STANDOFF: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The pilot in this drama series about two FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit members in Los Angeles that handle hostage situations by day and their mutual romance by night. This episode begins with senior negotiator Matt Flannery speaking with television star Rick Keesler, who is holding his two young sons hostage in a car due to a pending custody battle. Matt speaks with his partner Emily Lehman about how to end the situation. Eventually, with snipers about to shoot, Emily and Matt make one last-ditch effort at negotiation. Matt walks straight at Rick, getting in the snipers' line of fire. There, Matt reveals -- in the hopes that his "problems" will show that he sympathizes with Rick -- that he has been having a secret three-month affair with Emily, against company regulations. Matt's plan works and Rick drops his gun, after which the boys are rescued. Now, Matt has to face an angered Emily. The next day, Emily confronts Matt, wondering why he has been avoiding her and wondering how their boss Cheryl Carrera will treat them. Eventually, Emily reveals that she's not mad that Matt made their relationship public, but rather that he admitted that "change" scares him. Cheryl subsequently admonishes their conduct, but says that their team is too good to break up. Emily claims that their affair is over, while Matt says it was only a physical relationship. Meanwhile, a possibly Islamic "wack job" with bombs strapped to his body starts a hostage situation in a coffee shop. Later, Matt tells Emily that maybe they shouldn't work together due to conflicts of interest. Soon, however, they are kissing and about to get a hotel room when they hear of the standoff. Arriving at the scene, Matt and Emily quickly set up and assess the situation. There, Matt and Emily debate who should be the primary negotiator. Emily calls first, speaking with Trent Cunningham, now known as Ali Sayid bin Hassan. Soon, the FBI has learned that Trent has no prior charges but that his father is congressman Karl Cunningham. Visiting Trent's condominium, which is owned by Karl, Matt quickly finds the tracking number for a recent package the young man sent to his parents. Inside the coffee shop, Trent controls the hostages and -- during another call from Emily -- demands that she get the media outside so that he may deliver his "message." Later, during a briefing, Matt and Emily learn more about the situation and Trent's profile. Cheryl wonders how many of the hostages can be retrieved, with Emily claiming she can get them all back safely. As Trent's deadline for action nears, Cheryl switches the primary from Emily to Matt. However, Emily thinks Trent is set to have a ritual public suicide, and eventually Matt backs her up. Inside, a furious Trent punches a glass case before Emily calls to tell him that the camera crews have arrived. Meanwhile, Trent's package is found on a Rapid Overnight truck. Inside, the delivery man finds a series of seemingly innocuous family photos. Soon, Karl and his wife Judith have arrived on the scene, with Cheryl explaining that Trent made the bomb by following a website recipe. Also, Cheryl refuses to allow Karl and Judith to speak with their son. Meanwhile, Emily wonders if Trent is doing this because he has an issue with his father. When a copy of Trent's photo collage arrives on the scene, Matt figures out that Trent instead has an issue with his mother. Emily implores Trent to meet face-to-face and he accepts, but Matt hates the idea, threatening the end of them as a team. Emily enters the shop anyway, and Trent immediately grabs her. Meanwhile, Matt questions Judith about her relationship with her son, angering the couple. Inside, Trent claims that he doesn't understand why his mother hates him. Then, with Trent on the verge of blowing up Emily and the coffee shop, Matt dictates a message from Judith over a bullhorn. Trent is shocked by the curt comment, in which Judith apologizes, but claims she never wanted children. Emily convinces Trent that he did nothing wrong. Soon, Trent relents and the standoff comes to an end. Finally, Matt and Emily exchange satisfied glances, indicating that they may still have a future together. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: FOX
- DATE: September 5, 2006 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:43:39
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:89148
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: Fox - TV series, 2006-2007
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Craig Silverstein … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Glen Mazzara … Executive Producer
- Marc. D. Alpert … Producer
- Karen Kirchner … Associate Producer
- Tim Story … Director
- The Angel … Music by
- Ron Livingston … Cast, Matt Flannery
- Rosemarie DeWitt … Cast, Emily Lehman
- Jose Pablo Cantillo … Cast, Duff Gonzalez
- Gina Torres … Cast, Cheryl Carrera
- Michael Cudlitz … Cast, Frank Rogers
- Raquel Alessi … Cast, Lia Mathers
- Steve Hasley … Cast, Cheryl's Assistant
- Geoffrey Rivas … Cast, FBI Terrorism Expert
- David Patrick Green … Cast, Rapid Air Driver
- Erin Chambers … Cast, Krista
- Maureen Muldoon … Cast, Lisa Dunning
- Tom Wopat … Cast, Rick Keesler
- Ricky Trammell … Cast, Concierge
- Brea Tisdale … Cast, Real Estate Agent Hostage
- Ryan Malgarini … Cast, Tyler Keesler
- Michael Mitchell … Cast, Trent Cunningham
- Kim Johnston Ulrich … Cast, Judith Cunningham
- Larry Poindexter … Cast, Karl Cunningham
- Bobby Hosea … Cast, Joe Hernandez
- Bryce Johnson … Cast, Krista's Boyfriend
- Octavia Spencer … Cast, Rapid Air Clerk
- Antonio Leon … Cast, Hostage
- Maulik Pancholy … Cast, Tinoush
- Tanner Blaze … Cast, Henry Keesler
- Jaimie Alexander … Cast, Barrista
- Jamison Yang … Cast, TV Cameraman