Hope Davis
Gavin Stenhouse
Scott Cohen
Margarita Levieva
Morgan Spector
Kenneth Choi
Floriana Lima
Giancarlo Esposito

Created by:
George Nolfi

2015
Drama, Thriller
NBC
TV-14

“Allegiance” starts off better than I expected. The pilot’s really good. (But the second episode isn’t quite as good; it seems a bit stale, actually.)

They’ve taken the concept of “The Americans,” given the married couple three kids, two of whom are adults, and changed the setting to the present day. But this show moves at a brisker pace than “The Americans.” It’s network TV, after all. And they sacrifice style and depth for expediency. But it’s different enough from “The Americans” to justify its existence on NBC.

The couple’s only son, Alex, has been a CIA analyst for four months. He’s brilliant because of something that happened to him as a child. His mother was involved, and that’s all we know from the pilot. It’s refreshing to see a character on network TV who’s new at work and not an idiot. I can’t stress that enough.

Since he’s both smarter than everyone else and new at his job, he’s tasked with an operation involving a woman who wants to defect from Russia. She’s an operative for the SVR, the Russian secret service after the dissolution of the KGB. She has information about a Russian operative who was killed (burned alive in a furnace in the U.S. by the SVR) after stealing Russian state secrets. Little does she know that the SVR is aware of her desires.

After a failed attempt to escape with their Russian spy oldest daughter, the married couple, played by Hope Davis and Scott Cohen, is forced out of retirement by the SVR to recruit Alex as a double agent. That doesn’t go as planned – he figures out what they’re up to. And that’s where the pilot leaves us. …

The acting’s solid. And, unlike “The Blacklist,” there isn’t a weak link in the cast – well, not that I can tell at this point. Hope Davis is the big name here, and she (predictably) and the rest of the cast don’t have a false moment. They don’t create any sparks, but they get the job done. Similarly, the writing is derivative yet professional.

Since “Allegiance” has a look that fits in with “The Blacklist,” using “The Blacklist” as its lead-in makes sense. It’s executed well enough to appeal to fans of spy thrillers who can’t get enough of the genre. While it didn’t give me the chills, it did keep me watching. I’m interested in what’s coming next. …

After finishing its first (and last) season, I must say that “Allegiance” moves along in fits and starts. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not-so good. (The key is how they develop Alex. They don’t do a consistently good job of that throughout the season. What a missed opportunity!) The addition of Giancarlo Esposito to the cast is a nice touch, though. Overall, this is slightly better than OK.

Verdict: Somewhat Good Overall

About: (Source: allegiance)

This high-octane thriller revolves around the O’Connor family and their son, Alex (Gavin Stenhouse), a young idealistic CIA analyst specializing in Russian affairs. Unbeknownst to him, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated.

Years ago, Russian-born Katya (Hope Davis) was tasked by the KGB to recruit American businessman Mark O’Connor (Scott Cohen) as a spy, and the two fell in love. A deal was struck: as long as Katya remained an asset for Russia, she would be allowed to marry Mark and move to America. After years in America building a happy life and without word from Moscow, they thought they had escaped. Now it seems the new Mother Russia has one more mission – turning Alex into a spy. The SVR (Russian Intelligence) has re-enlisted the entire family into service as they plan a terrorist operation inside U.S. borders that will bring America to its knees. For these anguished parents, the choice is clear: betray their country… or risk their family.

The series also stars Margarita Levieva (Natalie O’Connor), Morgan Spector (Victor Dobrynin), Kenneth Choi (Sam Luttrell) and Alex Peters (Sarah O’Connor).