— Pilot —
1.01

originally aired on Saturday, September 19, 1996
The Pretender was created by Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van Sickle

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Jarod, an exceptional individual who is capable of assuming any identity, has escaped from a mysterious corporation called The Centre. And they want him back. Miss Parker and Sydney find they’ve just missed Jarod helping a tanker ship in Alaska. Now, Jarod aids those who have been wronged and brings the real criminals to justice. This time, Jarod is a surgeon who exposes the truth behind a botched operation that turns a young boy into a paraplegic.

  • Jarod Discovers:  Ice cream, Wheel of Fortune
  • Jarod’s Pretends:  Sailor on a tanker, Doctor, Wall Street Broker, Fireman, Airline Pilot
  • Jarod’s Last Names:  Russell (referencing Steven Jay Russell, famous real-life impostor and “pretender”)

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GUEST STARS
L. Scott Caldwell – Gwen Porter
Lilyan Chauvin – Nicole
Peter Michael Goetz – Dr. Hendricks
Dylan Provencher – Kevin Bailey
Stephan Tobolowsky – Dr. Trader
 
CO-STARS
Jeffrey Shepard – 12 year old Jarod
 
CREW
Writers Steven Long Mitchell
Craig Van Sickle
Director Rick Wallace
Producer Sascha Schneider
Executive Producer Steven Long Mitchell
Craig Van Sickle
Rick Wallace
Director of Photography Anthony Janelli
Casting Sharon Bialy
Editor Lance Luckey
Music John Debney
Charles Sydnor
Production Designer Robb Wilson King

CULTURAL REFERENCE
— Wheel of Fortune —
Jarod discovers “Wheel” when he and a homeless man are watching TVs through a store window. He solves the puzzle with only a few letters showing. The puzzle was “THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH.”

TRIVIA
Because this was the pilot, it doesn’t have the opening title sequence. Miss Parker uses a room filled with computers and technical experts which you never see again. Jarod’s room is a miniature palace, but later his room is a cell.

In this first episode, young Jarod is played by Jeffrey Shepard instead of series regular Ryan Merriman.

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