XIII: The Series
Season 1 poster
Genre	Action Conspiracy Thriller Drama
Developed by	Duane Clark
Starring	Stuart Townsend Roxane Mesquida Aisha Tyler Virginie Ledoyen Caterina Murino Greg Bryk Stephen McHattie Ted Atherton
Composer(s)	Nicolas Errèra
Country of origin	France Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	26 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jay Firestone
Location(s)	Toronto, and Georgetown Canada Paris, France
Running time	44 minutes
Production company(s)	Prodigy Pictures Cipango Canal+ M6 Shaw Media EuropaCorp
Broadcast
Original channel	Canal+ (France) Mystery TV (Canada) Showcase (Canada) Ztélé (in French) (Canada) ReelzChannel (USA)
Original run	18 April 2011 – present
Chronology
Preceded by	XIII: The Conspiracy
External links
Website

XIII: The Series is an English-language Franco-Canadian TV series that premiered in April 2011 in France and Canada. It is based on the Belgian graphic novel series created by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance, about an amnesiac protagonist who seeks to discover his concealed past. The TV series follows the events of the 2008 TV film XIII: The Conspiracy, which was also produced by Prodigy Pictures and Cipango.

Production [edit]

Shaw Media (then still known as Canwest) announced on 9 July 2010 the new dramas Blackstone, Endgame, King, and XIII would be produced for the 2010-11 season and that Combat Hospital would be produced for the 2011-12 season in addition to the already announced series Shattered and Lost Girl.^[1] Along with four comedies and three pilot movies it made for the largest order for scripted original programming that Canwest had ever done.^[1] Production on XIII began on 13 September 2010 with filming in and around Toronto, including Barber Mill, Georgetown, Ontario.^[2] Portions of XIII were also filmed in Paris.^[3]

Characters [edit]

Main characters [edit]

