Covert Affairs

 

I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the republic which is plagued by Russian spies and dangerous assassins, but protected by our heroic CIA agents who tackle our enemies wearing red high heels. In the age of patriotism, USA’s Covert Affairs has captured our minds with high speed car chases, sexy spies, and all in the name of America the beautiful. The writing may be subpar, the acting mediocre, but Covert Affairs knows how to entertain.

            Covert Affairs Pilot starring Piper Perabo as the daringly beautiful Annie Walker, first aired July 13, 2010 and will continue with its third season this summer. Annie Walker is a language genius finishing up her time in CIA training at ‘the farm’ when she is suddenly and mysteriously summoned to Langley, the CIA head quarters. Annie’s language expertise is needed to gain intelligence from a Russian contact and Annie is thrown head first into the world of a spy. As she works her first assignment she encounters assassins, bureaucratic monsters, friendly blind men, deceiving ex convicts, and over protective siblings. This special two hour episode has it all: high speed car chases, hand to hand combat, frightening shoot outs, under cover call girls, and don’t forget the romance.

            Layering selfless patriotism with straight up badass, Annie Walker is at the crux of Covert Affairs. Men and women alike can appreciate Perabo’s style. The Pilot is peppered with scenes for just such an audience: Annie valiantly jumping out of a plane while her male colleagues look on in fear, Annie seducing her way out of interrogation with the FB I, Annie catapulting turnstiles in chase of a dangerous foreigner while wearing five inch heels, Annie driving her red car like a NASCAR stunt driver in escape of a sketchy black car following her. If Annie isn’t to your taste then you’re sure to find someone you like. There’s the loveable techie Auggie, blinded in Iraq, who always has a joke and a piece of advice, and who is, let’s be frank, pretty darn good looking. There’s Arthur and Joan, big bosses in the CIA and using their CIA privileges and under cover knowledge to ensure that they aren’t cheating. There’s the sneaky Liza Hearn, a journalist leaking intelligence secrets. And of course Annie’s mysterious love interest who vanishes suddenly from their bed of new and passionate love, leaving only a note.

            The episode starts with Annie’s polygraph for entry into the CIA and we are introduced through flashbacks to Annie’s tumultuous love affair in Sri Lanka which, after ending so abruptly, leaves Annie hardened and ready for a life of secrecy and dedication to her country. Back in the present Annie is summoned to Langley, given a fake cell phone enabled to synch with the cell phone of a Russian asset and a DC call girl outfit. When the operation goes wrong Annie gets in trouble with her strict boss Joan, and is forced to take initiative to solve the problem herself.

            While we will never know what truly goes on inside the highly guarded CIA headquarters, we can guess that undercover missions do not usually unfold with such slow motion glamour, that paper work is not actually done so infrequently, and the head of the Domestic Protection Division does not actually get to wear such low cut dresses. Despite this unreality and the somewhat cheesy writing, Covert Affairs has surely persuaded numerous budding Americans, that the CIA is a job of intrigue and excitement again in the name of good ‘ol America.

            This high budget, high profile TV show has action and glamour going for it, and that is the way it is going to have to continue. To stay successful Covert Affairs will have to continue wowing us with high speed chases, complex CIA lingo, and the perilous state of our national security. With the current nuclear mindset, USA network will have no problem keeping us on our toes and even convincing us to give our life for our country, or more likely, our life in search of a thrilling spy lifestyle in which leaping from planes in tight skirts is the norm and there is liberty and justice for all.