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PRETENDER, THE: EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY (TV)

Summary

One in this drama series about a genius with the ability to assume any profession who, having escaped from a sinister think tank to pursue his true identity, helps others while being pursued by his former captors.

In this episode, Sydney and Miss Parker travel to Seattle, where they find they've just missed Jarod pretending to be an atomic engineer. They hear that he learned to swim while there, becoming an expert at treading water. Back at The Centre, Miss Parker receives a taunting fax from Jarod, saying that he's sorry he missed her. She and Sydney also discuss Miss Parker's mother, and her mysterious death 14 years ago by gunshot in one of The Centre's elevators. Meanwhile, Jarod has moved on to San Diego, California, and joined the Coast Guard. On his first day, he saves a woman from an exploding boat. Jarod's new colleagues, Paul Bilson and Javi Padillo take him to check on the boat of cantankerous Roy Abbot, who refuses to move to another part of the ocean. After a tense standoff, Jarod, Paul, and Javi depart with a warning for Roy. Back on land, Martha Poole, who pilots a rescue helicopter, bemoans how Commander Powell hasn't bothered to review her rank and offer a promotion, despite her hard work. Later, Jarod calls Syd and demands to know his real name. Syd relates that he honestly believes his name to be Jarod.

The next day, Jarod observes Meg King and her young daughter Kimberly, knowing that Tom King, their husband and father, recently drowned. His death caused headlines when the Coast Guard could never locate his boat. Martha, who admits that she is keeping her pregnancy a secret, tells Jarod that Paul was in charge of the search for Tom. Jarod is disturbed by discrepancies in Paul's report. Later, Jarod goes back to see Roy and the two become more friendly. Next, Jarod seeks out Kimberly, who amuses him by relating her favorite way to eat Oreos. That night, Jarod watches a Centre disc from April 13, 1970 in which Sydney forced Jarod to take part in a tough simulation, as a young Miss Parker watched from the shadows. At that point, Jarod realizes that Tom's death was caused by the Coast Guard.

To Miss Parker's delight, Centre tech wizard Broots traces Jarod's phone to San Diego, despite Jarod's elaborate attempts to confuse him. Later, Jarod taps into Javi's bank account and notices suspicious deposits. When he confronts Javi about the source of the funds, Javi confesses that he and Paul are involved in a drug scam and that, on the way to meeting their connection, their Coast Guard vehicle accidentally sheared iTom's boat in half. Fearing that their criminal actions would be discovered, Paul refused to let Javi save Tom. That night, Jarod goes diving and finds Tom's boat, retrieving the religious figure on its dashboard.

The following day, Jarod ensures that Paul heads out alone to meet with the drug dealer, and that his boat runs out of gas. However, Jarod follows and purposely shears Paul's vehicle. As Paul treads water, Jarod reveals that he knows about Paul causing Tom's death, then drives off before calling for a rescue. At the same time, Miss Parker and Sydney give chase to Jarod's boat, having followed up on Broots' lead. Jarod speeds away, then cautiously swims to Roy's boat for his own rescue. Elsewhere, Commander Powell receives the photos of Tom's boat which Jarod had sent him. Days later, Martha finally gets her promotion as Paul faces a murder charge. Elsewhere, Meg and Kimberly open a box containing the religious icon from Tom's boat. That night, Miss Parker watches a Centre disc left for her by Jarod, showing the reaction she had as a child to her mother's death. She immediately makes a phone call, asking how her mother truly died. Finally, Jarod and Roy say their goodbyes, after which Jarod begins his next adventure, this time pretending to be a race car driver. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: September 28, 1996 9:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:46:12
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:66994
  • GENRE: Drama, action/adventure
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, action/adventure; Identity; Gifted children
  • SERIES RUN: TV series - NBC, 1996-2000; TNT, 2001
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Steven Long Mitchell … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
  • Craig W. Van Sickle … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
  • Tommy Thompson … Co-Executive Producer
  • Kimberly Costello … Supervising Producer
  • Marianne Canepa … Producer
  • Tim Iacofano … Producer
  • Paul Cajero … Co-Producer
  • Michael Zinberg … Director
  • Charles Sydnor … Music by
  • John Debney … Theme Music by
  • Michael T. Weiss … Cast, Jarod
  • Andrea Parker … Cast, Miss Parker / Catherine Parker
  • Patrick Bauchau … Cast, Dr. Sydney Green
  • Ryan Merriman … Cast, Young Jarod
  • Jon Gries … Cast, Broots
  • Sam Ayers … Cast, Sam the Sweeper
  • Alex Wexo … Cast, Young Sydney Green
  • Ashley Peldon … Cast, Young Miss Parker
  • Marjorie Monaghan … Cast, Martha Poole
  • William Sanderson … Cast, Roy Abbot
  • Jacob Vargas … Cast, Javi Padillo
  • Pat Skipper … Cast, Paul Bilson
  • Edward Evanko … Cast, Commander Powell
  • Elizabeth Heflin … Cast, Meg King
  • Stephanie Sawyer … Cast, Kimberly King
  • Iverson Warinner … Cast, Saltz
  • Michael Wyle … Cast, Jarod's YMCA Neighbor
  • Dennis Cockrum … Cast, Seattle Man
  • Dell Yount … Cast, Vendor
  • Melissa Kidwell … Cast, Twin #1
  • Hillary Kidwell … Cast, Twin #2