Covert Affairs
Covert Affairs 2010 logo.svg
Genre
Created by Matt Corman
Chris Ord
Starring
Opening theme "Can You Save Me" by Power
Composer(s) Toby Chu
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 41 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Editor(s) Chris Willingham
Lori Jane Coleman
Lisette Rodriguez (asst.)
Location(s) Toronto, Ontario, Canada as main; location shooting elsewhere as required
Cinematography Colin Hoult
Jamie Barber
Camera setup Multiple
Running time 45 minutes
Production company(s)
Broadcast
Original channel USA Network
Original run July 13, 2010 (2010-07-13) – present
External links
Website

Covert Affairs is a USA Network television series starring Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham. The one-hour drama premiered on Tuesday, July 13, 2010.[1] The show concluded its first season on September 14, 2010 and was renewed for a second season on August 19, 2010.[2] The second season began airing on June 7, 2011,[3] and a DVD set of the first season was released on May 17, 2011.[4] The series was renewed for a third season by USA Network on September 15, 2011.[5] The third season began on July 10, 2012. On September 25, 2012, Covert Affairs was renewed for a 16-episode fourth season.[6]

Contents

Overview[edit]

A young CIA trainee, Annie Walker, is sent to work at the Domestic Protection Division (DPD), where she serves as a field agent. August "Auggie" Anderson, a blind tech operative, is Annie's guide in her new life. Annie's cover story is that she works in Acquisitions at the Smithsonian Museum.

Cast and characters[edit]

Main cast[edit]

Recurring cast[edit]

Episodes[edit]

The characters Auggie Anderson and Annie Walker are portrayed by Christopher Gorham (left) and Piper Perabo (right).
Season Timeslot (ET) # Ep. Premiered Ended TV Season Viewers
(in millions)
Date Premiere
Viewers
(in millions)
Date Finale
Viewers
(in millions)
1 Tuesday 10:00 pm (July 13, 2010 ? September 7, 2010)
Tuesday 9:00 pm (September 14, 2010)
11
July 13, 2010
4.88[15]
September 14, 2010
5.23[16] 2010 6.70[17]
2 Tuesday 10:00 pm (June 7, 2011 ? present) 16
June 7, 2011
4.56[18]
December 6, 2011
3.20[19] 2011 5.64[20]
3 16
July 10, 2012
3.50[21]
November 20, 2012[22]
N/A 2012 TBA

Awards[edit]

Year Result Award Category Recipient(s)
2011
Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series?? Drama Piper Perabo[23]

DVD release[edit]

Season One of Covert Affairs was released on DVD on May 17, 2011 in region 1[24] and region 4 on June 2, 2011.[25] The three disc set features all 11 episodes of Season One, commentary on the "Pilot" episode, "Communication Breakdown", and "When the Levee Breaks" outtakes, deleted scenes, Behind the Scenes featurettes entitled "Welcome to the Farm", "Blind Insight", a Set Tour, and "Celebrate the ADA" PSA. The DVD is also equipped with Descriptive Video Service, a feature that provides descriptive narration of key visual elements for the visually impaired.

Season two was released in April on Region 1 encoded collection, containing all 16 episodes on 4 discs. featuring deleted scenes, a gag reel, comic con intro and behind the scenes location documentary

Development, casting, and production[edit]

Covert Affairs first appeared on USA Network's development slate in July 2008.[26] The pilot episode was written by Matt Corman and Chris Ord.[26] Casting was underway in June 2009, with the expectation that successful casting would lead to a production commitment.[27] Piper Perabo was the first actress cast in early July 2009 as CIA officer Annie Walker.[28] The casting of Christopher Gorham came in late July,[citation needed] quickly followed by announcement that the pilot had been green-lighted by USA Network.

In early August 2009, Tim Matheson signed on to direct a 90-minute pilot.[29] Further casting announcements included Anne Dudek in mid-August,[30] followed by Kari Matchett and Peter Gallagher in early September.[31][32] Eric Lively was cast as a fellow CIA officer as a peer of Perabo's character, and Eion Bailey was cast in a recurring role as Perabo's ex-boyfriend.[31] The pilot began filming in Toronto in September 2009.

In January 2010, the Covert Affairs pilot received a 10 episode order.[29][33] Sendhil Ramamurthy was added to the cast as a CIA officer, replacing Lively's character,[34] along with Emmanuelle Vaugier in a recurring role as a journalist.[35]

The series executive producers are Doug Liman and David Bartis and the co-executive producer is Jonathan Glassner.[1][36] Production of the series is based at a studio in Toronto, Ontario, where the primary static sets are housed, as well as at "stock" shooting locations throughout the local area. This footage is combined with material filmed at the various international locations in which the series' episodes are set, such as Washington, D.C.;[29][35] capturing geographically unique elements of these places. In some cases, the series producers may decide to use a stand-in location for shots that cannot be filmed either in the Toronto area, or at the location where the story is set; for example, if the costs or logistics of the shoot would be impractical, or if the location specified is fictional.

