The Assets

We don't watch enough TV to have known about the flap over this show getting canceled. Just stumbled across it on Netflix. Wow. Nearly everything about this effort is really done well. They really went the extra yard concerning production details. I don't pretend to really know why it was canceled except to say it was not because its a bad or boring production. Even though we all know the outcome (more or less) the story is told so well it still qualifies as a mystery or thriller and sorta-kinda has you on the edge of your seat as they start getting closer and closer to 'the mole'. I didn't pay any real close attention when all this actually occurred. After watching this show I am now compelled to read books like "Sell Out: Aldrich Ames and the Corruption of the CIA.

I was greatly disappointed when The Assets was canceled just after two episodes. Considering that about 30% of the US knows what the three branches of government are but probably know Miley's latest twerking episode or which size bra one of those inane Kardashian sisters is wearing, I am not surprised that a series which stretched one's mental capacities would be canceled.

I watched it on Netflix and found it to be a fascinating story of how a very weak and malleable Aldrich Ames was willing to sell his country's secrets just to keep his second wife in the lap of luxury. It captured the grizzly reality of the KGB and the evils of communism. I know in some circles, it is not kosher to criticize communism. Perhaps that was another indictment of this series.

I would highly recommend it- great acting, realistic recreations of the 1980s and wonderful storyline.

Excellent portrayal of what happened and displayed in a realistic form. I found the show to be entertaining and informative. The actors did a great job of showing how the CIA works. It is one of the better spy shows on TV today and I hope it is picked up by one of the cable stations, where it would really be appreciated. The flow of the show was easy to follow with the back and forth of the flashbacks which gave the show a form of connecting the dots. There is not any blood and guts shown in the first two episodes but it keeps the audience interest with the intrigue. It is sad the show was canceled before it could get into the deeper espionage of what really happened. I will miss this show.

I didn't know about mistakes in the visuals and I understood before I saw it that Aldrich Ames was the spy but I still thought this was well done. Just because you know the ending doesn't mean it can't be suspenseful. Anyway, I thought everybody was good in this show and I looked forward to the next episode. It beats the heck out of the junk on TV about amateur performers, morons getting dates, fat people losing weight and people falling off things. If you want something with a good story you usually end up on HBO or Showtime. I'd like to thank ABC for showing the remaining episodes. I appreciated that. Even if it was a weird time. You have to love timers.

ABC, just go on back to the mental junk food of half hour long strings of juvenile sexual innuendos peppered with near-continuous canned laughter. Based on a mere 2 episodes, I give The Assets an "8" for the potential of what might have been as compared to what the major networks are more comfortably determined to feed us. I was hopeful it would continue to hold my attention.

A couple of criticisms; the flashbacks seemed a little too frequent and hard to tell when they ended. And regarding Grimes' home life scenes; I didn't care for the stereotypical sullen teen, and Grimes' repeated line to her husband "you know I can't talk about that", I wondered how soon that would get tiresome. Those minor annoyances might have smoothed out in future episodes, BUT WE'LL NEVER KNOW! Hey Netflix, HBO, somebody, anybody!

The Ames spy scandal is worthy of quality dramatization, in spite of the fact that, yes, we know how it turned out (Titanic, Lincoln, any WWII movie - we knew in advance how those turned out). There are so many true stories out there so worthy of being dramatized; read about Douglas McKiernan, the first CIA agent killed in the line of duty - an incredible story!