FREE AGENTS: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The premiere of this comedy series about a pair of public relations co-workers maintaining a secret relationship with one another.
Alex and Helen, both co-workers in the same public relations firm, have a one-night stand. Alex is still recovering from a devastating divorce, while Helen’s fiancée Pete passed away the previous year and his memory is still at the forefront of her mind. The next day at the office Alex’s co-workers want to hear the details of his recent tryst but he cannot delve into specifics around Helen. Alex is devoted to his children, and his personal life is beginning to catch up to him.
His co-worker Dan invites him to be a wingman on his date, much to his reluctance. He tries to get Helen to continue her relationship with him, but she will have none of it, saying that he is too involved in his own woes and is an “absolute mess” and not ready for a relationship. He counters that Helen has problems of her own, mainly related to alcohol. Still she doesn’t wish to continue with him.
Emma, the office’s executive assistant, tries to get Helen to go clubbing with her but she declines. Alex finally gets pressured into being Dan’s wingman and Helen resolves to help him get new clothes and a new attitude so he won’t pursue her. They start to get intimate in the dressing room of a clothes shop before she breaks it off and concocts a “safe word” for them to use so they won’t get too close. At work, a “meeting” is called; actually a conference about Alex’s dating habits and an attempt to coach him into being a better conversationalist.
Despite all this, Alex is extremely insecure about himself, particularly at being a middle-aged man getting back into the dating scene. Helen drinks alone in her apartment; she still isn’t over Pete but tries to take down her many pictures of him, unsuccessfully. During his date, Alex is called by Helen, who sounds a bit unhinged. Concerned, he rushes over to her place to find her quite inebriated, standing near a poster of Pete peppered with lip marks. Alex admits that he is the “absolute mess” Helen supposed him to be, while she admits that it isn’t healthy for her to keep Pete’s photos. In spite of their “safe word,” they end up sleeping together again. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: September 14, 2011 10:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:21:27
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 106359
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Romance; Public relations
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 2011
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Todd Holland … Executive Producer, Director
- John Enborn … Executive Producer, Developed by, Writer
- Chris Niel … Executive Producer, Based on the pilot for the U.K. Channel-4 television series "Free Agents" created by
- Nira Park … Executive Producer
- Kenton Allen … Executive Producer
- Karey Nixon Burke … Executive Producer
- Hank Azaria … Producer
- Jimmy Simons … Producer
- Matthew Justice … Co-Producer
- Aaron Miller … Associate Producer
- Kurt Farquar … Music by
- Eli "Paperboy" Reed … Theme Music by
- Kathryn Hahn … Cast, Helen
- Hank Azaria … Cast, Alex
- Mo Mandel … Cast, Dan
- Natasha Leggero … Cast, Emma
- Al Madrigal … Cast, Gregg
- Joe Lo Trugilo … Cast, Walter
- Anthony Stewart Head … Cast, Stephen
- Earl Billings … Cast, Polk
- Barak Hardley … Cast, Cashier/Marvin
- Michael Serrato … Cast, Assistant Manager
- Monica Young … Cast, Julie
- Deanna Smith … Cast, Susan