• Stuart Townsend as "XIII" - An infamous, skilled and lethal secret agent and independent contractor of the United States Government who, after suffering brain-damage during the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, has lost all memories of his identity. Two years following the events of the mini-series, XIII, having been imprisoned in a Romania black site, has an escape arranged by forces loyal to Wally Sheridan, and he forms a workable arrangement with President Ben Carrington and other elements of the government to track down the Renelco information weapon - a very dangerous piece of software capable of universal access to all technology - and retrieve it; all in the hopes of uncovering his true identity. Eventually he discovers his identity as a former CIA special ops agent, raised under the name Ryan Flay; as well as his true name at birth Jason Peter Mullway; son of a CIA agent, Sean Mullway.
• Aisha Tyler as Special Agent Lauren Jones - a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security, formerly a Major in the US Army. Jones, during the events of the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, was a CIA agent who worked with XIII to expose the conspiracy; the two were also lovers, before his amnesia, and Jones still retains feelings for him, despite the complicated situation. Two years following the events of the mini-series, Jones is revealed to have left the CIA and taken a position with the Secret Service at the White House; having been told XIII was stationed overseas on a black operation. When XIII resurfaces, having really been secretly imprisoned by Amos, Jones is assigned to Homeland Security, under Amos's command, to assist XIII in his investigation of the Renelco Mission and Rainer Gerhardt, as well as XIII's own efforts of uncovering his true identity. In the Season 1 finale, Jones apparently betrays XIII to Gerhardt's surviving operatives and shoots XIII with a sniper rifle - for reasons unknown.
• Greg Bryk as Director Samuel Amos - the Director of National Intelligence under President Ben Carrington, formerly a Colonel in the US Army - a title the President still uses with him. Amos, during the events of the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, was still an active Army Colonel in charge of government intelligence, leading the investigation of the assassination of President Sally Sheridan, and targeted XIII, initially believing him to be the killer; ultimately the two worked together with Jones to stop the conspiracy, with Amos, in the aftermath, leading the effort to capture or eliminate the remaining members. Two years following the events of th mini-series, Amos is revealed to have left the military and taken the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to President Carrington, and, despite XIII's innocence and efforts to expose the conspiracy, had actually had XIII imprisoned in a black site in Romania - having learnt of XIII's possible link to the Renelco Mission; knowledge of which he sees as too dangerous to be allowed to go free. Following XIII's escape, arranged by forces loyal to Wally Sheridan, XIII forms a workable arrangement with Carrington and other elements of the government, including a begrudging Amos, to track down the Renelco information weapon - the focus of the mission, deliberately hidden by XIII before the conspiracy - and retrieve it; all in the hopes of uncovering his true identity. Amos, at the President's order, works with XIII and other government agents in track the weapon down, but remains wary and cautious around XIII and the methods he employs as his investigation deepens - often stating XIII was "out of control". In the Season 1 finale, Amos finally reaches the point he attempts to have an assassination team kill XIII, although he fails, and instead Amos calls off his attempt on XIII's life to re-focus on Sheridan, and confronts him in his home and attempts to bluff him into shooting himself; in an effort to derail his plans to get back in power. It results in a showdown which ends in gunshots. Amos left the Carrington administration and is now the head of the Sequeandron Company.
• Stephen McHattie as President Ben Carrington - the current President of the United States, formerly a General in the US Army, and Deputy Director of the NSA. Carrington, during the events of the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, was still an active Army General who worked with XIII to expose the conspiracy, during which his daughter, Kim Rowland, is killed. Two years following the events of the mini-series, Carrington is revealed to have left the military and went into politics, taking the position of Vice President under then-President Wally Sheridan, after a scandal forces the resignation of his predecessor; he then goes one step further and blackmails Sheridan into resigning, citing a diagnosis with a chronic heart problem, after threatening him with evidence that Sheridan was the mastermind behind the conspiracy and had then-President Sally Sheridan, his own sister, killed, so he could take office. Carrington was then sworn in as the current President. When XIII escaped his imprisonment, he forms a workable arrangement with Carrington and other elements of the government to track down the Renelco information weapon and retrieve it; all in the hopes of uncovering his true identity. Carrington makes it clear that he both trusts and respects XIII after his efforts to expose the Roman Numeral Conspiracy, and grants him all the access and resources he can to aid in his quest. Carrington currently faces a difficult re-election against Wally Sheridan; who has steadily discredited Carrington in the eyes of the public, but he does gain a sense of peace with Kim's death when he takes her newly-found son; Roger, under his protection (though when it is found Roger is Kim's illegitimate son with Sheridan himself, it further escalates the animosity between them). In the Season 1 finale, XIII's memory of the Renelco Mission begins returning, and during a memory flash that occurs after he is shot by Jones, he remembers Carrington was present on the mission, implying he had a connection to Rainer Gerhardt since the beginning. In Season 2, Carrington is campaigning for a full four-year term in his own right in the presidential election.

Season 1 [edit]

