"The Sentinel" The Switchman (1996)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Danny Bilson

Writers:

Danny Bilson (writer)
Paul De Meo (writer)
(more)

TV Series:

"The Sentinel" (1996)

Original Air Date:

20 March 1996 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Sci-Fi

Plot:

After spending years in the Peruvian jungle during his tour in Army Special Forces, Cascade PD Detective James Ellison developed hyperactive senses...

Plot Keywords:

Senses | Buddy | Supernatural | Police | Friendship

Cast

Richard Burgi	...	Detective James Ellison
Garett Maggart	...	Blair Sandburg
Bruce A. Young	...	Capt. Simon Banks
Ken Earl	...	Joel Taggart
Kelly Curtis	...	Lt. Carolyn Plummer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daniel Chen	...	Monk
Roger R. Cross	...	Captain Mathis
William deVry	...	Master Sergeant
Aurelio Dinunzio	...	Waiter (as Aurelio Di Nunzio)
Bob Frazer
Jason Furukawa	...	1st Investigator
Benjamin Glenday	...	Cop
Heather Hanson	...	Clerk
Deryl Hayes	...	SWAT Sergeant
Tim Henry	...	Colonel Winters
Maria Herrera	...	Tour Guide
Karin Konoval	...	Nancy
Gaetana Korbin	...	Young Woman
Kolja Liquette	...	Police Officer
Althea McAdam	...	2nd Investigator
Mike Mitchell	...	Tour Bus Driver (as Mike A. Mitchell)
Molly Parker	...	The Switchman
Kimani Ray Smith	...	Mark Jefferies
Brendan Stitchman	...	Agent Wilkens
Arnie Walters	...	Doctor
Rhys Williams
Rob Carpenter	...	Dying man in hospital (uncredited)

Directed by
Danny Bilson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Danny Bilson		writer
Paul De Meo		writer
Joe Johnson		writer
Tony Westman		writer
Harv Zimmel		writer

Produced by
Robert Benjamin	....	co-producer
Frank Jimenez	....	co-producer
Michael Lacoe	....	producer

Original Music by
Steve Porcaro

Cinematography by
Greg Gardiner

Film Editing by
Frank E. Jimenez

Production Design by
David Willson

Art Direction by
Bob Bottieri

Costume Design by
Beverley Wowchuk

Makeup Department
Sharon Markell	....	assistant hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Furukawa	....	second assistant director
Pierre Henry	....	first assistant director
Philip Katsikas	....	assistant director: second unit
Philip Katsikas	....	third assistant director
Kevin Leslie	....	third assistant director
Gary Blair Smith	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Don Anderson	....	assistant property master
Perry Battista	....	lead set dresser
Michael Bethune	....	set dresser
Paul Burton	....	set dresser
Sean Lavoie	....	paint coordinator
Hayley Mills-Lot	....	prop buyer
Kimberley Regent	....	property master
Greg Venturi	....	graphic artist
Ross Walshe	....	scenic carpenter
David Paul Hewitt White	....	set dresser
Martin Wing	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Charles Bruce	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Fisher	....	sound effects editor
Craig M. Otte	....	sound re-recording mixer (pilot)

Special Effects by
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects first assistant
Gary Paller	....	special effects coordinator
Robert Paller	....	special effects
James Paradis	....	special effects technician
Harry Tomsic	....	special effects crew

Visual Effects by
Eric Grenaudier	....	visual effects
Steve Strassburger	....	visual effects
Tory Mercer	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Scott Ramsey	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Guy Bews	....	stunt double
Gavin Buhr	....	stunt double
Jason Calder	....	stunt performer
Lauro Chartrand	....	stunt double: Sandburg
Joe Doserro	....	stunts
Bill Edwards	....	stunts
Bill Ferguson	....	stunt coordinator
John MacDonald	....	stunts
Leslie McMichael	....	stunt performer
Scott Nicholson	....	stunt double: Ellis
Scott Nicholson	....	stunt fighter
James Paradis	....	stunt performer
Dan Pelchat	....	stunt performer
John Sampson	....	stunt double (47 Episodes)
Rob Wilton	....	stunt actor
Rob Wilton	....	stunt double: Richard Burgi
Rob Wilton	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
John Carron	....	playback operator
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer
Burton 'Joe' Kuchera	....	lamp operator
Carol Macdonald	....	second assistant camera
Morgan McLachlan	....	assistant camera
Shawn McLaughlin	....	gaffer: second unit
Chris McMullin	....	Steadicam operator
Chris McMullin	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Kelly Moore	....	best boy electric
Paul T. Murakami	....	daily grip
Isabelle Rioux	....	camera trainee
Gary Viola	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Jennifer Wilson	....	casting assistant

