Professionals (TV series)
{{Short description|2020 action series}}
{{for|the British television drama|The Professionals (TV series)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Professionals Viaplay.jpg
| image_alt =
| caption = Original poster
| genre = Action
| developer = Jeff Most & Michael Colleary
| based_on = {{based on|Soldiers of Fortune}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Tom Welling
- Brendan Fraser
- Elena Anaya
- Ken Duken
- Lisa Loven Kongsli
- August Wittgenstein
- Saïd Taghmaoui
}}
| narrated =
| music = Kormac
| country = South Africa
Ireland
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 10
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Jeff Most
- Michael Colleary
- Tristan Orpen Lynch
- Michael Auret
- Howard Cohen
- Eric d’Arbeloff
- Jennifer Berman
- Herbert L. Kloiber
- Thomas Augsberger
- Cosima von Spreti
- Daniel Wagner
- Maxim Korostyshevsky
- Bharat Nalluri
- Fredrik Ljungberg
- Brendan Fraser
- Tom Welling
- Elena Anaya
}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Katy Most
- Lwazi Manzi
- Aoife O'Sullivan
}}
| location =
| cinematography = {{Plainlist|
- Tom Marais
- David Johnson
- Michael Swan
}}
| editor = {{Plainlist|
- Danny Saphire
- Nicholas Costaras
- Jeremy Briers
- Carmen Freemantle
}}
| camera = Single-camera
| runtime = 48 minutes{{cite web|url=https://viaplay.se/serier/professionals|title=Professionals|website=Viaplay|access-date=June 15, 2023}}
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Most Media
- Subotica
- Spier Films
- Roadside Attractions
- Jeff Most Productions
- High Bridge Production
- Leonine Holding
- Viaplay
}}
| network = Viaplay
| first_aired = {{Start date|2020|11|23}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2020|12|21}}
}}
Professionals is an action television series starring Tom Welling and Brendan Fraser. It is an international production and is based on the 2012 film Soldiers of Fortune. The first season was commissioned by Viaplay. A second season is planned, with the showrunners looking for a new network to pick up the show.
Premise
The series follows Captain Vincent Corbo, a mercenary and former intelligence officer, who is hired by billionaire futurist Peter Swann and his medical visionary fiancee Grace Davila to investigate the suspected sabotage of his advanced medical satellite. Corbo along with his team of security professionals discovers a conspiracy involving corporate rivals, corrupt government officials, and a shadowy crime syndicate to destroy Swann and take control of his tech business.
Cast and characters
- Tom Welling as Vincent Corbo, a mercenary and former intelligence officer
- Brendan Fraser as Peter Swann, a billionaire futurist controlling a large tech empire who hires Corbo
- Elena Anaya as Graciela "Grace" Davila, a visionary medical expert and fiancee of Swann
- Ken Duken as Kurt Neumann, a rogue Europol agent with a vendetta against Corbo
- Saïd Taghmaoui as Tarik Basari
- Lisa Loven Kongsli as Zora Swann
- August Wittgenstein as Luther Bruhn
- Tanya van Graan as Romy Brandt
- Danielle Ryan as Sophia Elias
- Kai Luke Brümmer as Danny Corbo
- Stevel Marc as Tyler "Trig" Raines
- Nic Rasenti as Jack "Hacksaw" Smythe
- Ziggy Marley as Elizabeth
- Jazarra Jaslynn as Jane Swann
Episodes
{{Episode table |total_width=75 |background=#9A3640 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |country= |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Snipe Hunt
|DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri
|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|t=Michael Colleary|s=Jeff Most & Michael Colleary}}
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|23}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Entanglements
|DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri
|WrittenBy = Michael Colleary
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|23}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = The Knives of Friends
|DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri
|WrittenBy = Michael Colleary
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|30}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Vectors
|DirectedBy = Thabang Moleya
|WrittenBy = Christian O'Reilly
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|30}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Process of Elimination
|DirectedBy = Thabang Moleya
|WrittenBy = Paul Walker
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|7}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Hot Zone
|DirectedBy = Oliver Schmitz
|WrittenBy = Rohan Dickson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|7}}
|ShortSummary =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|Title = The Hunted
|DirectedBy = Oliver Schmitz
|WrittenBy = Rohan Dickson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|14}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|Title = The Alamo
|DirectedBy = Oliver Schmitz
|WrittenBy = Rohan Dickson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|14}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|Title = Deep Fake
|DirectedBy = Ciaran Donnelly
|WrittenBy = Rohan Dickson
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|21}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|Title = Swan Song
|DirectedBy = Ciaran Donnelly
|WrittenBy = Paul Walker
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|12|21}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor = 9A3640
}}
}}
Production
The series was created by Jeff Most and Michael Colleary, and is loosely based on the 2012 film Soldiers of Fortune. Each season is intended to star Tom Welling as Vincent Corbo protecting a new client, with the first season's client being Peter Swann who is portrayed by Brendan Fraser.{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/news/professionals-cancelled-the-cw-new-season-2-network-casting-1234999753/|title=Professionals Seeking New Home After CW Passes on Season 2 — Who Might Return? (Exclusive)|website=TVLine|last=Mittovich|first=Matt Webb|date=13 June 2023|access-date=15 June 2023}}
The first season was commissioned by Viaplay who announced it in May 2019, and was co-produced by Most Media, Subotica, Spier Films Production, Roadside Attractions, Jeff Most Productions, Highbridge Production, Leonine Holding (then Tele München Group) and Viaplay.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/brendan-fraser-soliders-of-fortune-the-professionals-1202624833/|title=Brendan Fraser, Tom Welling & Elena Anaya To Star In TV Remake Of Action Feature Soldiers Of Fortune For SVOD Viaplay|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=White|first=Peter|date=31 May 2019|access-date=15 June 2023}}
The series began filming in late May 2019 in South Africa and Ireland under Leonine Holding and wrapped up in September 2020.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/german-major-leonine-extends-pact-with-thomas-augsbergers-eden-rock-media-firm-wraps-on-action-series-professionals-1234573494/|title=German Major Leonine Extends Pact With Thomas Augsberger's Eden Rock Media; Firm Wraps On Action Series Professionals|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|date=9 September 2020|access-date=15 June 2023}} It was released on 23 November 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/i/qAyrkw/saa-daarlig-at-man-nesten-maa-le|title=Så dårlig at man nesten må le|website=Stavanger Aftenblad|last=Hult|first=Kime|date=24 November 2020|access-date=15 June 2023|language=Swedish}}
The first season was acquired by The CW for broadcasting in the United States, but it passed on renewing the show for a second season. The showrunners have stated that they are looking for another outlet to pick up the show.
International broadcast
The series was acquired for broadcast in the United States in September 2021 by The CW{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tom-welling-brendan-fraser-series-professionals-cw-1235064395/|title=Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser Series Professionals Acquired by The CW|website=Variety|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=14 September 2021|access-date=15 June 2023}} and premiered on 11 October 2022 and ended in December 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvinsider.com/1056896/professionals-brendan-fraser-tom-welling-series-premiere-date-cw/|title=Professionals EPs Tease Brendan Fraser & Tom Welling High-Octane Action Series|website=TV Insider|last=Halterman|first=Jim|date=6 September 2022|access-date=15 June 2023}} The show was quietly cancelled in June 2023 due to low ratings and a shift in the network's strategy amongst its acquisition by Nexstar. Nexstar has stated that they will greenlight more unscripted productions going forward into the future. Jeff Most responded to the cancellation saying that he's hopeful that another network will pickup the series, and that they're currently working on the second season and are pitching the series to other networks and shopping it around.
References
{{reflist}}