinced her that the show would be planned as a spoof, have many comedy elements and no drama like Charlie's Angels.[citation needed]
Release
editNBC scheduled a showing of Species as a lead-in before the premiere.[5]
From Saturday, 20 July 2002, at 10 p.m.,[6] and then for a total of four[2] consecutive weeks, NBC broadcast She Spies. It did not air on NBC in the fall, but went into first-run syndication, on 30 September 2002,[2] a partnership of NBC Enterprises and MGM Television.[7]
Reception
edit"following the departure of Pamela Anderson’s V.I.P., and this could certainly satiate the guys looking for sarcasm, short skirts and chicanery. Show attempts to be to Charlie's Angels what the Leslie Nielsen starrer Police Squad was to cop shows"[8]
Episodes
editHome media
editShe Spies: The Complete First Season was released[9] on March 14, 2006,[10] by MGM Home Entertainment in a 4-DVD set.
Further reading
edit- Romanko, Karen A. (2016). Television's female spies and crimefighters: 600 characters and shows, 1950s to the present. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7864-9637-2.
References
edit- ^ Levesque, John (July 19, 2002). "With polish, 'She Spies' could shine in syndication wasteland". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "'She Spies' created by NBC 'ad guys'". TVWeek. June 10, 2002. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "NBC sets syndie synergy". Variety. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ Fonseca, Nicholas (2002-06-14). "Summer Stock". EW.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ Sherrow, Rita L. (19 July 2002). "`Sex' comes back to the city; `She Spies' battle crime". Tulsa World. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ Petrozzello, Donna (14 July 2002). "SPICES WITH STYLE". New York Daily News. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "Madonna and NBC might play games". Deseret News. 17 April 2002. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ Gallo, Phil (18 July 2002). "She Spies". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ Poniewozik, James (10 April 2006). "5 TV Spies To Love On DVD". TIME. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "She spies. The complete first season". Peshtigo Branch Library. BiblioCommons. 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
MGM DVD