Editorial Department
Scott Klein	....	master colorist
Ken Metzker	....	dailies colorist
Nicola Scaramuzzo	....	post-production assistant
Bryan Wood	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
James Newton Howard	....	composer: theme music
Michael Mason	....	music production coordinator

Transportation Department
Bruce Scott	....	driver
Ian Thompson	....	production driver

Other crew
Mark Bishop	....	production assistant
Bruce L. Brownstein	....	location manager
Richard Bullock	....	production coordinator
Jason Gibb	....	production assistant
Joel Hurley	....	location scout
David Kurvers	....	production assistant
Pam Lawrence	....	script supervisor
Janet D. Munro	....	script supervisor
Jeffrey Schneider	....	business affairs
Jeffrey Schneider	....	legal affairs
Andrew Simpson	....	animal trainer
Kent Sponagle	....	assistant location manager
Brad Logel	....	video continuity (uncredited)

Directed by
Greg Beeman
Scott Brazil
John J. Connor
Gail Morgan Hickman
Don Kurt
Michael Lacoe
Scott Paulin
Jeffrey Reiner
Tony Westman
Timothy Van Patten		(multiple episodes)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Danny Bilson		creator
Paul De Meo		creator
Laurence Frank		writer (1997-1998)
Steven Kriozere		story
Peter Lance		writer (multiple episodes)
Paul B. Margolis		written by

Produced by
David H. Balkan	....	consulting producer
Suzanne Lauer	....	associate producer (1996-1999)
David Willson	....	associate producer
David Willson	....	co-producer

Original Music by
John M. Keane

Cinematography by
John J. Connor		(1997, 1998)
Karl Herrmann
Don Hunter
Armin Matter		(director of photography)
Tony Westman

Film Editing by
Leslie Gaulin
David Jimenez
Sondra Watanabe
R. William Zabala		(as Bill Zabala)

Casting by
Michelle Allen
David Bloch

Art Direction by
Glen W. Pearson

Set Decoration by
Roger Dole
Louise Roper
Mary-Lou Storey

Costume Design by
Christine Mooney

Makeup Department
Sandy Monesmith	....	hair stylist
Patricia Murray	....	makeup artist (as Patricia Murray Morgan)
Michael Pachal	....	hair stylist
Jill Winston	....	key hair stylist (1996)

Production Management
Kathy Gilroy-Sereda	....	production manager (season 1)
Suzanne Lauer	....	post-production supervisor
Andrew McLean	....	unit production manager
Padi Mills	....	unit production manager
R. William Zabala	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dave Bene	....	first assistant director
Steve Eathorne	....	third assistant director (season 4)
Steve Eathorne	....	third assistant director: second unit (season 3)
Kevin Fair	....	second assistant director (as Kevin G. Fair)
Sean Frewer	....	trainee assistant director
Stacey N. Harding	....	second assistant director
Bryan C. Knight	....	first assistant director (as Bryan Knight)
Robert Lee	....	first assistant director: second unit
Kevin Parks	....	first assistant director: second unit (season 2)

Art Department
Roger Dole	....	property master
Clive Edwards	....	property master (season 1, episodes 12 and 13)
Clive Edwards	....	props buyer (season 1)
Dean Eilertson	....	property master
Dustin Farrell	....	art department assistant
Catherine Ircha	....	draftsperson
Ed Jeffers	....	property master
Alex Kutschera	....	property master
Colin Matthews	....	assistant propmaster
Paolo G. Venturi	....	graphics (pilot episode)

Sound Department
Skip Adams	....	sound editor
Sam Black	....	sound re-recording mixer
Darren Brisker	....	sound mixer: second unit (season 1)
Lindsay Bucknell	....	production sound
Larry Goeb	....	dialogue editor
David Horner	....	adr mixer
Thomas J. Huth	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph A. Johnston	....	supervising sound editor
John Motyer	....	location sound mixer (one episode)
David M. Weishaar	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Todd Bilawchuk	....	special effects coordinator
Rory Cutler	....	special effects (seasons 1 and 2)
Barry Hebein	....	special effects assistant
Michael Walls	....	special effects coordinator (as Mike Walls)

