"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 12	1:35 AM	CBS	Driven	#6.17
Sun. July 12	10:00 PM	CBS	Hard Landing	#7.20

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

Color:

Color

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:

Errors in geography: There are a number of scenes which indicate that the show is actually shot in Los Angeles and not New York, where the show is supposed to take place. There are several supposed one way streets with double yellow lines painted down the middle (which do not exist in New York), large blue street signs (which are used in LA, as opposed to NY, which uses green street signs), and house numbers on each street painted into the sidewalk in front of each house, which is also not done in New York, but instead in Los Angeles.

Quotes:

[questioning the attorney of a death row inmate]
Samantha: Do you think Ricky did it?
Lawyer: I don't think he got a fair trial.
Samantha: That's not what I asked.
Lawyer: I know.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Fire Sign

What a waste of what could be a great show

I've come to hate this show--the agents are so over the top and the events are so badly done that to say it stretches reality is greatly beyond an understatement. Malone is off-kilter so much he should be in jail for all the stuff he pulls. The personal drama between the characters detract too much from what's going on. The agents consistently abuse, threaten, and brow-beat suspects, witnesses, and victims that that whole unit should be looking for new jobs...or suspension at the least. I've stopped watching this show...no originals, no reruns, no more TiVo season pass.

I started watching because of Eric Close--I thought this show would give him a chance to truly develop into a top-tier actor, but that just has not happened. LaPaglia is good as Jack Malone, but the overdone maverick behavior of Malone so distracts from the show--greatly so. However, the one actor that truly shines in the show is Marianne Jean-Baptiste as agent Vivian Johnson. She is the only one on the show that acts like an FBI agent with the portrayal of the character's personal side being the most believable.

And to the CBS directors and writers, you guys need an FBI technical adviser for more than just a few shows...or fire Mark Llewellyn for doing such a poor job.