''Today's FBI'' is an American

crime drama Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

television series, an updated and revamped version of the earlier series '' The F.B.I.'' Like the original program, this series is based on actual cases from the files of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

, and the F.B.I. was involved in the making of the show. Unlike the original series, which ran for nine seasons, this show ran for only 18 episodes (following a

TV-movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a terrest ...

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

) on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

, during the 1981–82 season.

Cast

Mike Connors Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor. He was best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series ''Mannix'' from 1967 to 1975. This role ...

as Ben Slater, a veteran "G-Man" who is the chief and mentor of an elite unit of agents. *

Joseph Cali Joseph Cali (born March 30, 1950) is an American actor known for playing the role of Joey in the 1977 film ''Saturday Night Fever''. Post Saturday Night Fever, he appeared on television and in films such as 1979's ''Voices'', '' The Competition ...

as Nick Frazier, the one "ethnic" member of the team, a young and determined agent. * Carol Potter as Maggie Clinton, the one female member. * Rick Hill as Al Gordean, a "country boy" and strongman of the group, is often partnered with Nick. *

Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester (born February 10, 1949) is an American film and television actor. Early life and education Sylvester was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School and Tulane University. Turnin ...

as Dwayne Thompson, the one African American on the show; he often acts as the member who keeps the others focused.

Episode list

Reception

The series suffered from low ratings as a result of direct competition from CBS's Top 20 hits ''

Archie Bunker's Place ''Archie Bunker's Place'' is an American television sitcom produced as a continuation of ''All in the Family''. It aired on CBS from September 23, 1979 to April 4, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on CBS in April 1983, the series went i ...

'' and '' One Day at a Time'' and was cancelled after only 18 episodes. According to Michele Malach of

Fort Lewis College Fort Lewis College (FLC) is a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado, and the only four-year and graduate studies institution in the Four Corners region. FLC's historical evolution spans its origins as a U.S. military fort, an Indian ...

, the series attempted a more positive portrayal of the FBI by using diverse characters and a "fallacious assumption that its audience still viewed special agents as 'us' rather than 'them'," in contrast to federal agents with "a rigid, dogmatic, inhumane bureaucracy" depicted in later media, like ''

Point Break ''Point Break'' is a 1991 American action film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by W. Peter Iliff. It stars Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Lori Petty and Gary Busey. The film's title refers to the surfing term " point break", where a ...

'', '' Betrayed'', and ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...

''. Viewers "did not buy either the image or he series" prompting a cancellation. Richard Gib Powers called it "pointless and a cover-up fthe FBI villainy

References

External links

* * 1981 American television series debuts 1982 American television series endings Television series by Sony Pictures Television 1980s American crime drama television series American English-language television shows Television series about the Federal Bureau of Investigation Television shows set in Los Angeles American Broadcasting Company crime dramas {{US-drama-tv-prog-stub