The Grid (TV serial) explained

Executive Producer:Tracey Alexander
Brian Eastman
Runtime:44 minutes
Creator:Tracey Alexander
Ken Friedman
Director:Mikael Salomon
Starring:Dylan McDermott
Julianna Margulies
Tom Skerritt
Piter Marek
Bernard Hill
Jemma Redgrave
James Remar
Alki David
Barna Moricz
Silas Carson
Country:United States
United Kingdom
Language:English
Company:Groveland Pictures
Carnival Films
Fox Television Studios
Network:TNT (United States)
BBC Two (United Kingdom)
Composer:Ramin Djawadi
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:6

The Grid is a 2004 television drama serial co-produced by the BBC, Fox TV Studios and Carnival Films. It starred Dylan McDermott and Julianna Margulies. It aired on TNT in the US and on BBC Two in the UK over three consecutive nights and is available on DVD in the UK, United States and Australia. It also aired on Seven HD in Australia in 2007.

Premise

The series follows an international Counter-Terrorism team whose purpose is to combat terrorism; the series focuses on the team's mission to disrupt a terrorist cell bent on destroying the world's economic foundations. The team is assembled following an incident in which a failed Sarin attack in London leaves several terrorists and innocents dead. The team is composed of: Maren Jackson, an administrator for the National Security Council; Max Canary, SAC of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF); and Raza Michaels, an expert on Middle Eastern culture who works for the CIA; in addition, the American team works with two British Intelligence agents, senior field agent Derek Jennings of MI5 and mid-level administrator Emily Tuthill of MI6. Maren Jackson must fight to keep the team together, when they are misled by the terrorists and evacuate Manhattan's subways under a false alarm.

Maren had created the team specifically to cut through red tape and encourage inter-agency cooperation, but she is stymied by Acton Sandman, the CIA's Assistant Director for Counter Terrorism, who believes that he should be leader of the team, and the CIA should be in charge of its operation. To manipulate the situation, Sandman puts political pressure on Raza, and eventually fires him when Raza remains loyal to Maren.

When it becomes evident that there is an imminent threat Maren Jackson and Acton Sandman put their differences aside and work together to prevent the terrorist cell from striking. During the course of the operation Emily Tuthill and Raza Michaels become a couple, and she is distraught when tragedy befalls Raza in Syria when trying to talk down a group of children who had been coerced by the cell leader to martyr themselves. The lives of some of the team are changed forever following the successful operation. Maren Jackson is sworn in as the new National Security Advisor. Emily Tuthill resigns from MI6 after nearly killing Yussef Nasseriah, the terrorist cell leader, following the death of Raza, while Max Canary, Acton Sandman and Derek Jennings return to work at their various agencies.

Cast

ActorCharacterDescription
Dylan McDermottMax CanarySpecial Agent in Charge of the FBI's New York City JTTF, member of Maren Jackson's team.
Julianna MarguliesMaren JacksonNSA Operative who assembles and leads an international Counter-Terrorism Team.
Tom SkerrittActon SandmanCIA's Assistant Director for Counter Terrorist Operations; adversary of Maren Jackson.
Piter MarekRaza MichaelsCIA Analyst and key member of Maren Jackson's team. His position on Maren's team puts him at odd with his boss, Acton Sandman.
Bernard HillDerek JenningsHead of MI5's Counter Terrorist Operations, and a member of Maren Jackson's team.
Jemma RedgraveEmily TuthillHead of MI6's Foreign Counter Terrorist Operations, and a member of Maren Jackson's team.
James RemarHudson BenoitInternational Businessman and Love Interest of Maren Jackson.
Alki DavidYussef NasseriahLeader of the terrorist cell.
Barna MoriczKaz MooreSon of a Russian immigrant and member of Yussef Nasseriah's cell.
Silas CarsonDr. Raghib MutarA Saudi doctor who is an old friend of Yussef Nasseriah and becomes a member of his cell.
Andy VelasquezFoud al BansourSaudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States.

Episodes

The show had 6 episodes however when originally aired on TNT Episodes 1 & 2 aired as one episode as did Episodes 5 & 6. As such they are listed here as one episode.

Title !Writer(s) Director Original airdate

Home media

DVD release
Set detailsSpecial features
  • Bonus featurettes:
    • Decoding the Grid
    • VFX: Secrets of the Grid
    • Racing Against Time
    • Scene-specific commentaries by Dylan McDermott and Julianna Margulies
    • 13 deleted scenes
  • Commentary
    • Hours 3 & 4 by Mikael Salomon and Tracey Alexander
Canada (North America)United KingdomAustralia
Episodes666
Aspect ratio1.78:11.78:11.78:1
Running time265 mins270 mins266 mins
AudioDolby Digital 5.1Dolby Digital 5.1Dolby Digital 5.1
SubtitlesEnglish, Spanish, FrenchEnglishEnglish
No. of discs222
Region(s)1 (NTSC)2 (PAL)4 (PAL)
RatingNot rated15M
Release dates8 February 2005[1] 14 March 2005 [2] 6 August 2006 [3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Grid (2004) . amazon.com . Amazon . 8 February 2005 . 2009-12-30.
  2. Web site: Grid: 2dvd. hmv.com . 2009-12-30.
  3. Web site: The Grid DVD . dvdorchard.com.au . 2009-12-30.
  4. Web site: The Grid . Emmys.com . 20 September 2005.