User reviews

This show was pretty good. Never found its audience.

I like action TV shows, I like throwback shows and I like Abrams, but Undercovers is dreadfully dull.

The show has very high production values, but the recycled plots do nothing to cash in on them. Locales and set pieces are interchangeable as the by-the-numbers plots unfold. There's nary an original idea to be found.

This might not be such a problem if we at least had good characters, but Undercovers is lacking there, too. We get only the most cursory back story for our leads. They seem to exist only in the moment. Even what we know about their past doesn't seem to jibe with what we see. First, they show no indication that they were ever highly trained operatives. They carry themselves like second-year agents, not the top spies who had to be reactivated because no one else could handle the job. Also, Samantha had a relationship with two characters on the show, but she has absolutely no chemistry with either of them.

And that is the nail in the coffin for the show. All the other weaknesses of the show could be said about a similar cheesy mystery show from the 70s/80s: Hart to Hart. But the two leads in that show had chemistry, and it carried the entire series. The only thing that carries Undercovers is Gerald McRaney...but his appearances are too brief to do anything more than remind us of what this show could have been.

As an African American I like this show. I think it's OK that the writing/plot do not rival the works of Shakespeare or Richard Wright.It is entertaining and has beautiful people as the leads and they are black.I think the casting is interesting and different. I love that they speak different languages and are not typical of the black characters I see on TV and in the movies. And since I have never been spy or no any spies I think they do OK for a TV SHOW. I'm looking forward to the next episode. I like Gerald McRaney's character but could take or leave Hoyt, he may be a little too over the top in his admiration of Steven Bloom. I hope the show stays on but not too optimistic, it seems for a show with African Americans to stay on the air it needs to have a high level of buffoonery and can't just be entertaining.

Far less enjoyable than any of Abrams' other offerings. I wouldn't really be bothered making any comment at all except for the fact that he has shown that he has some good writing skills in the past. Hopefully there is some improvement in future episodes but this pilot episode just seemed like any other generic spy/detective show I've seen in the past. Furthermore, the actors so far haven't shown anything above average, jokes, lines and delivery all seem pretty smug.

I might give this show one more chance just because JJ has shown merit in the past but if the next episode is the same quality as this one then I won't bother giving it anymore attention.

Don't the TV execs know by now that we're getting tired of spies. I am African-American and I would love to see more of us on TV, but this is really a boring show. You would think that the writers could have found something else to do with these two gorgeous looking people than having them running around the world without any decent plot or dialog. There are far too many spy shows (especially humorous ones) on for them to think that this was going to work. It was nice seeing Gerald McRaney back on TV but I already think he should start sending out resumes as this show won't last long. I kept turning to something else and then turning back only to be disappointment that nothing more interesting was happening than when I turned away.

I was very disappointed when I could not find Undercover on Tuesday night. This program was an updated Heart to Heart, with black faces.I was very happy to see television programing changing and improving. It appears that much has not changed. I am sure the rating were not that poor. I hope that more people write in to complain.There was not one episode that I did't enjoy . This was an action packed show with great casting and wonderful plots. The idea that a couple could be young black educated wealthy and in love, awesome for the screen and true.What suggestions do you have to help keep programs on TV like undercover? or should I ask how do we get it back.

Thanks,

I tried. I really did. A married couple who are retired spies trying to live a normal life is called back to active duty. This spy vs. spy type show has been done a hundred times before, but this is the worst version I have ever seen. The dialogue is pure dribble. Sexpionage? Boris and Gugu have no chemistry so that idea went straight out the window.

I won't bother going into details about the pilot, mostly because the plot was dragging and not engaging and I was so bored with what was going on that my mind would drift off and I found myself having to rewind to catch up.

Im a huge fan of J.J. Abrams and was sorely disappointed that this show was so bad. Maybe it will get better but I wont be watching.

"Undercovers" is first and foremost entertainment. The program is framed in such a way as to present a myriad of possible directions. Each character has so much potential for back story and fore shadowing. I was impressed with the casting of veteran performers and fresh new talent. Much is made of the degree of "Blackness" of the principal characters. I believe the creators of the show made and brilliant move in casting. The characters have the flexibility in appearance to have a viable presence in the environments of the script. I enjoy the pace of the show and the fact that the couple is in a loving and supportive relationship. I look forward to potential situations ahead and I will be sure to GuGu every Wednesday.

It is hard to describe what it is, JJ Abrams shows, though conventional television, have an an edge. Perhaps it is something about the characters, that is intriguing, that make you want to know what really makes them tick. Think "Alias." With these two characters, all I want to do is look at them. Which, by the way, is not a bad way to spend an hour in front of the TV.

I can only conclude that this is an Abrams knock off. I think NBC has been doing so poorly in the ratings that they went out and bought the equivalent of a fake Louis Vuitton purse (the kind you by on the streets of Shanghai or Beijing).