Visual Effects by
Robert D. Bailey	....	visual effects designer
Philip Barberio	....	visual effects supervisor
Susan A. Jones	....	visual effects producer
Gary Paller	....	visual effects coordinator
Deborah Ristic	....	digital artist
Michael Walls	....	visual effects coordinator (as Mike Walls)
Tom Jensen	....	additional first assistant camera: visual effects unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Melanie Angel	....	stunt double
James Bamford	....	stunt double
Kirk Caouette	....	stunt double
Kirk Caouette	....	utility stunts
Mike Desabrais	....	stunt double: Tim Thomerson
Corry Glass	....	stunts
Dave Hospes	....	stunts
David Jacox	....	stunts
Yuka Kobayashi	....	stunts
J.J. Makaro	....	stunt coordinator
Kit Mallet	....	stunts
Kirk McMeekan	....	stunts
Jovan Nenadic	....	utility stunts
Darryl Quon	....	stunts
Edson T. Ribeiro	....	stunt performer
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
John Sampson	....	stunt double: Ellison (47 episodes)
Lee Sollenberger	....	stunts
Lori Stewart	....	stunts
Marshall Virtue	....	stunt pilot

Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Bennett	....	key grip: second unit
Jean-Luc Dinsdale	....	second assistant camera
Garnet Durham	....	video playback operator (1997)
Harvey Fedor	....	key grip
Ryan Gillard	....	second assistant camera
Burton 'Joe' Kuchera	....	gaffer (episodes 6 and 7)

Casting Department
Scott Baldyga	....	casting assistant
David Bloch	....	casting: Los Angeles (as David Bloch)
Elizabeth Greenberg	....	casting: Los Angeles (as Elizabeth Greenberg Associates)
Kit Mallet	....	extras casting assistant
Annette McCaffrey	....	casting associate
Tami Nasu	....	casting assistant
Trish Robinson	....	casting: Canada (1997-98)
April Webster	....	casting: Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Grossman	....	costume supervisor (4 seasons)
Lyne Talbot	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Victoria Jensen	....	assistant editor
David Lurie	....	assistant editor

Music Department
J. Bradley Sevy	....	music coordinator
J. Bradley Sevy	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Kim Harmer	....	transportation coordinator
Ken Marsden	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Melanie Angel	....	stand-in
Lorraine Baird	....	production accountant
James Bethea	....	executive in charge: UPN
Ron Blecker	....	technical advisor
Dana Dubé	....	animal trainer
Phaedra Eccleston	....	assistant production coordinator
Craig Forrest	....	location manager
Laurence Frank	....	creative consultant
Sean Frewer	....	production assistant
Russ Hamilton	....	location manager
Tim Haughian	....	location manager: first season
David Jimenez	....	title designer
Jeanie Lamb	....	production coordinator
Paul Lougheed	....	location manager
Danny McWilliams	....	location manager: first seaon
Sean Osmack	....	production assistant
Connie Rusgen	....	animal trainer
Carla Spizziri	....	accounting clerk
Patrick Stark	....	office production assistant
Scott Steyns	....	playback coordinator
Ryf Van Rij	....	stand-in: Richard Burgi
Craig Young	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Paramount Television
• Pet Fly Productions

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Garett Maggart's name was misspelled "Garrett" in the opening credits. This was fixed in all future episodes.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The Pilot episode "The Switchman" contains a couple of references to Seattle, the intended setting. See the trivia section for details.

Quotes:

Jim Ellison: [throwing Blair up against a wall] Listen, you neo-hippy witchdoctor punk!

Movie Connections:

Followed by "The Sentinel" (1996)

Fun, Lightweight action show

Jim Ellison, a policeman in the city of Cascade, has super senses. He can hear, see, touch, smell to such a high degree that he can help solve seemingly unsolvable crimes. Blair Sandburg, a college student majoring in anthropology, is the guide who helps Jim Ellison control his super senses. Together, these two men help fight crime in Cascade.

This is a really fun action show! The actors are all very good and the writers for this show really know how to hook a viewer's attention in the first five minutes of the show. All the episodes are very well plotted and very exciting. What is a real shame is that one can see that this show had the potential to be even more. I wish there was more mysticism and more magic in this show. But other than that, it's a great hour of TV.

Richard Burgi is gorgeous and a great talent. I hope he makes it on the big screen one day.

I give this great show a "B++".