The second season began filming in March, 2011.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Summer Belongs to USA Network as "Covert Affairs" and "White Collar" Heat Up Tuesday Nights Starting July 13". The Futon Critc. May 5, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  2. ^ Weisman, Jon (August 19, 2010). "USA renews 'Covert Affairs'". Variety. 
  3. ^ Kate Stanhope (March 17, 2011). "White Collar, Covert Affairs to Return in June". TVGuide.com. Retrieved March 18, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Covert Affairs DVD news: Announcement for Covert Affairs?? Season 1". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011. 
  5. ^ Gelman, Vlada (September 15, 2011). "Breaking: USA Renews Covert Affairs, Royal Pains and Necessary Roughness". TVLine. Retrieved September 15, 2011. 
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 25, 2012). "USA?s ?Royal Pains?, ?White Collar?  ?Covert Affairs? Renewed". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 25, 2012. 
  7. ^ a b "Pilot". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 1. July 13, 2010. USA Network.
  8. ^ "South Bound Suarez". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 3. July 27, 2010.
  9. ^ "Houses of the Holy". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 6. August 17, 2010. USA Network.
  10. ^ "No Quarter". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 4. July 27, 2010. USA Network.
  11. ^ "Fool in the Rain". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 9. September 7, 2010. USA Network.
  12. ^ "A Girl Like You". Covert Affairs. Season 2. Episode 13. USA Network.
  13. ^ "What Is and What Should Never Be". Covert Affairs. Season 1. Episode 8. August 31, 2010. 33:20 minutes in. USA Network. "I don't carry a gun, and I'm not a curator, I'm in acquisitions."
  14. ^ "24's Gregory Itzin Heading to Covert Affairs". TVGuide.com. 
  15. ^ Gorman, Bill (July 14, 2010). "Tuesday Cable: Deadliest Catch Soars, Plus White Collar, Covert Affairs, Memphis Beat, The Hills Finale Ratings More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  16. ^ Gorman, Bill (September 15, 2010). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: Covert Affairs, Warehouse 13 Finales; Teen Mom, Sons Of Anarchy More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 15, 2010. 
  17. ^ Gorman, Bill (September 30, 2010). "?Covert Affairs,? ?Rizzoli Isles,? ?The Closer,? ?Jersey Shore,?  ?Deadliest Catch? Lead Cable Series Ratings In 2010 Q3 ? Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 19, 2011. 
  18. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 8, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: Deadliest Catch Tops Night; White Collar, Covert Affairs Return Down, Plus Tosh.0, 16 Pregnant More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 22, 2011. 
  19. ^ Gorman, Bill (December 7, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom 2' Premiere, 'American Chopper' Top 'Sons of Anarchy' Finale 'Storage Wars,' 'Covert Affairs,' 'Moonshiners' More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 8, 2011. 
  20. ^ Seidman, Robert (December 12, 2011). "*Updated* USA Dominates Landscape with Unprecedented Six Straight Years as #1". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 6, 2012. 
  21. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 11, 2012). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Storage Wars' Wins Night, 'White Collar', 'Rizzoli Isles','Pretty Little Liars', 'Covert Affairs', 'Workaholics', 'Jane By Design', More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 12, 2012. 
  22. ^ "Shows A-Z ? covert affairs on usa". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 2, 2012. 
  23. ^ Tuesday, December 14, 2010 (December 14, 2010). "The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards nominations". goldenglobes.org. Retrieved May 19, 2011. 
  24. ^ Lambert, David (February 17, 2011). "Covert Affairs ? DVD Release for USA's Spy Show with Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham". TV Shows on DVD. Retrieved January 6, 2012. 
  25. ^ "Covert Affairs ? Season 1 (3 Disc Set)". EZY DVD. Retrieved January 6, 2012. 
  26. ^ a b "USA Network Announces New Cast of Characters on its Development Slate". The Futon Critic. July 20, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  27. ^ "Development Update: Wednesday, June 3". The Futon Critic. June 3, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  28. ^ "Development Update: Thursday, July 2". The Futon Critic. July 2, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  29. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (January 6, 2010). "USA greenlights 'Covert Affairs'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
  30. ^ "Development Update: Thursday, August 13". The Futon Critic. August 13, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  31. ^ a b Porter, Rick (September 8, 2010). "Casting call: 'White Collar,' '24,' 'Covert Affairs'". ZAP2it.com. Tribune Media Services. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  32. ^ "Development Update: Wednesday, September 9". The Futon Critic. September 9, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  33. ^ Seidman, Robert (January 7, 2010). "USA Network Picks-Up "Covert Affairs"". TVbythNumbers. Retrieved May 8, 2010. 
  34. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 8, 2010). "'Heroes' actor cast in new USA series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
  35. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (May 7, 2010). "Emmanuelle Vaugier cast in 'Covert Affairs'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
  36. ^ IMDb on executives "The show airs on July 13 (10/9 C) Executive produced by Doug Liman and David Bartis, Jonathan Glassner (Co-executive producer). A New Series From the Producers of ?Mr. Mrs. Smith? and the Producer of the ?Bourne? Trilogy..."

External links[edit]