Watching this show I have to admit J.J. Abrams is starting to make a pattern in plot lines. It's extremely predictable, there's nothing new about it, still a story about spy's doing their thing you know the usual. Roof tops, high speed pursuits, shoot outs, none of this is new its actually almost like they just inserted a new cast into one of his old shows and give it a new name.

Now for the basic plot, the whole show revolves around 2 spy's who have left the CIA a while back and are now a normal typical married couple, and beyond that... thats it. There is no twist no element of surprise, and if that weren't enough the dialog is bland and boring. Please PLEASE someone bring back puns because these screenwriters are murdering my eardrums. 5/10 since it still lives up to the "standard" of a typical spy show.

In short, this is a cheap version of Alias or Covert Affairs. It's about the "adventures" of a married spy couple with similar mission to the 2 movies above. The only difference is that the spy action is totally unrealistic and the movie also lacks a personal side of the characters. Normally a spy movie shows a double life: the agent, and the normal guy/woman hiding her identity from her loved ones. This usually generates some kind of tension in the personal life of the character, but in this case we are talking about a married couple, with no secrets.

Did I mention our hot CIA agent is married? Sounds like her personal life is over :))

I enjoyed this new show immensely. It's nice to see two, intelligent characters who sincerely love each other. They enjoy their work and work hard, have a sense of commitment to marriage (wow!), and show loyalty to friends and country.

This new couple is fun to watch and Mr. Kodjoe is GREAT to look at (Gugu is pretty too).

Most TV isn't fun to watch anymore, i.e., cruel "reality" shows, twisted comedies with sick/demented characters, etc.

Watching Undercovers was fun and exciting. It's nice to see characters that have traits one would actually aspire to cultivating in oneself. Looking forward to more!

I really hate that this show is so awful. We need African-American leads on TV, and I love JJ Abrams, but all is wrong. If one thing were right: the writing, the acting, the directing, the editing, the score, just maybe it would be worth watching. I can't believe Abrams wrote this! It has zero personality, and so much of the spy jargon is recycled from Alias, which was hokey too but excusable because of the interesting character development. It must be hard to sell this stuff, but these two leads aren't, again consult your Alias for how to. The directing and/or editing is not very sophisticated. The tricks needed to sell the action aren't there. Very disappointed.

Very entertaining! I loved it! This new spy-fest feels like a cross between the TV shows "Hart to Hart" and "Alias" and the movie "True Lies." Even though the pilot may have seemed a little lackluster at times, this is usual for pilots, since the script has to incorporate the introduction of brand new characters and situations to the audience as well as a backstory. There is obvious potential for fun and exciting story-lines this season, and I'm really looking forward to it! The casting of Boris and Gugu as the main characters is fabulous! They have wonderful chemistry and actually have the "aura" of spy-intelligent tech-geniuses! Also, it is quite refreshing to have a husband and wife team who have a LOVING relationship instead of the unhappy, fighting, "why did I marry you" type of couples running rampant in today's sitcoms. I hope they stick to their guns like "Hart to Hart" and keep this couple in love and in one accord. Movie and TV writers/producers should realize that there REALLY ARE some HAPPY couples out there -- emotionally mature, secure, and enjoying their relationships! It's time to reflect that segment of the population on screen too! Anyway, so far, the show looks like an adorable winner! Loved the globe-trotting locations too! Can't wait for the next episode!

(Note: this review is of the pilot episode only.)

Zzzz. Was there anything in the pilot we hadn't seen dozens of times before? Has JJ Abrams been watching too many 1970s TV reruns? The plot is old, the main characters are more glitzy than interesting, the dialog is boring....

I think we're supposed to give the show high marks because the main characters are a black married couple, which is on the original side. But that's not enough. They have no deeper motivation than they miss the excitement of being heroes. But a good hero has vulnerabilities and obstacles. He/she is not perfect. He has a back story, often involving the loss of a family member, that makes him sympathetic to the viewer. I can only hope that will show up in the episodes after the pilot, because, right now, the best thing that could happen to the show is if Boris gets killed and Gugu has to carry on without him.

And what's with the characters names? Samantha Bloom was a character on VR.5,whose sister and star was named Sydney. JJ Abrams already had a series with a Sydney, so now...? Maybe halfway through the series, Abrams will reveal this is all happening in virtual reality or a parallel universe. Now that would be interesting. :-)

I soooo wanted to like ths show. Ive seen them both in other work, but playing 2 incredibly good lioking people for eye candy with saccharine sweet love scenes was vapid. Both are multi-lingual, so there's that, but it was under utilized. They needed a better script, a better back story, something to look forward to tune into, better co-stars, guest stars, less bedroom scenes, more ripped from the headline plots, something to make you think, something to make you feel, atear-jerker moment or 2, something to make you take a vested interest in the characters besides their looks, a big secret or 2 revealed along the way. I loved her in Touch, Belle, & other work. I loved him in The Gospel & Crossing Jordan. So it was not them.

