"Without a Trace" (2002) TV series 2002-????

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Creator:

Hank Steinberg

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

26 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

The cases of a FBI unit specializing in missing persons investigations.

Plot Keywords:

Missing | FBI | Missing People | New York City | Missing Person

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 15 wins & 29 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 5	10:00 PM	CBS	Heartbeats	#7.19
Tue. July 7	4:00 AM	TNT	A Day in the Life	#4.8

Cast

Anthony LaPaglia	...	Jack Malone (160 episodes, 2002-2009)
Poppy Montgomery	...	Samantha Spade (160 episodes, 2002-2009)
Enrique Murciano	...	Danny Taylor (160 episodes, 2002-2009)
Eric Close	...	Martin Fitzgerald (160 episodes, 2002-2009)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	...	Vivian Johnson (159 episodes, 2002-2009)
Roselyn Sanchez	...	Elena Delgado (89 episodes, 2005-2009)

Also Known As:

"Vanished" (USA) (working title)
"W.A.T" (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 (season 2) | Singapore:PG (season 1) | Chile:14 | Singapore:NC-16 (season 3) | South Korea:15 | Hungary:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (some episodes) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Jerry Bruckheimer Television

Trivia:

A few episodes are based on real life disappearances.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In more than one instance, suspects being interviewed with a polygraph answer all the control questions (Is your name John Doe? Are you 39?) truthfully. In reality, a suspect is told to answer all the control questions "yes", whether true or not, to determine the accuracy of the polygraph machine.

Quotes:

Danny: [whispers] Two years working white-collar in Seattle and he gets this assignment?
Samantha: Doesn't hurt to be Victor Fitzgerald's kid.
Danny: Mmm. No wonder he's smiling.
Samantha: Not a bad smile, either.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Road to Rupert (#5.9)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

One of These Mornings

Roselyn Sanchez Must Go

What is going on at WAT? After tonight's brilliantly directed and lit but awful episode (did any of the producers bother to read the script?) the previews for next week's show introduce Roselyn Sanchez as, presumably, a new regular character.

If that's the case, here's a show that will jump the shark faster than any other hit.

Roselyn Sanchez can't act. Even seeing her for twenty seconds in the previews, it's obvious she will suck the life out of every scene she will be in.

As for this week's episode (the mad bomber kid show), what were they thinking? There was not a single moment of believable characterization in the entire hour.

All the children were portrayed as abandoned by their parents and prone to violent criminality. All the parents were absent, clueless and shocked, and the regulars wore a constipated expression throughout (clearly THEY were forced to read the script) and the interactions between them was as forced as it was nonsensical.

Easily the most disappointing episodes in the history of the show. I hope they correct this quickly because another one of those and I'll find something better to do with my Thursdays at 10.

UPDATE: Sadly, the producers never corrected the show, ending up with an annoying snoozer that failed to live up to its promise.