• Virginie Ledoyen as Irina Svetlanova - A mysterious Russian mercenary working as Wally Sheridan's operative, hunting for the Renelco information weapon, and so regularly clashes with XIII; despite Irina's initial attempts to gain his trust, having taken part in Sheridan's effort to get him out of the Romania black site, and aid him in his efforts of uncovering his true identity. Their relationship quickly became deadly, and the consequences were the deaths of several of XIII's past associates, including Samantha Taylor; who XIII ultimately found out was shot by Irina. In the Season 1 finale, Irina is shot and killed by XIII in revenge.
• Caterina Murino as Samantha "Sam" Taylor - A civilian photo shop owner who, during the events of the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, was caught up in XIII's efforts to expose the conspiracy. Two years following the events of the mini-series, Sam is approached again by XIII, to aid his efforts of uncovering his true identity. After a short time, Sam and XIII succumbed to their feelings and became lovers. Tragically, Sam was shot and killed in Season 1, Episode 3 by Irina Svetlanova, Sheridan's operative, who shot her with a sniper rifle during an arranged robbery, that was made to look like it "went bad" - the truth was ultimately found out and XIII killed Irina in revenge.
• Ted Atherton as President Walter "Wally" Sheridan - the former President of the United States. Sheridan, during the events of the Roman Numeral Conspiracy Mission, was originally a state Governor, and was present at the assassination of his sister; President Sally Sheridan. Sheridan campaigned for the presidency, claiming to take up his sister's legacy, and ultimately won the election and supervised the effort to capture or eliminate the remaining members. In truth, XIII and his government allies realized too late that Sheridan himself was the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Two years following the events of the mini-series, Sheridan is revealed to have actually left the presidency, having been blackmailed into resigning by his Vice President, Ben Carrington, after threatening him with evidence that Sheridan had his sister killed so he could take office. Despite retirement, which Sheridan cited as due to a diagnosis with a chronic heart problem, Sheridan remains largely popular with the public, and, after joining forces with Rainer Gerhardt to locate and retrieve the Renelco information weapon in exchange for the funding and support he needs to regain power, and having already been steadily discrediting Carrington, eventually comes forward and announces his bid for re-election against Carrington. Carrington, like his operative; Irina Svetlanova, attempts to gain XIII's trust, having arranged the effort to get him out of the Romania black site, as well as aid him in his efforts of uncovering his true identity. Ultimately, however, Sheridan is established as an enemy of XIII and dedicated to eliminating him as, in his eyes, XIII is endangering his effort to regain power. Sheridan was delighted to learn he had a son with Carrington's daughter, Kim, before her death in the mini-series, and this knowledge increases his desire to regain the presidency. In the Season 1 finale, Samuel Amos confronts Sheridan in his home and attempts to bluff him into shooting himself; in an effort to derail his plans to get back in power. Sheridan, calmly, refuses. It results in a showdown which ends in gunshots. Sheridan's fate revealed that he was killed by Amos at the Sheridan estate.
• Paulino Nunes as Director Frank Giordino - the Director of the CIA under President Ben Carrington and immediate subordinate of Samuel Amos; Giordino is one of the few government officials aware of XIII's existence, initially working with Amos to suppress him, but later, at President Carrington's order, works with XIII and Jones in their efforts to locate and retrieve the Renelco information weapon. While appearing, like former-President Wally Sheridan and his operative; Irina Svetlanova, to help XIII in his efforts of uncovering his true identity, Giordino was revealed to have been working behind-the-scenes with Irina and Sheridan against XIII; sabotaging XIII's investigation whenever he could. Ultimately, Giordino was exposed and goes rogue, with Amos taking over the CIA directly in his place. Giordino was thrown from a moving train in Season 1, Episode 10 by XIII after he attempted to kidnap Sheridan's illegitimate son with Kim Carrington, Roger, for leverage. Giordino's body was not found.

Seasons [edit]

Episodes [edit]

The Conspiracy (2008) [edit]

The two-part mini-series served as a backdoor pilot for the series and stars Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff as "XIII" as well as series regulars Stephen McHattie, Greg Bryk, Ted Atherton and Caterina Murino. It premiered in France on Canal+ on 6 and 13 October 2008, was first broadcast in Canada on Global and in the USA on NBC on 8 and 15 February 2009, in Australia on Nine on 1 and 8 November 2009, and in the United Kingdom on 27 December 2009 on Five. Showcase rebroadcast the show in Canada in 2010 and ReelzChannel rebroadcast it in the USA in 2012 before they started showing Season 1.

Season 1 (2011) [edit]

The first season of XIII consists of 13 episodes^[4] with Gil Grant as showrunner.^[2] It premiered in France on 18 April 2011 on Canal+, where two episodes were shown on Monday nights. The North American debut for the series was 19 April 2011 in Canada on Mystery TV, where the series was shown at 10:00 am ET on Tuesday mornings.^[5] The series was shown in prime-time in Canada on Showcase, where episodes were shown Wednesday nights at 10:00 pm ET and were also available in HDTV. The twelfth and thirteenth episodes were shown Tuesdays at 10:00 pm ET on Showcase due to the return of Weeds' seventh season.^[6][7] In the United States it was shown on prime-time on Friday nights more than a year later on the ReelzChannel starting 29 June 2012.

Season 2 (2012) [edit]

After a period of some uncertainty, a Twitter announcement on 11 December 2011 by Stuart Townsend, the actor who plays "XIII", stated the series was renewed for a second season.^[21] It further states the show will undergo "a major retooling, taking the show in a new direction". Filming began in 13 February 2012, in Toronto, Canada.^[22]

The second season consists of 13 episodes with Roger Avary as showrunner. It premiered in France on 15 October 2012 on Canal+,^[23] where two to three episodes were shown on Monday nights for a period of six weeks. It is expected to be rebroadcast on M6 in 2013.^[24]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• XIII: The Series at the Internet Movie Database