I don't know what is wrong with the other person that reviewed the pilot episode but they were way out of line this show is more than good its the best work yet of jj and i know because i spend 12 hours a day 7 days a week watching TV show and no I'm not fat or a couch potato i just like to study TV shows and watch for mistakes (i.e first episodes of happy days were out side of al's restaurant there are palm trees and roofs that you mostly see in la) or look for poorly written episodes (i.e. shows like cougar town) of all the shows that i would rate this up with fringe and house great acting and great writing i hate people who do not know what they are talking about and get all the good shows canceled and bad shows stay on the air

JJ Abrams has already proved that he can't direct feature films (Star Trek 2009), so why does he keep trying to rehash old TV series? Don't get me wrong, he's an "adequate" TV producer. But, he needs to focus on ONE series at a time, otherwise he loses focus (A.D.D.). Much like Irwin Allen (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants) did in the sixties. "Fringe is the BEST series he has ever come up with. He needs to focus on THAT" show and leave everything else alone for a while! I'd rather find out what's going on in Fringe's alternate universe than follow two very boring "Heart to Heart" wannabes.

Besides, no one ever watches NBC anymore!

Undercovers is a well written, well acted new series about a married couple that work for the CIA. I don't want to give away any details but that bit is commonly known. I loved the series and think you will too, it's great mix of action, comedy and drama. In this age of reality TV it's good to see a show that has a winning formula and J.J. Abrams has done it again. This show has a great cast and you can practically see the many directions in which they could take these characters. The chemistry between the two main characters, Steven and Samatha Bloom played by Boris Kojoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw respectively, is so electrifying that it leads you to believe there must be some off camera romance going on. The show is an hour long but the action scenes are tied in perfectly with the story telling and the result is a fast paced series that keeps even the most attention challenged person interested.

I really enjoyed this show. It is definitely binge worthy. The action was what you expect from JJ Abrams, but it also showed a married couple dedicated to each other which was refreshing. That aspect also made the show a little different from other spy shows on the air at the time it first aired. I do not believe the network gave the show a chance to find its audience because spy show fans would really appreciate the action and settings in exotic locations around the world, which is a foundation for tv spy shows, in my opinion. Undercovers seemed to want to keep the storylines somewhat light-hearted in the midst of serious crimes. Maybe that's what some viewers did not appreciate, as well as did not appreciate a loving married couple. I, however, liked that about Undercovers.

If it were up to me, I'd have created a second season. A second season would given this show a chance to develop the story more deeply and maybe showed a more serious side. It's a great show that has been underrated and definitely overlooked.

I completely agree with mhbimage's review - Undercovers was an absolute gem that never got the chance it deserved. This show had everything: slick production values you'd expect from J. J. Abrams, genuine chemistry between Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boris Kodjoe, and storylines that perfectly balanced relationship drama with exciting spy action.

What made this show special wasn't just the representation (though seeing a successful, loving Black couple as the leads was refreshing and important), but the quality of the storytelling. The show managed to be both sophisticated and fun, with globe-trotting adventures that felt cinematic and character development that made you actually care about Steven and Samantha's relationship.

I'm still baffled why this didn't find its audience. Maybe it was the competitive time slot, maybe viewers were suffering from spy show fatigue, or maybe NBC didn't promote it enough. Whatever the reason, canceling it after just one season was a huge mistake.

As for getting shows like this back, there's actually hope! Look at what happened with Living Single and The Game - both were brought back after being cancelled. Leverage got a full reboot 10 years later with Leverage: Redemption. Here are some strategies that have worked:

• **Streaming campaigns**: Petition Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime to pick up the rights
• **Fan persistence**: Keep the conversation alive on social media (#BringBackUndercovers)
• **Support the creators**: Follow J. J. Abrams' projects and show there's still audience interest
• **Prove the market**: Watch and promote similar diverse, smart content to demonstrate demand

Undercovers proved that audiences were ready for smart, diverse television. With enough fan support and the right platform, shows can find new life. This one deserves it.

Wow...as I found out earlier this past summer that JJ Abrams will produce this show I was eager to see it, but now as I watch this few episodes I can say that this is by far the worst thing JJ ever did.

Firstly, the main characters are boring, there is no chemistry, and as the story goes, they are supposed to be experienced spies but their skill is shown as less then average. I guess the main premise of this show was to put few nice looking people on the show and let's wait and see what happens. And what happened was a big mistake.

The only character that is worth something is Hoyte and I am wondering why he isn't given more space in the show.

This show, like any spy show had potential, and I guess JJ got this on behalf of his previous success stories, but I will be absolutely stunned if this show goes beyond the first season, I wouldn't be even surprised if it was canceled in the middle of the first season, it's that bad.