Excellent, smart action film.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

The Pretender is definitely a cut above the rest. However, it's still far from flawless. Think of it as a combination of Quantum Leap (at least the first season of TP), Dexter, The Fugitive, The X-Files, Profiler, and Alias -- all rolled into one. It has tension, suspense, surprises, secrets, conspiracies, lessons to be learned, some eye candy, some cannibalism, a little bit of humor, and even a little bit less of romance. Unfortunately, it also has an annoying amount of formulaic predictability, and some instances of weak/lazy writing, including but not limited to the over-use of dead people who never actually died, as well as plot arcs that simply vanish for entire seasons (or longer). The Pretender is a show about innocence lost; innocence sought; innocence never fully recovered; vengeance; justice; 21st century end game global politics; and, most important of all, genetic manipulation coupled with extensive mind control. It's also about the importance of family, and while that's a good thing in itself, when it comes to the Parkers, that's more than an oxymoron. (The Parkers are more like the perennial winners on: "THE INFERNAL FAMILY FEUD".) Despite its strengths, there are some aspects of The Pretender that are claustrophobic -- meaning, things are too nuclear and too tight and too dense. (i.e. Miss Parker's maniacal obsession with "FINDING HER MOTHER'S KILLER"; "FINDING JAROD"; "FINDING JAROD'S FATHER"; and, possibly, most nauseating of all: "EARNING DADDY'S LOVE".) Then, on the other hand, there are elements so loosely connected to the story that they barely make sense. (i.e. Mitumbo, the "Circle Of Fire", the Jarod clone, the 3 Argyle episodes, Broot's daughter, Jarod's mother -- who is shown ONCE in real time, then never again, etc.) And of course there are the all too common for this genre stupid Keystone Cops moves made by a so-called clandestine intelligence agency, in this case, The Centre. (And the constant lack of voice, location, and email monitoring is just outright laughable.)The acting is about what you'd expect from a major network TV series. It's good at times, passable at other times, and poor some of the time. But the actors seem to be well cast, for the most part, and they pull off their respective roles admirably. (I just wish they would have chosen someone else as their hairstylist. Jarod's hair style for the first season was a distraction, and Miss Parker's hair style looked like a helmet/wig for most of the series. Her makeup also looked, at times, like it had been applied with a trowel.)Most of the seasons are solid, except for season 4 -- they really dropped the ball with that one. All we get are 18 formulaic "save/revenge" scenarios, and none of the "looking for father, mother, sister" arcs. It was silly -- and outright annoying -- especially considering the major revelations presented in season 3's finale. The writers clearly lost their way in season 4. (And if I were Michael Weiss, I'd stick to acting and forget about directing. His "Ghosts From The Past" directorial debut was probably the worst Pretender episode in the entire series.)Overall, however, the series is definitely addictive, and is at its best when Jarod ranges from innocent (i.e. the first time he tastes ice cream, the first time he sees Silly Putty, etc.) to Dexter-like (i.e. plotting and implementing appropriate revenge scenarios). It is also truly at its best when it shows the touching connection between young Jarod and young Miss Parker. It is also strong when it reveals the true evil elements via Dr./Mr. Raines, Mr. Parker, Lyle, Mr. Cox, Mitumbo, and even early Sydney. On the other hand it is weak when it tries to get too cutesy (i.e. the 3 Argyle shows), when it over-uses the "back from the dead" themes, and when it fails to allow Miss Parker to grow emotionally and intellectually from the start of the series to the final episode. She just never seems to "get it" (i.e. that Jarod is the ONLY one she can really trust, aside from Broots), and it gets really old after 84+ episodes.The most egregious offense, however, comes at the transition between the end of season 3 and the entire season 4. Season 3's finale was very powerful. Then season 4 ran for 18 weeks without a single reference to the major developments that occurred in Season 3's finale. It never even got tied up in Season 4's finale, and that's just inexcusable. The show teased its viewers, which is fine to a certain extent; it's what contributes to its addictive quality. But the Season 3 to Season 4 gap is just too large to be acceptable at any level. The writers clearly got lost and took the viewers along for far too many dead end rides. The shows also got a little too heavy handed with Jarod's delivery of the moral punchlines; they were too over-acted and predictable.When it's all said and done, however, The Pretender is one of the best shows, if not THE best show, of its kind to ever air. The characters -- and some of the lessons -- will stick around in one's mind for a long, long time.The Pretender: Rating: 8.5/10

If you haven't seen it, do it! You won't be disappointed until you realize that the show was canceled much to soon.... Just 4 seasons and two movies...:(But apart from that it is one of the best shows ever made. Good plot, great actors, many unexpected twists to the story, funny episodes, and sad ones too. A show that one get's addicted too very fast. And there are DVD-boxes of all the seasons and a DVD of the movies is coming in March 2007, so you can watch everything over and over again.... Although the show was first aired in the mid nineties it still doesn't feel old. See it soon!

By far The Pretender is my favorite television show. Others have come close to it but not quite. One thing I love about this series is its originality. I have never seen a show quite like this one. Jarred is the focus on the show. He is a Pretender " A genius who can become anyone he wants to be" One day he might be a doctor, the next a lawyer. While he was a boy he was raised by a place called the Center and helped projects and went through simulations where he could feel exactly what the person felt and why they would do what they are doing. When he learned that his simulations were given to evil hands-as long as they payed the price-he escaped and began a journey of finding out who he really his and where his family is. While he searches for the truth he helps other people by becoming a doctor or a lawyer. People who were as defenseless as he once was. And while he is helping and searching he is being chased by the center which focuses around three people mainly-Miss. Parker who while searching for Jarred she keeps on digging up her own skeletons as well as the centers skeletons and finding out that she is more connected to Jarred then she realizes. Even though she plays ice queen so well you see different sides to her and realize that she is also human with a harsh path. A human people might even be able to relate to. Then there's Sydney who is Jarreds mentor/teacher. The one who raises Jarred. He cares for Jarred and is protective of him but at the same time he wants him back at the center so he is torn sometimes between his moral feelings and what is the center wants. Then last but not least there's Broots, the ordinary average Joe who gets sucked into the crazy plot after he helps not only track Jarred but dig up dirt from that center that helps Miss. Parker as well as Jarred and Sydney. Through these series there are heartbreaking stories and lines that you just burst out laughing. Each character gets a chance to grow and develop as you learn more about who they are. There are not only those three thats in the show but very important characters like Angelo the impath and Centers "gerbel" who has more depth and more of a story then one might think when first seeing him. Then there's Mr. Parker the weasel that can lie very convincingly, Mr. Raines-my favorite bad guy for both TV and movie. I love his voice and his oxygen tank just adds to the charm. Last but not least there's Mr. Lyles who is also a perfect bad guy- a person you love to hate, and then there is Bridget who sucks one to many lollypops :) overall I love the plot line and the characters development is awesome. I'm only sorry it had to leave so early. There hasn't been another show quite like that one and I don't think there ever well be.

For several years this show looked OK and worked pretty good as a series should be. But this series got to absorbed with itself. When the facts it used were to backfiring on itself then I did not like it as much, same as X-Files did. When a series tries to tie up the knots of it's small mistakes then it loses it's apeal. I hate shows like that. The 3 Law & Order series made some small mistakes but stayed streamlined and I like shows like that they can make you like other stuff. Keeping you liking the same stuff kind of blinds you from liking other things.