Masquerade (TV series)
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox television Masquerade is an American espionage television series that aired on ABC from December 15, 1983, until April 27, 1984.
Synopsis
Considered an amalgam of Mission: Impossible (indeed, Mission: Impossible alumnus William Read Woodfield was the series' executive story consultant) and The Love Boat, the tongue-in-cheek series starred Rod Taylor as Mr. Lavender, the leader of "Operation Masquerade", a top-secret branch of American Intelligence that conducts missions using ordinary civilians, recruited for their anonymity and their specialized skills. Two trained field agents, Casey Collins (Kirstie Alley) and Danny Doyle (Greg Evigan) are assigned to chaperone the amateur spies. This concept was essentially identical to Call to Danger, a series concept that had been attempted with three unsuccessful pilot films in the 1960s and 1970s, the last two starring Mission: Impossible's Peter Graves.
The Love Boat comparison (frequently used in contemporary reviews of this series) stemmed from the show's casting of a different ensemble of well-known actors each week, much as Love Boat populated its episodes. The first act of every episode depicted the recruitment of a new group of agents, which was invariably followed by a briefing by Mr. Lavender aboard his private plane, ending with Lavender saying, stone-faced: "Welcome to Operation Masquerade".[1]
The budget was a reported $750,000 an episode.[1]
The series debuted with a 90-minute pilot film, followed by 12 episodes before the series was cancelled. This was Kirstie Alley's first television series after her debut in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan the previous year. Country singer Crystal Gayle performed the theme song.
Ratings were weak, and attempts to improve them by changing the time slot did not work either.[1]
Cast
- Rod Taylor as Lavender
- Kirstie Alley as Casey Collins
- Greg Evigan as Danny Doyle
Ratings
| Season | Episodes | Start Date | End Date | Nielsen Rank | Nielsen Rating[2] | Tied With |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–84 | 13 | December 15, 1983 | April 27, 1984 | 78 | 12.0 | "NBC Friday Movie of the Week" |
Episodes
References
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External links
- Template:Trim/ Template:Trim at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:WikidataCheck
- Masquerade at epguides.comTemplate:EditAtWikidata
- Masquerade opening theme at YouTube
- Pages with script errors
- 1983 American television series debuts
- 1984 American television series endings
- American Broadcasting Company television dramas
- Television series by 20th Century Fox Television
- American spy television series
- American English-language television shows
- American adventure television series
- Television series created by Glen A. Larson